Volume 34 April 6, 2017

Transcription

1 Volume 34 April 6, 2017 Dear Church Family, The Lenten journey has had its joys and its sorrows as the community of faith follows Jesus to Jerusalem for his stirring entry into the holy city, his final conflicts with the religious authorities, his last meals and prayers with his disciples, and his death upon the cross on Friday. God will raise this Jesus from the grave early on Easter Sunday morning, and the fearful, scattered disciples will become the bold witnesses to God's amazing love for all the world for all eternity. Easter is God's authenticating exclamation point on the life and love of Jesus of Nazareth, the messiah and savior. Now is a good time to decide how you will participate in the worship of Holy Week. This coming Sunday we wave the palms branches as we declare our allegiance to Jesus Christ as he rides that donkey into Jerusalem, the city of David. Palm Sunday worship will include the children processing and singing at the 11:00 service. St. Simons Island is blessed to enjoy a strong and rare tradition of putting our churches together in community worship in a series of noonday services on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. We will walk with Jesus through his last week, and following worship each day we will enjoy a meal prepared for us by the host church. Please consult our church website for the complete schedule and locations of these weekday gatherings. It is our joy to host the Good Friday worship and lunch. Also, use the church website to reserve your place at our Maundy Thursday congregational meal on April 13 at 6:00 pm. Please come earlier at 5:00 pm that afternoon to the Upper Room over the church office to hear Merritt Groeschel, the daughter of Bill and Anne Stembler and the sister of Bess Chambliss, as she shares the ministry of Chevy Chase Presbyterian Church in welcoming and helping refugees in Washington, D.C. On Good Friday afternoon and evening, our sanctuary will be open for

2 prayer for your individual use. We are invited to a joint Good Friday service at 6:00 pm at Altama Presbyterian Church (4621 Altama Ave. in Brunswick). Several area Presbyterian churches will be attending this service, and you are welcome. Easter morning begins with sunrise worship at the village pier at 6:30 am when 2,000 faithful folks will sing and pray the good news of the resurrection. Our worship services will be at 8:45 and 11:00 am with a congregational covered-dish lunch at noon, followed by an Easter egg hunt for the children on the lawn! I am looking for 12 St. Simons Presbyterians to hand out bulletins and take up the offering in the early morning darkness of Easter at the pier. Please help me if you can. Only "morning people" need apply! God bless us all as we celebrate the good news of Easter together. Love, Bob Schedule of Worship & Events April 9 Palm Sunday April 10 Monday Palm Sunday Worship: 8:45 & 11 AM Procession of the Palm Branches Day of Authority Community Worship: St. Simons UMC- 12 PM* Rev. Dave Hanson, Retired, United Methodist Church April 11 Tuesday Day of Conflict Community Worship: First Baptist of SSI- 12 PM* Rev. Bob Brearley, St. Simons Presbyterian Church April 12 Wednesday Day of Withdrawal Community Worship: Wesley UMC at Frederica - 12 PM*

3 Rev. Marcia Cochran, St. Simons UMC ***Arrive by 11:30 for a Concert Prelude by Glynn Academy Choir*** Children's Musical Rehearsal: Social Hall - 4 PM Chancel Choir Rehearsal: Choir Room - 6 PM April 13 Maundy Thursday Day of Intimacy Refugee Resettlement Presentation: Upper Room- 5 PM Merritt Groeschel Maundy Thursday Meal & Communion at Table: Social Hall - 4 PM Prayer Journey: 7 PM - 8PM Stations in Chapel, Sanctuary, and Memorial Garden April 14 Good Friday Day of Sacrifice Community Worship: St. Simons Presbyterian- 12 PM* Rev. Tommy Townsend, Holy Nativity Episcopal Good Friday Luncheon: Social Hall - 12:30 PM Good Friday Prayer Vigil: Sanctuary Open: 1-8PM April 15 Holy Saturday Easter Eve Individual Fasting and Prayer * Lunch following: $3 donation

4 Join us for a Maundy Thursday Meal & Communion! Gather together with us to share a meal and partake in communion on this holy day that commemorates the Maundy and Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. This meal will take the place of WOW Supper this week. Please sign up by following the link below. April 13 6 PM Social Hall Menu: Chicken Casserole, salad, rolls, dessert. Sign Up Here! Easter Sunrise Service 6:30 AM Village Pier We need help ushering if you are able. Please contact the church office to sign up. Easter Worship 8:45 & 11 AM Sanctuary Please bring flowers from your garden for the "Flowering of the Cross". Easter Luncheon

