Blaine ST. PATRICK S DAY CORN BEEF & CABBAGE DINNER. Saturday March :30 PM. Mission Trip Presentations. FREE WILL OFFERING for

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1 Blaine March 2018 ST. PATRICK S DAY CORN BEEF & CABBAGE DINNER FREE WILL OFFERING for Week of Compassion Saturday March :30 PM Mission Trip Presentations Habitat for Humanity of Key West & Lower Keys Florida Guatemala Hosted by Blaine Christian Church Mission Committee RSVP by Tuesday, March 13, 2018 Important Upcoming Events: Sundays - Worship at 8:30 & 11:00 am Sunday School, 9:45 am Choir, 6 pm Mondays - Lois Ministries, 1:30 pm Boy Scout Troop 10, 7 pm Men s Bible Study, 7 pm March 1 - Membership/Evangelism Mtg, 5:00 pm March 3 - Regional Board Meeting in Lansing, 10 am March 4 - Lent Study begins during Sunday School March 7 - Board Packet Deadline March 8 - Lunch with Friends, 12 Noon March 8 - Elders Mtg, 7 pm March 11 - Daylight Savings Time begins March 11 - Fellowship Hall RSVD, 3-7 pm March 12 - Men s Breakfast, 8:30 am March 14 - Women s Ministries, 6:15 pm March 14 - Quarterly Congregational Board Meeting, 7 pm March 17 - St. Patrick s Day Dinner, 6:30 pm March 18 - Easter Candy donations due March 22 - Mission Committee, 11:30 am March 24 - April Blaine Visitor Deadline March 29 - Maundy Thursday Soup Supper at 6:30 pm Service at 7:15 pm March 29 - Prayer Vigil begins, 8:00 pm March 30 - Prayer Vigil ends, 12 Noon March 31 - Easter Egg Hunt, 11:00 am April 1 - Easter Sunday Regular Worship Schedule

2 FROM WHERE I SIT MARCH 2018 I almost get a kick out of all the talk lately regarding screen-time in general, and texting in particular. Electronic communication rewires our brains, say many experts. Texting causes us to think differently, say others. No one sits down to just talk anymore, says just about everyone! And no matter where you come down on the question of Facebook or Twitter, texting or , one thing is certain. We do communicate quite differently from how our parents and grandparents did. Think about it. You send a message, then wait for a reply. Someone texts you, but you don t answer until much later. Or maybe it s just the opposite. Maybe you get an instance response to a burning question. Hey, I need to know about such-and-such! And almost immediately you get the information you need! I wonder if the texting world will do more praying, and spend more time reading Scripture? I mean, there are parallels. You sit down all by yourself and compose what you want to say to the Lord, and on your knees, press send. And then, a bit later, while reading the Word, you get your answer. Or maybe it s instantaneous? Before you are even done formulating your words, the Holy Spirit sends you a bold answer in all caps, that may even include a Heavenly emoji! Sometimes you will receive several texts, from several different sources. All on the same subject of course. The sermon dove-tailed with what you heard on Christian Radio, which was very similar to what you read in your Daily Devotional! It s fanciful thinking, I know. But what if we spent as much time praying and studying Scripture as we do with screen-time? Track it! Add up all of your time on texts and s, your Social Networking and computer games. Heck, throw in TV and radio, and all those novels. Now compare that to how much time you spend talking to God. And just think, Romans 8:26-27 promises us auto-correct! Yours in Christ, Pastor Bob STAFF: Need a phone number to volunteer, join, or help a working committee? Please call the appropriate person listed below: Office Manager, Dede Nugent Congregational Fellowship, Missions, Property Bonnie Putney Christian Education, Membership & Evangelism Carolyn Waterson COMMITTEE CHAIRS: Christian Education: Shannon Gillison Congregational Fellowship: Dodie Putney Membership & Evangelism: Kate & Ralph Jenkins Missions: Jan Heverly Property: Kim Lathwell Worship: Lynda Faber MONTHLY FINANCE UPDATE 2018 General Fund Budget: $209, Monthly General Fund Need: 17, Received Over / Short January $ 18, , February 22, , Total + 6,822.17

