Hello Church Family, This month, there are two messages I would like to share.  First, honoring our Mother’s (Happy Mother’s day to my mom Mabel Klumpp, I love you!) 
    A prayer for Mothers:  God created you with all His unconditional love.  He gave you free will to choose your own path or the righteous path from Him above.  So bless and protect Mothers Lord who live according to the Holy Spirit within their heart and soul, and God’s love and blessings to Mothers lost that they find the path of righteousness to live according to this most highly given role.  Moms, Happy Mother’s Day and God Bless!  Thank you and may God’s peace be with you always!  In Jesus Holy name we pray!  Amen.
 1Peter3:3-4  “(3)Let your beauty not be external……..(4)but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.” 
 
Secondly and sadly, we need to pray for our world.  Sometimes it is hard to find God in all the demonic chaos that abounds.  We, here at Faith have Him in our hearts, and yes there are many God driven people on earth who do Jesus-like actions to help those who are suffering physically, emotionally, spiritually.  God is not present in the hearts of these world leaders who only rely on their egotistical need for power giving no thought to turn to God, our Creator, who is the only One in control.  Through the years, we can see how some people are against all things Godly.  Many are not bringing up their children in the ways of the Lord.  We can do something about this.  We can pray to turn the hearts of all humans over to Jesus, we can vote for government leaders who are led by God and uphold our Christian values, and we can teach His Word as our ancestors have done before us.  Spread His Good News.   Matthew 28:19-20 ESV “(19)Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20)teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” 
Spread His Good News
By Gail Achilles (6-27-21)
Oh God, help me spread your good deeds.  Help me tell of your compassion.  Help me show others your grace, mercy, and love.
Lord, I praise you for keeping my loved ones and me safe.  I adore you for the loving sacrifice you gave us.  You through Jesus showed us the way to live on this earth day to day.
When I fall down you pick me up and fill me with your Spirit’s strength.  My loved ones before me brought Your Word’s to my ears and taught Your commandments.
Trust in His Word and the promises He made.  Do not let them die with you. Share His Good News so others will know of God’s promise of eternal bliss in paradise with Him.
We must keep You alive in our hearts forever.  If the world does not continue to teach Your Good News and Your Great Love then all will be forgotten and many will lose out on an eternity filled with love, peace, and joy.
So do not rebel against His Truth or be a coward to tell the Story of God.  He is our Father, Creator, Comforter, and Savior.  Share his goodness in your homes, your community, to the world.
Oh Lord, I pray your Spirit will pierce every human’s heart and change them forever to live as You created us to be, people who live Your Word.  People who are free.  People whose Godly light overshadows the dark.                               Spread His Good News!
Inspired by the Word of God and Luke 6:45 “45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Oh, Father in Heaven, we pray for believers and nonbelievers.  May we all be called into your light!  We pray in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ! Amen
                                                                                                                                             Your Sister in Christ, Gail

​ Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.  St. John 21:12-14 
 
Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!  This is our Easter confession and proclamation through the month of May. Because on the church calendar Easter is not just one day but a whole season that extends for seven weeks.
          The church year gives us seven weeks, a full week of Sundays, to experience the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and to share the life changing and world changing power of our declaration that Christ is Risen! This truth changes everything, as we’ll hear in the Bible lessons we read on the Sundays of May from the Gospel of John, the first steps of the young church in the Acts of the Apostles and the promise of Christ’s coming again in the Book of Revelation.
          I look forward to sharing this good news that Christ is Risen and exploring with you what it means for us to continue to follow our Risen Lord Jesus into a changed and still changing world this Easter season.     
          I’ve been blessed to lead worship as your pastor since last summer and I am happy to have agreed to serve as your Bridge Pastor at least through the month of June as you continue your search for a new pastor. 
          Since I’m about to turn 70 and have some health issues I will continue to lead Sunday worship with you remotely via Zoom, attend monthly meetings of your Congregational Council and work with your leaders and staff on any other matters with which I can help. 
          I will also be available to you for pastoral care and concerns. You can reach me directly by phone or text at (610) 733-1091 or by email at  drbtdavis@yahoo.com. 
          I hope you will accept the invitation of our Risen Lord this Sunday to “come and have breakfast.”         
          Easter Blessings to you and yours,
 
                                      Pastor Bruce
             
                                                Bridge Pastor Bruce T. Davis 

​Council Notes                                                                                                                                                                              April 6, 2022
 
Council was called to order by President Rich Hollenbach.  Gary Apgar lead devotions on a healthy church.  Minutes of the March 16th regular council meeting was approved as written.
 