5 12:15 PM Social Hall All are invited to come and participate in this event that we are very excited about! It is our honor to host the Rev. Kathryn McLean, Presbyterian minister and regional representative of Veriditas, an international organization "dedicated to inspiring personal and planetary change and renewal through the labyrinth experience," who will be the guide for our experience. At 5 PM she will share a history of this ancient and universal symbol and its use as a spiritual Please bring 2 dishes to share. If you are able, please stay after the luncheon to help us clean up. Easter Egg Hunt 1 PM Church Lawn Please donate non-melting candy for this year's egg hunt! We are collecting candy in a designated basket in the back hallway by the Book Nook. Please bring Easter baskets from home for the hunt. Come learn & enjoy A Labyrinth Experience with us on Thursday, April 20!

6 practice. Then at 6 PM there will be the opportunity for a personal experience with the labyrinth. There will be two large canvas labyrinths - one a Chartres design and the other a classical design - for walking. There will also be a collection of lap and finger labyrinths for those who want a non-walking experience. There will be a time for reflection on the experience. We will conclude the evening with a shared meal together at 7 PM. Thursday, April 20 Social Hall 5 PM - Learning of the Labyrinth 6 PM - Walking of the Labyrinth 7 PM - Dinner For more details about this event, please contact Jann Briscoe. (jannbriscoe@gmail.com) Click Here to Register! The Week Ahead Saturday, April 8 11:00 am - Memorial Service for Alex Sifford - Sanctuary Sunday, April 9 (Palm Sunday) 8:45 am - Early Worship - Sanctuary 9:30 am - Breakfast - Social Hall 9:45 am - Sunday School 11:00 am - Worship - Sanctuary 12:15 pm - Global Mission Ministry Team Meeting - Upper Room 12:15 pm - CE Ministry Team Meeting - Children's Hall 12:15 pm - Slice of Faith Youth Lunch & Devotion - Mellow Mushroom 5:00 pm - Marsh's Edge Worship - Marsh's Edge 5:00 pm - Youth Ensemble - Music Attic 6:00 pm - 2nd Sunday Kingdom KidZ (Grades 3-5) - Playground Veranda 6:00 pm - Youth Supper & Activities - Britt Room/Youth Suite Monday, April 10 12:00 pm - Community Worship - St. Simons United Methodist Church 4:00 pm - KidZ Book Club - Wake Up Coffee 5:30 pm - Women's Book Club - Village Inn 7:15 pm - Ladies of the Night Circle - Upper Room 8:00 pm - Al-Anon Meeting - John Law Room 8:00 pm - AA Meeting - Britt Room Tuesday, April 11 Tuesday, April 11 10:00 am - Morning Glory/One-der-ful Circle - Upper Room

7 12:00 pm - Lunch Bunch Circle - Upper Room 12:00 pm - Community Worship - First Baptist of St. Simons Island 2:00 pm - Circle of Esther - Ida Walker's Home Wednesday, April 12 12:00 pm - Community Worship - Wesley UMC at Frederica 4:00 pm - Children's Musical Rehearsal - Social Hall 6:00 pm - Chancel Choir Rehearsal - Choir Room Thursday, April 13 (Maundy Thursday) 7:15 am - Men's Breakfast Bible Study - Britt Room 1:00 pm - Hospice Grief Counseling - John Law Room 6:00 pm - Maundy Thursday Meal & Communion - Social Hall 7:00 pm - Prayer Journey - Chapel, Sanctuary, & Memorial Garden 8:00 pm - Al-Anon Meeting - John Law Room 8:00 pm - AA Meeting - Britt Room Friday, April 14 (Good Friday) *Church office closed 10:00 am - Book Discussion & Prayer - Jann's Office 12:00 pm - Community Worship - Sanctuary 12:30 pm - Community Good Friday Luncheon - Social Hall 1:00 pm - Good Friday Prayer Vigil - Sanctuary Open 1-8 PM Click for More Information About Upcoming Events P rayers and Thanksgivings Click here for the Weekly Prayer & Meditation Chris tian Sym pathy: We extend Christian sympathy to Robert Cowden and family upon the death of his wife and church member, Susie Cowden, who entered into rest on March 29. Susie was also the beloved daughter-in-law of church member Barbara Cowden. A service will be held in the Memorial Garden on Friday, April 7 at 12:30 PM.