3 SERVING IN MARCH 8:30 a.m. Praise & Worship Service Worship Leader - Judy Spohn Greeter - Merrill Family Usher - Merrill Family Welcome Center - 11:00 a.m. Traditional Service Elders - Jenny Caylen, Deb Larimer Worship Reader - Bonnie Putney Diaconate Servers - Dale & Rob Janusch, Carolyn & Bob Bell Diaconate Preparer - Hazel Evans Greeter - John Byers Usher - Linda Byers Welcome Center - MARCH Birthdays 4 Dodie Putney, Ron Gillison, Hudson Mobley 7 Jenny Elliott, Mark Copher 15 Jennifer Maat 16 Parker Masell 17 Dianne Gillison, Joel Faber 20 Mark Evans, Ron Heverly 23 Kayla Peabody, Roxy Nye, Ray Nye 24 Beverly Christensen 25 Kenneth Waterson 27 Sara Putney Kirk 30 Dale Janusch Anniversaries SERMON SCHEDULE 2 Tom and Laura Masell 5 Adam and Jessi Putney 23 Bruce and Jenny Caylen 25 Dave and Yvonne Hockett MARCH 2018 March 4: 1 st Reading: Exodus 20: nd Reading: John 2:13-22 Title: A Den of Thieves March 11: 1 st Reading: Numbers 21:4-9 2 nd Reading: John 3:1-21 Title: Look at the Cross March 18: 1 st Reading: Jeremiah 31: nd Reading: John 12:20-33 Title: We Want to See Jesus March 25: 1 st Reading: Philippians 2:5-11 Palm 2 nd Reading: Mark 11:1-11 Sunday Title: Humble Daylight Savings Time Begins March 11, 2018 Remember to set all your clocks forward ONE HOUR!

4 MARCH COFFEE FELLOWSHIP HOSTS 9:30 AM NOON 3/4 Available Kari MacDonald 3/11 Available Hazel Evans 3/18 Available Waterson s 3/25 Available J. Rumney/C. Schor The congregational fellowship committee wishes all those that love to be a coffee hour hostess and serve their own special treats continue to do so. Our regular signup sheet is on the fellowship hall bulletin board. If you are nervous about hosting, but would love to provide cookies, donuts, fruits, veggies or something else, please sign up and bring your treats. These congregational fellowship members: Dodie Putney, Maggie Baker, or Bonnie Putney will be there to help, just remember to ask. The fellowship team will also make sure coffee and juice are served when there are no treats. Congregational Fellowship Committee met in February. You can look forward to great fellowship events this year: Progressive Dinner, Mother s Day, Graduation Coffee Hours, Father s Day, A June Beachbum Ball Game, and A Summer Picnic. Watch for bulletin and Visitor announcements as well as posters in the fellowship hall. 2 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR A SUNDAY OR TWO IN MARCH We are in need of two people to serve as substitute Diaconate Servers for Sunday, March 4th and possibly March 11th. Rob and Dale Janusch are out of town and unable to serve as scheduled. If you are willing to help out, call the church office or just volunteer that morning! Thank you. BOY SCOUT TROOP 10 Boy Scout Troop 10 is taking orders and installing the reflective 911 Signs for your driveway. Order forms are available on the scout bulletin board in fellowship hall. These address signs are endorsed by all Benzie County Public Safety Services. QUARTERLY CONGREGATIONAL BOARD MEETING Wednesday, March 14, :00 pm Fellowship Hall Board reports and agenda items are due in the church office by Wednesday, March 7, You can as an attachment, or drop off your print ready reports to the church office. Board Packets will be available to pick up on Sunday, March 11th. All church members are encouraged to attend. A quorum is needed in order to conduct the business of the church MISSION TRIP PRESENTATION March 17, :30 pm On behalf of everyone who participated in the Key West / Habitat for Humanity mission trip, we would like to thank the church for their support and prayers. It was a great trip. If you would like to hear more about our work and experiences, come to the St. Patrick s Day Dinner for Week of Compassion on March 17th. Gary Waterson will share some high lights and show some pictures from the trip.

5 WHYA NAIL? The season of Lent (the 40 days leading to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter) began on Ash Wednesday, February 14 and continues until Easter. You are encouraged to continue to use your devotional, Your Nail and the children s calendar in your home during this season. LENT BIBLE STUDY Again, this year there will be a Lent Bible study during the Sunday School Time (9:45-10:45) for the adults and youth to participate in together. This is a 5 week study called Who Is This Man? by John Ortberg. On the eve of his crucifixion it seemed like Jesus influence on the world had ended. On the contrary, it had just begun. In Who Is This Man?, Ortberg reveals how Jesus has impacted civilization and individual human hearts. Plan to participate in this 5 week study beginning on Sunday, March 4th in the sanctuary. Gary Waterson will serve as leader. WINTER MID-WEEK STUDIES MEN S BIBLE STUDY Monday night at the church at 7pm, continuing with the book of Acts. WINTER MEN S BIBLE STUDY Ten men participated in the winter men s Bible study, Uncommon by Tony Dungy. This study concluded with a potluck on February 27th. WINTER WOMEN S BIBLE STUDY Twenty-four women participated in the winter Bible study, All Things New by Kelly Minter. This study concluded on February 27th with a potluck. HOLY WEEK SPECIAL EVENTS Palm Sunday, March 25 Regular Worship Services & Sunday School Maundy Thursday, March 29 6:30 pm Soup & Bread Supper 7:15 pm Worship Service Prayer Vigil 8:00 pm March Noon March 30 Small Sanctuary Easter Egg Hunt, March 31 11:00 am Rain or Shine All children through 11 years old are invited. Easter Sunday, April 1 Regular Worship Schedule & Sunday School EASTER CANDY NEEDED There is a need for wrapped small candies to fill the eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt on March 31st. If you would like to donate candy, please put it on the workroom counter at church by Sunday, March 18th. If you can help with the Egg Hunt on the March 31st at 11am, please speak with Ralph or Kate Jenkins. We need egg hiders, greeters, and someone to make cookies. EASTER EGG HUNT Saturday, March 31st at 11:00 am There will be an Easter Egg Hunt and story time for children up through age 11 years at the church. Come dressed for outside and invite a friend or 2 to come with your family. There will be refreshments served during the story time. This event will happen rain, snow or sunshine.