Treasurer’s Report: Council reviewed the March 2022 treasurer’s report.  With year-to-date income at $26,428.39 (24%) and operating expenses at $26,591.10 (17%) we have a $162.71 deficit.  It was noted that net revenue was in the minus due to seasonal charges like heating the building.  Hopefully revenue will increase in the upcoming months with milder weather and Easter contributions.  All members voted to approve the corrected Treasurer’s Report.
 
President’s Report: Rich reported that Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church has a signed Bridge Pastor Agreement with the Rev. Bruce T. Davis for the period of 1 April 2022 through 30 June 2022.  He also announced that Pastor Bryan Penman has a new role, and our new Dean will be the Rev. Sarah Jean Aasheim.  Pastor Penman will be finishing up business with Faith Lutheran Church and Rich will be in contact with our new Dean after Easter.
 
Pastor’s Report:
The council members welcomed and introduced each other in turn to Pastor Bruce.  Pastor Bruce shared his past background of 43 years as a pastor.  He has served as Pastor at various locations in the Philadelphia area, its suburbs, and in Delaware.  He has seen some churches needing to close their doors for lack of a strong congregational foundation and lack of monies for a Pastor.  When Messiah in Newtown Square had to close their doors where he had been a Pastor, he was heartened that the Synod at least utilizes the building.  He remarked that bigger churches thrive and small churches close and added that more and more congregations need to share a Pastor.  Pastor Bruce then joked that the Synod did not send him to close Faith but to work with the strong foundation that our congregation has built and sustained these last three years without a permanent pastor.   Rich concurred that we have been able to maintain our church.  When Missy asked Pastor Bruce if members of the congregation can reach out to him via email, he replied yes and is available to all members who would like to reach out to him, and his contact information is in the bulletin each week.
 
Ministry Team Reports:
 
*  Call Committee: Rich informed us that the MSP and all necessary profile documents for our church have been updated and sent to the Synod.  After Rich meets with Pastor Aasheim, the call committee can arrange to meet with her.  I am pleased to report that all members of the Call Committee except for David Bonthu, who moved out of the area, have agreed to remain on the committee.  They are Nancy Allegrezza, Anita Halpern, Rich Hollenbach, Carol Taylor, Jack Walls, and Gail Achilles.  Missy asked if Adam Feldman, who showed an interest in becoming part of the Call Committee, could join our team.  We will review the Call Committee with our new dean after Easter. 

• Christian Education: Gail reported that we had a good turnout for our initial VBS presentation on Sunday, April 3rd.  Unfortunately, we only added one more volunteer besides the handful of volunteers who are already on board.  We still are in need of at least 8 to 10 crew leaders (no teaching involved) and two station leaders for Imagination Station (Science/Crafts); two station leaders for Bible Adventures (telling Bible stories); two station leaders for Red Rocks Rec (games); at least one station leader to assist me in opening and closing with songs, dancing, and skits; and one co-station leader for our Quail Preschool station (ages 3 to 5) Anna Friedrich has offered to be station leader;  Alexis and Laura Cooper have volunteered to be co-station leaders of  Kidvid Cinema and Beth Schoening will be handling snack time at Oasis Tastes Station.  Besides needing Crew Leaders to assist the children and the station leaders, we still need at least 8 station leaders to make our 2022 VBS a fun, safe, loving, and learning environment about God’s awesomeness and make a lasting monumental impression of Christianity for our church children and the children in our community.  A big thank you to Adam for his Tech help on April 3 and to Chris Jones for sharing her creative talent with props, crafts, and staging, to Janet Hill for everything administrative and then some, and to all the volunteers who are signed on presently.

    Missy brought up to Pastor Davis and council the need of teaching catechetics to our children.  She said that there are at least 5 ranging from ages 9 to 16 that have been on hold these past three plus years.  Pastor Davis believes that teaching via zoom is not the ideal.  He suggested looking at neighboring churches to join their class with instruction by their Pastor.  Rich stated that he will send a note to Pastor Penman and Pastor Aasheim to let them know we are interested in providing catechetics.  Pastor Davis also offered that the best time to start this would be the fall.

