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Spring is in the air or so it seems this week. It will officially begin in less than one week. The warm weather this week was refreshing and reminds us that spring is coming and with spring we have the glorious celebration of Easter. It is still over a month away, but we are getting ready. Easter Flower order forms went out last week. Kay Swarr is working on the Easter sunrise service. Love Feast on Maundy Thursday is being planned and Resurrection Sunday planning is underway. We are in the second week of Lent, and it is our time to ready ourselves for the great celebration of Easter.  Looking forward to continuing our Lenten journey with Jesus to Resurrection Sunday.

This week the Commissions and Church Board met with many exciting things to report. We will be forwarding to the congregation for the Spring Council meeting approved logos and rewritten mission, vision, and core values statement. The summer Sunday schedule has been approved, and we will share that in the coming weeks. We have received the last bill on the Strategic Vision building project, and we have funds to pay it. We still have about $50,000 that is on loan to us that we need to repay. Thank you for your great generosity in completing this project. Many volunteers also helped with refurbishing and funding the second-floor adult classrooms. Please don’t stop giving to the Strategic Vision as we would like to repay the loan by the year end.

Speaking of Strategic Visions, our Dream Big series wrapped up earlier this month and Rhonda is busy consolidating all those dreams in categories for a report. I am forming a committee that will take this list and then begin to consider several goals that are consistent with our mission and vision and develop a strategic plan. If that interests you, please let me know. I would like to have the committee in place by the spring Church Council Meeting (May 14).

I was blessed to visit Emma Dubble and Ron and Linda Bolt this week. Ron is doing therapy and progressing as is Emma. Prayers for their continued recoveries are needed. I also talked with Sheila Mull and Cinda Showalter. Cinda’s procedure went well earlier this week and Sheila is still recovering from her surgery from the previous week but is progressing.

Ruth and I have had a number of doctor visits recently and hopefully those visits and procedures will prove beneficial. As I watch my parents deal with the complications of aging, I am reminded of how great a blessing it is to be healthy. Scripture reminds us that our bodies are to be cared for (1 Cor. 6:19-20) and John even prayed for his good friend Gaius in 3 John 2 that he would enjoy good health. While Lent is a time for spiritual renewal, could it also be a time for physical renewal? I have been praying about that this week and would love to hear your thoughts as well.

Last Sunday we had a Moment for Missions and Aliza Kraynak, our COM Administrator shared an outstanding report of the ministry. She included some wonderful pictures of the ministry that happens with the children of our community Monday through Friday. I am attaching a link to Aliza’s written report here so that you can read it again. After reading it, please take a moment and pray for Aliza, her great staff and the families of the southern end who are blessed each week by the Children’s Outreach Ministries. 

We are coming to the end of our Wednesday evening Bible study on I Corinthians. On Wednesday, we studied 1 Corinthians 11 where Paul deals with two divisive issues at the Church in Corinth—head coverings and the Lord’s Supper. We had great discussion and what we came away with is how important the worship of God is conducted with propriety and order. While the issue of head coverings doesn’t seem as relevant today, we decided, as followers of Christ, we are to honor God with our words, actions and attire. Before chastising the church in 1 Corinthians 11, he states in verse 1: “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” May that be our goal everyday—to become more and more like Jesus as we follow Him!

On Sunday, we will be continuing our Lenten series “Encounters with Jesus” by looking at Blind Bartimaeus’ encounter with Jesus in Mark 10. This is one of the last encounters Jesus has before He enters into Jerusalem. Be sure and check all the events that are forthcoming including Men’s Banquet, the Ladies resurrection garden event, the OAKS event to the Promise Players show on Saturday, March 29th and other events. Be sure to order your Easter flowers and please continue to bring in snacks for the packing of snack bags for Solanco Neighborhood Ministries SWEEP program. That is happening this Wednesday after the Roots meal. Finally, coming up on Sunday, March 30th is our every generation Sunday School which will include worship and an Easter themed game of Jeopardy. With just five weeks until Easter, it looks to be an active and exciting season for Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren.

Enjoy your weekend as the rain is coming (and needed!). Be sure to be a part of the church family this Sunday as we continue our Lenten journey together. I look forward to seeing you and worshiping with you. Remember that it is Friday…but praise God Sunday’s coming.

Pastor Kevin