6 Fellowship Groups: Groups that meet regularly include the following. Each group is different in character, but involves a devotion/prayer, fellowship and more. Important information for you is that you are invited to any group or groups you would like to attend. Just call the leader for more information. Lois Ministries - Mondays, 1:30 pm, Small Sanctuary Lois Ministries is a prayer ministry for mothers and grandmothers. They meet in the small sanctuary, and pray for the Blaine Church Family, their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. Please call Shirley Felt for more information. We ll meet March 5, 12, 19, and 26. Men's Prayer & Breakfast - Second Monday, March 12th, 8:30 am Meet at the Lighthouse Café in Elberta for prayer, breakfast and fellowship. For more information, please call Skip Noble Lunch with Friends - Second Thursday, March 8th, 12 Noon Mary Lou and skip Noble are the hosts for this Lunch at 1044 Watervale Rd. Men and women are welcomed. Drinks and your table setting are provided. Please come for fellowship, lunch and card ministry. Special friends: those shut in, hospitalized, far away, or need a special thinking of you receive a card from Lunch with Friends specially signed with a personal note from all in attendance, about 20 friends! Potluckers - Maundy Thursday, March 29th, 6:30 pm The Potluckers group will be hosting the Soup Supper in fellowship hall. Everyone is invited to participate in this meal prior to the Maundy Thursday Worship Service at 7:15 pm. Stone Soup - Third Thursday, April 19, 6:30 pm Stone Soup is switching dates and will meet on the third Thursday of the month beginning in April. We will meet at Frank and Bonnie s. For March, join us at the St. Patrick s Day Dinner on March 17th, 6:30 pm hosted by the Mission Committee. CRYSTAL CONFERENCE CENTER SUMMER CAMPS 2018 Located at: 2365 South Shore East Frankfort MI (231) June Elementary Camp Entering Grades 2-6 June 28-July 1 Young Families Retreat July 9-12 Vacation Bible School Age 4-6th Grade Daily Sessions 9:00-11:30 am July 8-14 Independence Camp July Family Camp July Chi Rho Camp Entering Grades 7-9 July CYF Camp Entering Grades 10-12, under 18 yrs All the great traditional camp activities with Christ at the center of it all! Scholarships available! Registration forms at the church! A Ministry of: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Michigan Region 2820 Covington Court Lansing MI Facebook: Camp Crystal

7 Reminder of Collection Dates for the Hallway Baskets First Sunday of the Month: items for Cupboard of Love, Benzie Academy Third Sunday of the Month: items for Benzie Area Christian Neighbors (BACN). We can only give non-perishable items to BACN. If it has to be refrigerated, please do not put in the basket. SHOPPING WITH PURPOSE The yellow box is for Family Fare grocery receipts. Blaine Christian Church and Frankfort Schools are sending collected receipts to Benzie Area Christian Neighbors as a way of collecting more receipts faster. You may add your Family Fare receipts to the box. DINE OUT FOR BACN Eat at these partner restaurants and 10% of your bill will be donated to Benzie Area Christian Neighbors. March 6th Geno s Sports Bar & Grille in Thompsonville Stormcloud Brewing Co. in Frankfort Festival of Faith A Day of Service - Gospel in Action April 21, 2018 SAVE the DATE! The Disciples in the Michigan Region are joining forces with the United Church of Christ, Michigan Conference, inviting folks to offer a day of service. The event will be held in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Benzie County. In Benzie County, volunteers will be asked to help out in one of three locations: BACN, Grow Benzie, and the Michigan Legacy Art Park. Fliers and sign-up sheets will be available in March. Tim Murtaugh, retired Disciple Pastor is the chair of Festival of Faith in Benzie County. Donations accepted on an ongoing basis at these community organizations. Volunteers are always welcome! Applications available at the church. LOVE INC Benzie Area Christian Neighbors (BACN 2804 Benzie Hwy Benzonia, MI, Open: Mon-Thur, 10am - 2pm 1st & 3rd Wed, 4pm - 6pm Habitat for Humanity Restore Honor Hwy Honor, MI Open: Wed-Sat, 10am - 5:30pm The LoveINC Store 1505 Benzie Hwy, Benzonia, MI, Open: Mon-Fri, 10am - 6pm; Sat, 10am - 4pm