• Communications: Jack suggested we put messages to be changed monthly on our outside sign to get passersby to notice us.  Sharon provided a list to Jack of some eye-catching messages.  Lauren Allegrezza Krupp sent Janet some tips to update our website to make our website more current and noticeable.  Missy asked if we could put something on Facebook to advertise events coming up.  Rich reported that all events are on our website.  Jack also suggested we think about having an event on our front lawn to show we are present and thriving.  It was noted that Adam will be installing the Holy Week banner on the front lawn this week.
• Finance: The church received a new credit card because ours was compromised.  All is good.  Rich reminded us that we need to do an audit (shortly after-tax time is over).  Sharon will contact those who helped do the audit last year. 
• Fundraising: Scrap Booking in Fellowship Hall – May 13-14.  Linda is still looking for a new Chair of Fundraising to replace her.  If you feel the call and have the gift, please contact Linda Kratz or Janet Hill.  Thank you.
• Health: Anne will get an update on Nancy Allegrezza and Tina Hutnyk to find out if either is available for this ministry. 
• Hospitality/Fellowship: Hospitality:  We will be having a cake to celebrate our Church’s 57th anniversary on Palm Sunday, April 10th.  We will also have finger sandwiches donated by the congregation.  Anne noted that we will not be having Fellowship after Easter Service on April 17th since most of us have plans with our families on Resurrection Sunday.  Anne informed us that the Church Picnic will be at Spring Valley Park on June 5th.  Anne mentioned she is still looking at the cost of purchasing an artificial Christmas tree, prelit with white lights, 10 to 12 feet high, 6 to 8 feet base, with multi-layered branches.  Jack asked if we budgeted for this.  Rich said that we have $150 in the budget for a Christmas tree annually, but Vince and Rich said that if it costs more the money is available and would use donations and memorial funds to assist with the purchase.  Fellowship:  Dale and Mary Lou will be taking over for Debbie Hollenbach as the new co-chairs.
• Property Team:  Vince informed us that spring cleanup which is mainly picking up sticks and cleaning windows will be on Saturday, April 23rd starting at 9 am.  He also mentioned about getting gutters and drains washed out.
• Shepherding: Easter cards have been sent to members of the congregation, friends of Faith, and college students.
• Social Ministry:  April’s ministry is 141 Impact raising monies for books to fill the newly built children’s library in Uganda.  There are clear book banks on the foyer table just waiting for your heartfelt donations.
• Stewardship: Jack will make phone calls to congregation members about e-giving and how giving electronically makes it easier especially when on vacation or away for any reason.
• Transportation: Dale and friends will accommodate any church member in need of a ride.
• Worship & Music: Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Services will begin at 7:30 pm.  Pastor Bruce asked what color is used on the altar.  Rich answered, “Purple for Thursday, black for Friday and white for Easter Sunday.” 

 
OLD BUSINESS

• New Copier Lease: Rich reported that new lease is all signed, and Jack said that it should be delivered in July. 

 
NEW BUSINESS

• Jack asked about having wine and grape juice available for communion.  Rich answered that both wine and grape juice are offered at Easter and Christmas services.  Worship & Music will look at other times possibly the first of each month.

 
Next Meeting:  Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 7:00 PM. Will be a hybrid meeting.  Devotions will be led by Vince.

May 5, 2022 is the National Day of Prayer
 
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  (2 Chronicles 7:14)
 
Humble yourself, reach out to God and pray (have a conversation with God).  Pour out your heart to him.
Let’s all make a decision to pray - especially on May 5th, knowing that Christians all over our country are praying with us.

 
  
 Christian Education
 
We are continuing an in-person Sunday School program during the 10:30 a.m. service as well as a Wednesday Bible School program on Wednesdays at 4:30pm via zoom!  
    Our Sunday teachers are Gail Achilles and Anita Halpern and our Wednesday teachers are Nancy Gansner, Gail Achilles and Anna Friedrich.  We are using the Whirl curriculum, following lessons that go along with the lectionary (the lessons that are read each week.) 
    Please come on Sunday morning or contact the church office at faithmont@verizon.net if you would like to be part of the Wednesday zoom class.  (Please make sure we have your email address so we can send you the zoom link.  Materials will also be sent to those participating on zoom.  A Bible will be provided to your child if they do not have one.  Please let us know.)  
    Sunday School and Wednesday Bible School will be taking a hiatus for the months of June, July and August.  They both will start up again in September.
                          For more information see, Melissa Prunkel
 
  
Monday Night Bible Study will be taking a break for the summer and will reconvene in the fall.


