April 19, 2009 – Opportunities of the Week

Oops! Sorry this was posted late.

“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Jesus, Mark 16:15)

As we Grow Our Faith we need to be patient with late bloomers. The bud on our amaryllis bulb was just starting to open on Easter. It bloomed later in the week. We mustn’t give up on those whose faith doesn’t seem to grow as well as we think it should. We need to remember that it is God who brings the spiritual growth (1 Corinthians 3:7). Pray that the Lord will continually cause our faith to grow.

GUEST SPEAKERS
April 19 we welcome Larry Farkas to the pulpit. Larry is president of the Gideons Chester County Central Camp. He also was a friend of Pastor Steve as a youth.
We also welcome Merrill and Elaine Freed with us today. They are the parents of Bethany Umble and recently returned from a visit with Ryan, Bethany, Juliana and Kai in Cambodia. We thank the Lord for their service in Cambodia. It was one year ago, the Sunday after Easter 2008, that Ryan and Bethany & family were commissioned by our church to missionary work.

WORSHIP AND MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES

MAPLE GROVE CONCERT SERIES
There will be a Gospel Music Concert on Sunday, April 26, 6:30 pm.
Invite your friends to join you at the concert. Zion’s Cry and In Harmony Vocal Band will perform Gospel Quartet music and a variety of other styles. You may remember them from “Music in the Meadow” last summer.

ATTENTION ALL MUSICIANS! A schedule for the offertory is being made for the next quarter. Contact Wanda if you are willing and able to provide a selection for the offertory.

X-TREME WORSHIP is Tuesday, May 5. Audible Truth will lead worship and Morgan Umble will speak about her ministry experience with YWAM.

“MUSIC IN THE MEADOW” will be held July 12. Your help is needed for this fun and inspirational event. The next organizational meeting is April 26 at 5:00 pm. Contact Ken Umble for more information.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Attention Adult Sunday School Teachers: There is a brief meeting in room #7 on Sunday, May 3 following worship.

HELP PRINT VBS T-SHIRTS next Sunday (April 26) afternoon. Contact Bonnie Bruner or Cathy Case if you can help.

SUNDAY SCHOOL ELECTIVE
Is there a teenager in your life? A six-week Sunday School elective class will start on May 10 for you. “Parenting Your Teenager: A Biblical Look At Parenting” will be offered in Bill Umble’s class during the Sunday School time for anyone interested. Topics include controlling your teen’s anger, teaching your personal faith, and dealing with drug and alcohol problems.

TEACHER NEEDS: the 3&4 year old class needs a part time teacher starting in the fall. Contact Denyce if you can help.

FAMILY LIFE OPPORTUNITIES

FAMILY LIFE CONFERENCE – May 3
On May 3, Gerald W. and L. Marlene Kaufman will lead us in a Family Life Conference. Adult Sunday School classes will meet in the Sanctuary at 9:30 am. The Kaufmans will speak in our worship service and after a fellowship meal, they will lead us in an afternoon session.
Gerald and Marlene are experienced counselors, in private practice in Lancaster County. They are authors of “Monday Marriage: Celebrating the Ordinary” (Herald Press, 2005) and co-authors (along with their daughters, Anne & Nina) of “Freedom Fences: How to set limits that free you to enjoy your marriage and family” (Herald Press, 1999).
A study guide for “Monday Marriage” is available at http://www.heraldpress.com/studygds/MondayMarriageSG.pdf.

CHURCH FAMILY NIGHT – May 6
Come on May 6 to be part of the live audience or maybe a contestant for MAPLE GROVE STAR. Sign-up on the bulletin board in the foyer to participate with a song.
Dinner is at 6:00 pm and the program begins at 7:00.

YOUTH MININSTRY OPPORTUNITIES

MYF (Mennonite Youth Fellowship) meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm. This is a time of fun and spiritual growth for youth in grades 9 to 12. This week the youth will have a service project.

X-TREME WORSHIP is Tuesday, May 5. Audible Truth will lead worship and Morgan Umble will speak about her ministry experience with YWAM. Food and Fellowship will follow.

EVANGELISM AND SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

RELAY FOR LIFE is June 19-20. There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. Walkers and sponsors are needed. See Tammie Bromley, Rana Watterson, or Amy Umble for more information.

RENEWAL SERVICES will be held September 20 - 23. Pray for renewal at Maple Grove. Dwayne Walton, director of the Parkesburg Point, is our evangelist.

WOMEN’S MINISTRIES OPPORTUNITIES

The Ladies Bible Study meets on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 pm. They are meeting at the home of Sue Eby.

The SEWING CIRCLE is collecting for MCC Newborn Kits. 6000 of these kits were sent to Iraq for families displaced by the war. More kits are needed. Find more information and a list of items needed at http://www.mcc.org/kits/newborn/.

MAPLE GROVE PRESCHOOL

Registration for the 2009-2010 school year is open. Check out http://www.maplegrovepreschool.org/ for more information.

MAPLE GROVE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION YEAR 1909-2009

Reserve Sunday, August 16 for our Centennial Celebration. The 100th Anniversary Committee will meet on Sunday, April 26 at 3:00 pm. Anyone interested is invited to come and participate.

100 YEARS AGO AT MAPLE GROVE
The foundation was finished on Wednesday, March 17, 1909 and on Monday, April 12 the carpenters, John R. Kennel & Sons, started work. The building was 56’ long x 40’ wide (outside dimensions) and, according to records, had a seating capacity for about 400 people, even though there were fewer pews than our present sanctuary. The cost of the lumber, including millwork, was $1051.48. That’s still a bargain; calculating to 2009 dollars, it would be just over $25,000.

THE WIDER BODY OF CHRIST
(More information for many of these items is available on the bulletin board in the foyer)

GOSPEL ECHOES TEAM will have their banquet at Yoder’s Restaurant on Thursday, April 30 at 6:30 pm. Jim Newsome is the speaker. Contact Ken Neff (717-859-3155) for complimentary tickets.

TEL HAI will hold “A Day in the Country” on Saturday, May 9 at the Retirement Community, from 12 noon to 4 pm. Events will include food, pie auction, campus tours. See Dorothy King for more information.

TEL HAI CAMP will have a Spring Celebration at Shady Maple Banquet on April 20 at 6:30 pm. Call 610-273-3969 for more information or to register.

[please contact Pastor Steve Crane, pastorscrane@epix.net, if you see anything that needs to be corrected on this page]