8 WEEK OF COMPASSION Special Offering will be collected March 11 & 18 Sharing resources through Week of Compassion is an invitation to imagination! Through our sharing, we get a taste of the generosity of God, who does immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. we can become discouraged. But when we think of the wonders God works, our imaginations go wild! Luisa Maria Lopez imagines the impact of God at work trough simple seedlings (helped provided by Week of Compassion). Theologian Gustavo Gutierrez described Poverty as death-dealing. [It] denies the basics human right to existence and the reign of life. Without the burdens of struggle, communities have more time for creativity, learning, and possibilities for life in greater fullness. God is at work doing so much more than we can imagine! And when we contribute to Week of Compassion, we are part of God s work in the world. To see all the areas that Week of Compassion works in and those they work with, please go to the web page WoC Please plan to attend the St Pat s Week of Compassion Dinner. You will be served a plate full of corned beef & cabbage & potatoes & carrots and bread. A suggested free will offering for the meal is the price of a restaurant meal - $15-20/person. Dessert will also be served. All proceeds will go to Week of Compassion. Mission work at Blaine. Blaine Christian Church members continue to find ways to serve each other, our community and our world. Please continue to do kindness, show compassion and be of a servant attitude. Twelve of our missionary volunteers are already back from their mission trips and would do it again! We will hear from both the Florida Keys and the Guatemala group. They will give a short presentation at our traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage Week of Compassion Dinner. Blaine is now helping monetarily with the Junior and Senior High free lunch programs. Blaine Church provides a large group of volunteers packing lunches for the Blessings in a Backpack on Thursday mornings. See Sandy Van Heyningen if you have questions about this blessing. Blaine provides potluck suppers to LoveINC s Family Life Center on Monday nights at the Benzonia Congregational Church. Blaine s work as board members, builders, and county supporters is invaluable to the Habitat for Humanity of Benzie County program. The board and leadership changes are near completion, there is a family and build site ready the Habitat board retreat discussion will be How will it be funded? As we work to help those in the community, in our country and the world, pray for those less fortunate, those who are homeless, those who are hungry and those people who unselfishly give of themselves to serve others. Thank you.

9 FLOWERS FOR EASTER SUNDAY We are taking orders for spring flowers and Easter lilies. All orders must be prepaid to be included. The deadline is Sunday, March 11th. You may remove your plant after Easter services or, if you leave them at the church, they will be planted in the Prayer Garden. Pricing for 2018: Spring Pots $8.00 Lilies 6.00 Please fill out the following information and enclose it with your payment to Blaine Christian Church. Return it in the offering plate, the office mailbox, or by mail. Name (as you want it to appear on the given by listing): $ How many Spring Pots How many Lilies In Honor of In Memory of Order forms are also available at church in fellowship We continue to hear from the Betsie Valley School about the difference the Kids Hope USA program is making in young lives at their school. The church family is encouraged to pray for this program and the ministry it is in the community each day. What our church does with this program makes a difference in the lives of children and a whole school community. Thank you to all who serve as mentors and prayer partners. LOOKING AHEAD TO SUMMER Vacation Bible School 2018 August 6th - 9th evenings at the church for children ages 3yrs - 6th grade SHIPWRECKED: RESUED BY JESUS Mark your calendars now and plan to participate in this fun and faith filled week. There will be many ways to volunteer, so watch future newsletters for more information or talk with Shannon Gillison (CE chair) or Carolyn Waterson (staff). CELEBRATING THE PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE You won t want to miss this weekend celebrating the 100th Birthday of Michigan Disciples gathering on the banks of Crystal Lake. Join your friends for fun, spiritual nurture and renewal, discovering God s presence in new ways. Experience the memories, absorb the grandeur, relive the life-forming friendships Registrations forms available at the church or on-line at: Registration deadline is June 25, 2018

10 Our Mission Our purpose at the Blaine Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is to live and share the love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Together, we seek to learn, teach, hear, minister, support, grow and worship as a community of faith. As Christ s disciples, we accept the call to reach out with God s love to those outside the church. Thus, as part of the Church Universal, we intend to serve both the physical and spiritual needs of our immediate community and the world. To this end we commit ourselves to witness and serve in the fellowship and traditions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Rev. Robert D. Larimer, Pastor (231) blainechurch@gmail.com SUNDAY MORNING SCHEDULE 8:30 a.m. Praise & Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Traditional Service 9:45 a.m. Sunday School Coffee & Fellowship following services. Blaine Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 7018 Putney Road Arcadia, MI EASTER EGG HUNT MARCH 31, :00 am at Blaine Christian Church