Vacation Bible School

If you missed it in the Council Notes, let us reiterate that Faith will be offering “Monumental” Vacation Bible School Monday through Friday, August 8-12, 2022 from 9am to 12noon. 
    We still are in need of at least 8 to 10 crew leaders (no teaching involved) and two station leaders for Imagination Station (Science/Crafts); two station leaders for Bible Adventures (telling Bible stories); two station leaders for Red Rocks Rec (games); and at least one station leader to assist coordinator, Gail Achilles, in opening and closing with songs, dancing, and skits;  Alexis and Laura Cooper have volunteered to be co-station leaders of Kidvid Cinema and Beth Schoening will be handling snack time at Oasis Tastes Station. 
    Besides needing Crew Leaders to assist the children and the station leaders, we still need at least 8 station leaders to make our 2022 VBS a fun, safe, loving, and learning environment about God’s awesomeness and make a lasting monumental impression of Christianity for our church children and the children in our community. 
    Please contact Melissa Prunkel, Gail Achilles or the church office with your questions or to volunteer to help. 
    Thank you, Church Family! 


 
Social Ministry
   In honoring your mother and other special women in your lives this year, your Social Ministry Team is offering you the opportunity to support mothers in the Interfaith Hospitality Network who are struggling on a daily basis to provide housing and food for their families.
 
    We know these mothers would appreciate our donations of personal items.  Suggestions are:  shower gel, body lotion, body spray, deodorant, shavers, handwipes, hand sanitizers, tampons, and menstrual pads.   When they go shopping, they can buy the food they need and not worry about these items.
    Your donations can be placed in the purple Barney bin under the coat rack for the month of May.                                                         
    Isn’t it a wonderful feeling showing our mothers how much we appreciate what they did/do for us while sharing with mothers that are struggling to provide for their families!
                             Any questions, please see Nancy Gansner
 
    An update on our March Social Ministry Project of Personal Care Kits.  We had enough donations to make 18 full kits and could have a possible 20 total. Great job. Good and Faithful servants!
 
    And our April Social Ministry Project of books for 141 Impact.  Our goal was $150 and we raised $260.   Well done good and faithful servants!
​

​Coffee Hour after Worship on Sundays at Faith
 
In an effort to return some normalcy to Faith Church (not only are masks optional now) but we will be bringing back ministry teams and congregational volunteers to help out with coffee hours. 
    We all love to congregate in the Fellowship Hall after worship to break bread (or cake, or fruit, or pretzels, etc.) together but we need some help providing the “bread.”
    The coffee hour sponsors for the month will be listed in the Mustard Seed on the Volunteer page and also weekly in the bulletin.
    Here are the assignments for May.
  5/1 Altar Guild - Janet Hill;
5/8 Congregation Coffee Hour - Mother’s Day; 
5/15 Altar Guild - Janet Hill; 
5/22 Congregation Coffee Hour
5/29  Music Team - Laura Cooper
 
    If you are not presently attending in-person church, you could possibly drop something off before-hand or have someone on your team bring something. 
    Thank you to all those that pitch in to set up and clean up the kitchen on Sundays!
 
  
New Member…
 
In April we welcomed Emma Santiago, daughter of Sarah Snyder to membership in Faith by baptism!
 
 
 
Annual Church Family Picnic
11am to 2 pm
Sunday, June 5 -
Rain or Shine!
 
On Sunday, June 5th right after the 9:30am worship service we are planning on having the Annual Church Picnic at Spring Valley Park.  This year we will be providing all the food.  We’ll have designated cooks barbecuing hot dogs and burgers.  We will also be providing all the sides and desserts funded by a Thrivent Action Team card.  All you need to bring is a lawn chair.  We only ask that you let us know if you are planning to attend so that we have enough food.  It will be nice to be outdoors and get back to fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  See you on the 5th.
 
 
Spring Workday
 
Thank you to Mary Lou, Bryan and Leigh Ann Foster, Rich and Debbie Hollenbach, Adam Feldman and Vince and Janet Hill who came out for Spring Workday on Saturday, April 23rd.  We might have been a small group, but we accomplished a lot.  Picked up sticks on the lawn, weeded the beds and around the trees, dug up a big root in the front of the church, trimmed the bushes, and blew all the leaves from the parking lot and around the church and cleaned all the windows inside and out.

