Dear Members and Friends of Waterville United Methodist Church,
Please pray for Peg Walker who has been in St. Luke’s hospital after taking a fall.
Jim Simpson is now at Kingston Rehabilitation Center, 345 E. Boundary Street in Perrysburg, OH. Jim is in Room #217 in the Rehab facility. He would really like to have visitors.
Our February Mission Focusis Freedom School. A Freedom School is a six-week Monday through Friday reading and enrichment program developed by the Children’s Defense Fund in 1995 which has a proven track record for increasing reading levels from 1.4 to 2.2 grade levels over two to three summers that children participate in the Freedom School. Freedom Schools were birthed as a vision to end what is known as the “cradle to prison pipeline.” We know there is a direct correlation between third grade reading test scores and incarceration in adulthood for at-risk, poverty and lower income children in our urban areas. The Maumee Watershed District of the United Methodist Church is hosting a Freedom School at the Monroe Street UMC beginning this summer. Our gifts will become a gift of life, a positive enrichment experience and a blessing to 50 children in the urban poverty around Monroe Street UMC this summer as we offer them a life-changing Freedom School! There is also a need for volunteers to help during the 30 days of summer when the children are participating in the Freedom School: Classroom volunteers who will aid the trained teachers; servers and assistants to feed breakfast and lunch each day, story readers for their opening circle time each day; enrichment teachers and leaders; Field Trip chaperones for enrichment activities; tutors to give extra help to students; hostesses for the weekly parent’s meeting when they gather for their educational time and also babysitters to provide the parents child care; people to assist in creating a reading space in the Monroe Street United Methodist Church; and because the church is not air conditioned, fans, fans and more fans. You may email either Rev. Rae Lynn Schleif (rschleif@wocumc.org) or Elizabeth Rand (erand@monroestumc.com) and let them know how you will serve. Mission envelopes are available in the pew racks.
The Prayer Group will meet at 9:00 a.m. this Sunday.
The Unstuck small group study will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room this Sunday.
Worship Service for Sunday, February 26:
Call to Worship
Song of Worship – Majesty, Worship His Majesty
Children’s Moment- Mission Jar
Sanctuary Choir Anthem - Shine, Jesus, Shine
Olga’s selections:
Prelude: Come Into His Presence
Offertory: Holy Ground
Postlude: Mighty Is Our God
Scripture- Matthew 17:1-9
Sermon - Building Shrines or Experiencing the Presence of God
Hymn - I Stand Amazed in the Presence
Choral Benediction - The Lord Bless and Keep You
Liturgist - Dave Landis
Prayer Partner for Pastor Mike this week: Bobbie Westfall
Marc & Anna Banachowski and Alaina Hem have signed up to be your Fellowship Hosts for the month of February. All of the months are still available except for May.
The Upper Room, a daily devotional for March and April, will be available at the entrances to the sanctuary this Sunday. The cost is $1.00 each.
Project PJ is currently underway at the SeaGate Foodbank. The women of the M&Ms Bible study volunteer there monthly and we are asking the congregation to join us for Project PJ. Through the month of February we are collecting new and gently used pajamas for ages 12 and older. They have a real need for those sizes, but any size will be okay. We are also asking for stuffed animals; these can be new or used (but clean). Please place your donations on the table in the Fireside room. Thank You!!
Ash Wednesday is on March first this year. As we begin the season of Lent, the church will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. that morning. Pastor Mike will provide Holy Communion and the imposition of ashes for those desiring to begin this season in a time of personal reflection. This is a great way to begin a season of introspection and preparation for Holy Week and Easter.
A new Lenten study series will begin on Sunday, March 12 at 9:00 a.m. in the Fireside Room at the church and then at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Karen & Tom Wiggins and Tuesday evening, March 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Fireside RoomWe will be using Max Lucado’s He Chose the Nails. This is a five-session video Bible study. Max continues by examining the gifts that Christ gave at his crucifixion. These include not only the gift of the cross, but also the gift of the thorns, the nails, and the empty tomb. The cross is rich with God’s gifts of grace, and as we unwrap them, we will hear him whisper, “I did it just for you.” Signup sheets are on the bulletin board in the hallway if you would like to attend.
Sweet Endings,a fundraiser for the Pregnancy Center of Greater Toledo, will be held on Thursday, March 23 at Westgate Chapel, 2500 Wilford Drive, Toledo, OH. Guest Speaker will be Abby Johnson, a former Director of a Planned Parenthood Center. Tickets are $20 and include heavy hor d’oeuvres and & dessert reception at 5:30 p.m. with a program at 7:00 p.m. Registration is required. RSVP deadline is March 13, 2017. For more information or to register online, please visit www.friendsofpregnancycenter.org.
Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes - Our collection items for the month of March will be craft supplies, books, stickers, cars, puzzles, plastic animals, balls, jacks, yoyos, jump ropes, harmonicas, Slinkys, musical instruments, paddles with the ball attached, playing cards, puzzles, stickers sheets, coloring books, puppets, Legos, tennis balls and duct tape. Let’s always remember that the most needed boxes are those for age 10-14 boys – please keep that in mind as you shop. Each month: Pray for shopping wisdom as you purchase these monthly items and the items for your own boxes for the collection in November. The Lord knows the children who will receive your gifts and He can guide your shopping adventures to exactly what will meet needs and give joy.