8 We also extend Christian sympathy to Ginger Sifford and family upon the passing of her husband and church member, Alex Sifford, who entered into rest early Monday morning. A memorial service will be held in the sanctuary on Saturday, April 8 at 11 AM with a reception following. A Special Thank You! Thank you to our Manna House volunteers this month! The following people gave of their time and service to help feed those in need this past Monday: Chris Pippart, Kathy Cathey, Gail Wolflick, Sally Miles, Gail Ledbetter, Joe Wills, Martha Champaigne, Martha Collett, Mike Aspinwall, Matt Hodgdon, Charlotte and Bill Lueckel, Frances McCrary, Meady Watkins, Clay Watkins, Rodger Schoneker, Lynda Bisher and Bob Brearley. Worship This Sunday Palm Sunday Scripture: Ps alm 118 :14-29 Matthew 21:1-11 Hymns: All G lory, Laud, & Honor Hosanna, Loud Hosanna Preacher: Rev. Bob Brearley

9 A Note from the Church Office: Privacy settings on the church database, Realm, were updated on Wednesday to include members in the online directory. A notification of this change was sent via . Members can now find contact information for other church members in the Realm online directory. Sign in to Realm to update individual privacy settings and contact information. Contact information can only be viewed by members in Realm and not the general public. Please contact Jeannine Torbert, Administrator, with questions or assistance. jeannine@sspres.org Musical Notes Give me a break, it's SPRING! I'm doing what they call a stay-cation this week. Some much needed attention to the house, rest, relaxation, and perhaps a short trip are all on the agenda - which could change, but hey, it's a flexible plan! Amy Bishop and family are going to Cumberland Island. The only group meeting this week in the music ministry is the Chancel Ringers. Suzanne Morrison will hold a rehearsal on Wednesday to go over music for Palm Sunday. Thank you, Suzanne! For the past couple of years, Youth Sunday and Palm Sunday were one and the same. This year, Youth Sunday occurs on April 30th. Please mark your calendars to be there and celebrate our young people. At the 11 am service on Palm Sunday, April 9, there will be a Processional on All Glory, Laud, and Honor for our first hymn with trumpet played by Anne Marie

10 Stirewalt, accompaniment from the Chancel Ringers, and at the organ Amy Bishop. All of our children's choirs and the Chancel Choir will process down the aisle with palms. The anthem for Sunday is for combined choirs and handbells - Let Hosannas Ring! by Patti Drennan. The last hymn is 197 Hosanna, Loud Hosanna. Purchasing our hand-held palms from Eco-Palms, Inc. takes us on a minimission trip. How so? We help people in Mexico and Guatemala by purchasing this "fair trade" item which improves income and living conditions for the communities gathering the palm and to protect the palms and the important forests from which they are gathered through sustainable harvest programs. The University of Minnesota Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM) is working together with the Rainforest Alliance TREES program and Smartwood to certify palms harvested from the forests of Mexico and Guatemala for sale to Christian congregations in the United States and Europe. The North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (NACEC) provided the initial financial support enabling CINRAM to start the project. Today, partnerships with wholesaler Continental Floral Greens and distributor Greenwing have enabled Eco-Palms to be distributed throughout the United States for Palm Sunday. In addition, partnerships with faith-based organizations such as Lutheran World Relief (LWR), United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) the Presbyterian Church of the United States (PCUSA) and others have helped expand awareness of the Eco-Palms program. SSPC has lost a faithful, committed, and talented church member. Alex Sifford will be missed in all the places that he filled in our church, which were many. The Chancel Choir has greatly benefitted from his humor, his tenor voice, his common sense, and his depth of belief. Fair winds and following seas, sir. Love & Gratitude, Rhonda P.S. YOUTH ENSEMBLE AND KINGDOM KIDZ - CHECK THE SCHEDULE - don't miss rehearsals right now. We've got lots happening!