Palm Sunday - Lenten Fair

As the crowd in Jerusalem welcomed Jesus into the city over 2000 years ago, HUMC children led worship this morning bringing their palm branches into the sanctuary and leaving them at the foot of the cross. Following worship, the kids and adults together celebrated the annual Lenten Fair, with:

egg
painting

palm
crosses

foam
crosses

rainbow
keychains

and the best ever, freshly baked pretzels!

KIC St. Patrick's Day Party

We had a beautiful Spring day for our Kids in Christ St. Patrick's Day party. The 2nd - 5th graders had a great time and enjoyed delicious after school snacks, played outside games, made a St. Patty's craft, learned about St. Patrick and the meaning of the shamrock. In worship they talked about different ways to praise and worship God and then, made a joyful noise with rhythm instruments. (In hindsight, I'm thinking that may not have been the wisest choice.) They also learned how to catch a leprechaun who taught them that not all wishes bring true happiness. The last KIC for the semester will be on April 21. We will be taking the church bus out to Homer Lake for an Earth Day program.

Pancake & Sausage Breakfast

Today the United Methodist Men prepared their annual Pancake & Sausage Breakfast for the community.  Those attending enjoyed good food, good fellowship, and this year's featured blueberry pancakes (see photo), which were delicious and much appreciated by all.  The men served over 150 breakfasts, raising money for a variety of church and outreach projects this year.  Thanks to everyone who attended, and if you missed it - kind of like the Cubs and spring training - there will be another chance next year!

Church Library/New Materials/March

The following materials have ben added to the church library and are ready for check out.  These materials can be found on the recent acquisitions table located just outside the door to the Adult Sunday School room.

100 Questions Kids Ask by Family Christian Stores
365 Daily Devos for Boys Who Love Sports by Family Christian Stores
Bible Scrambles from Babour Publishing
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
Family Bible Flip Quiz by Miles Kelly
Hide or Seek by Dr. James Dobson
Guidelines 2009 -2012  26 volume set  by the United Methodist Church
The Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley
Prayer and Fasting by Kingsley Fletcher
Seven Seasons of the Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley
Ten secrets for the Man in the Mirror by Patrick Morley
CDs
The Screwtape Letters set of 4cds plus 1 dvd by Focus on the Family
DVDs
Veggietales -  Silly Little Thing Called Love by Big Ideas

Ash Wednesday

Homer UMC observed the beginning of the Lenten Season with an Ash Wednesday service. Lent is the 40 days before Easter Sunday, when the Christian Church is called to a time of repentance, prayer and fasting in preparation for the joy of Easter--the day The Church celebrates Christ's Resurrection.

In Pastor Steve's Ash Wednesday message, he reminded us that the Season of Lent is a time of forgiveness, both seeking and giving; prayer and reflection, confession of sin and self-denial or fasting. Lent is a time when God gives us a "Do Over"-- another chance to get it right. The service ended with the Imposition of Ashes--receiving a sign of the cross made from the ashes of burned palm leaves, placed on the forehead as a symbol of repentance and a reminder that we are God's creation.

"For you are dust, and to dust you shall return." Genesis 3:19

Church Library/New Books/February

The following books have been added to the church library and are ready for check out.
Bible Dictionary Zondervan NIV version
The Complete Book of Christian Heroes by Dave and Neta Jackson
Encyclopedia of Bible Words Zondervan NIV version
Harry Bentley's Second Chance by Dave Jackson
Webster's All-In-One Dictionary and Thesaurus
Webster's New College Dictionary
Where Do I Go by Neta Jackson
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson
The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling by Neta Jackson

Health Kits for Haiti

This morning, the Missions Committee organized an effort to assemble Health Kits from donations received over the past week (see the list of items in last week's post).  Adults and kids came together around the table at Fellowship Time following Worship to pack about twenty Kits, which will be sent to UMCOR and will make their way to Haiti or another area as the need arises.

For more information on United Methodist efforts in Haiti, see Earthquake in Haiti: The Church Responds.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
     - 2 Corinthians 9:7