April 9, 2018 Mainstreeter Online

 

April 9, 2018

Words from the Pastor

Welcome to the Great Fifty Days of Easter. Easter is not a one day event but a season that, in many ways, defines who we are as followers of the Risen Christ. The following Easter prayer, shared in a letter from our Bishop, Sudarshana Devadhar following his experiences in a recent trip to the holy land, captures this reality. It is a powerful reminder regarding the meaning of Easter.

 

Oh Risen Christ,

who is looking for us

before we are looking for you:

Was that you —

  in the wide-eyed wonder of the child,

  in the face behind the soldier's uniform?

   

Was that you —

  in the birds' music and the worshippers' songs,

  in the stranger on the other side of the river,

          we were forbidden to cross?

Oh Risen Christ,

who sees us

before we see you:

Was that you who came to us —

  at the unexpected time,

  in the unsuspecting person?

Was that your —

  graffiti written on the city walls

  calling us

               as you first called the twelve?

Was that you who met us —

in bread and wine,

  taken,

      blessed,

            broken,

                 poured out,

                 and shared?

Oh Risen Christ, help us —

  to love what we see;

      to become what we receive,

     and to know you,

as the One who lives among us!

Inspire, stir, encourage, challenge us —

  to blossom in God's glory,

  to love with your compassion,

               to move as the free blowing wind of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Worship Ahead

4/15 - The Third Sunday of Easter

Guest Preacher: In Pastor Rich's absence, while he is on vacation (April 11-19,) our guest preacher will be Rev. Dave Svenson (otherwise known to us as "Pastor Dave.") Pastor Dave was pastor of the Main Street UMC from 1991-2000 and, in retirement, worships at the Main Street UMC along with his wife Linda.

Announcements  

Calendar  for the Week of April 8

Use of Connector and Elevator Expected Soon

We are continuing to expect to have occupancy for the connector sometime during week of April 15th with use of the connector and elevator beginning the weekend of April 21st and 22nd. We hope that you will be with us for the inauguration of this new era in the history of the Main Street UMC!

Memorial Service for Roger Hall

The memorial service for Roger Hall who died back in January is scheduled to be held of Saturday, April 21st at 11:00am in our sanctuary with a reception to follow in the vestry. All are invited to attend this celebration of Roger's life. Pastor Rich will be leading the service with musical contributions from the choir, Sharon Rose, and others.

TED Talks Starting Tuesday, April 10 at 10:30

It's time for TED Talks to begin again in the chapel. The group has been meeting for almost three years whenever there is no Advent or Lenten study. The original purpose was to watch a TED Talk and then discuss it. What actually happens is much more. It's a time of bonding and sharing and exploring ideas we might not normally be exposed to.

This coming Tuesday, April 10, we'll be watching Matt Goldman, co-founder of the Blue Man Group, talk about the Blue School, which balances academic mastery, creative thinking, and self and social intelligence. He believes by reshaping our environments, we can change the world.

We now offer childcare. Everyone is welcome!

Online Giving Options

We have three methods of online giving, easily accessible on our church website or by going directly to http://www.mainstreet-umc.org/giving

1. If you prefer making a new donation by credit card each week or month, or if you want to give a one-time donation, then choose PayPal Giving Fund. PayPal covers all fees.

2.  If you want to set up automatic periodic payments (such as weekly or monthly) from a credit card or checking account, then choose Vanco. There is a small fee for this option, and we ask that you consider adding the fee to your periodic donation.

3.  We also have the GIVE+ Mobile App, powered by Vanco, allowing you to make a donation anytime you feel like giving a little something extra.

Last Minute Reminders

Printed Mainstreeter is available at both entrances to the church

Spring Fling is Sunday, April 15 at noon in the vestry.

VBS planning meeting is Monday, April 16 at 11:00am in the vestry.