January/February Newsletter Items

  • Annual Spring Blood Drive, Monday, March 24th, 2:00 to 8:00 PM Becky Engel will be planning the blood drive that is done in conjunction with Terra Ruba Lions Club. Phone calls will be made to set up appointments. We appreciate the continued support of this event by the congregation and community.Food donations of salads, desserts, etc., are welcomed..

  • This year we will have our annual Wednesday Lenten Worship Services and Group Study starting February 6th. This year there will not be a Pot-Luck meal, and we will only have the celebration of Holy Communion on Ash Wednesday and Holy (Maundy) Thursday. Also, there will only be one group study following Worship with Pastor John, Ben Coffman, and Deacon Charley team-teaching.

  • To support our Mar-Lu-Ridge camp fund, we will be collecting soda cans for recycling. The central location for collection of soda cans will be in room number 7, lower level of the Sunday School. Please place your cans in the large storage bin. We want to thank Ben Coffman for his trips to the recycling center to assist in this project. The summer 2008 programs will soon be posted to the Mar-Lu-Ridge website.  We hope that some of our youth will take advantage of this program. Mar-Lu-Ridge Website: http://www/mar-lu-ridge.org; See the application policy and process in the church newsletter.

  • The annual congregational meeting was held on Sunday, December 16th, with Council President Richard Haines opening the meeting. The minutes from the July 8, 2007 were approved. The 2008 proposed budget was presented to the congregation and approved. The next agenda item was the nomination of church council members. Richard Haines and Larry Dougherty will remain on council to complete the second year of their term. Nathan Wilhide agreed to return for a second term. Erik Wilhide, Kathy Bare, Rhonda Scheller and Lois Schott have agreed to serve on council for 2008/2009. There were no other nominations from the congregation. The slate of council members was approved.

  • The new Council for 2008 will be installed on January 13th. The constitution states that we are to have eight Council members so we have one position still open and we would like to encourage everyone to consider volunteering to fill this vacancy. We would also like to thank Fern Haines and Jerry Devilbiss for their service on the Council as they finish their terms. The Council Retreat is scheduled for Saturday. January 19th at 9AM at the church. Agenda items will include election of officers, assigning committee members and setting goals for 2008.

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    Key Women News
    The Key Women will be meeting on Monday, January 21st at 7:15PM to elect officers for the 2008 year. It would be nice to have some new faces at our meeting. The Key Women are an important part of the church and continue to plan events to provide fellowship within our congregation. Please watch the church bulletin for the scheduled meetings. 

    The tentative date for Family Fun Night is Saturday, April 19th. It will be held at the church social hall and the meal will be catered.   

    Our Annual Yard sale will be Saturday October 4th – Save the date!

    Holy Week Schedule:

    Palm Sunday - March 16 –

    The Passion of Our Lord -Sunday School for all ages at 9:30AM - Worship with Holy Communion and the Passion reading from Saint Matthew at 10:30AM - Deacon Charley's Morning Message will be "That Proves It!"

    Holy Thursday - March 20 -

    Worship with Holy Communion at Grace UCC Church - 7:30PM,

    with Pastor John preaching.

    Good Friday - March 21 –

    Service of Tenebrae at 7:30PM at Keysville Lutheran Church.

    Easter Sunday - March 23 –  

     - Easter Sunrise Service at 6:15AM at Keysville Lutheran Church at 6:15AM, with Pastor John preaching, followed by a breakfast at Grace UCC Church.

     - Sunday School for all ages at 9:30AM, Festival Worship with Holy Communion at 10:30AM.