Spring Workday is Set for Saturday, April 23
 We will need lots of volunteers to help with sprucing up the outside of the church as well as dusting and cleaning windows on the inside of the church.  We will be meeting at 9am on Saturday, April 23rd. Bring shovels, rakes, clippers, trimmers, blowers and anything else you can think of we might need to get the job done.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
We are continuing an in-person Sunday School program during the 10:30 a.m. service as well as a Wednesday Bible School program on Wednesdays at 4:30pm via zoom!  
    Our Sunday teachers are Gail Achilles and Anita Halpern and our Wednesday teachers are Nancy Gansner, Gail Achilles and Anna Friedrich.  We are using the Whirl curriculum, following lessons that go along with the lectionary (the lessons that are read each week.) 
    Please come on Sunday morning or contact the church office at faithmont@verizon.net if you would like to be part of the Wednesday zoom class.  (Please make sure we have your email address so we can send you the zoom link.  Materials will also be sent to those participating on zoom.  A Bible will be provided to your child if they do not have one.  Please let us know.)         For more information see, Melissa Prunkel
 
Monday Night Bible Study will meet via zoom from 7-9pm on Monday nights.  They are reading, "Leading a Life of Balance" by Christa Kinde, foreword by Marilyn Meberg.  There are 12 chapters, and they started Chapter 1, on January 24.  All are welcome to come at any time during the study.  
                             Your Sister in Christ, Gail Achilles.

We will be resuming in-person VBS in 2022.  Gail Achilles is enthusiastically looking forward to August.  We will be doing “Monumental” Vacation Bible School Monday through Friday, August 8-12, 2022 from 9am to 12noon.  We will be needing lots of volunteers to help out in many different ways. Please contact Melissa Prunkel, Gail Achilles or the church office with your suggestions or to volunteer to help.  Thank you, Church Family! 


SOCIAL MINISTRY PROJECT
Books – Books – Books for the Children
 141 Impact is a ministry we have supported over the years through Pastor Nelson’s daughter, Carrie Brown. 
 
They have raised funds to build a community library to supplement education in Uganda.   Reading is such an important part of every child’s life.  These children are anywhere between 3 and 15 years old. 
 
Therefore, they are in need of books to fill that future library and we can be a special part in doing that.  We donate the money for them to purchase the books in Uganda. 
 
Our Social Ministry team prays…
    .   our families will work with their children to donate the money for these books
     .  our grandparents will donate book moneys in honor of their grandchildren. 
     .  everyone else supports the need to purchase these books
 
The hope is that we can actually have labels in the books they purchase showing given “by the Hood Family”, for example, or “Given in Honor of Greg Hood.”

We are figuring on $5.00 per book with a goal of $150. 
There will be a “Book Bank” on the foyer desk and another one in a Sunday School room. 
 
If you want a book specific for your family or child, please let us know.
 
Bless a child today.  Show our love to these parents who are deeply grateful for what is being done for their children. 
 
Any questions, please contact me.       Your Sister in Christ,     Sharon Hood      

​
 Coffee Hour after Worship on Sundays at Faith
In an effort to return some normalcy to Faith Church (not only are masks optional now) but we will be bringing back ministry teams and congregational volunteers to help out with coffee hours. 
 
We all love to congregate in the Fellowship Hall after worship to break bread (or cake, or fruit, or pretzels, etc.) together but we need some help providing the “bread.”
 
The coffee hour sponsors for the month will be listed in the Mustard Seed on the Volunteer page and also weekly in the bulletin.
 
 Here are the assignments for April.
  4/3 Evangelism-Doug Renner;
4/10 Anniversary Coffeehour - Congregation to bring finger sandwiches;  
4/17 Easter Sunday - NO Coffeehour; 
4/24 Evangelism-Doug Renner
 
On Palm Sunday, Faith’s Anniversary, we will have a special cake and we are asking the congregation to bring finger sandwiches to share.  We will not be having a coffee hour on Easter Sunday as everyone will be anxious to get home for Easter festivities!
 
If you are not presently attending in-person church, you could possibly drop something off before-hand or have someone on your team bring something.  
 
Thank you to all those that pitch in to set up and clean up the kitchen on Sundays!
 

2022 Phone Directories are available. Hard copies are available on the table outside of the sanctuary or can be mailed to you by either calling or emailing Janet (215) 368 0240 or janetatfaith@verizon.net .  The directory can also be emailed to you if you prefer.  Just let Janet know.  


CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
​We are continuing an in-person Sunday School program during the 10:30 a.m. service as well as a Wednesday Bible School program on Wednesdays at 4:30pm via zoom!  
    Our Sunday teachers are Gail Achilles and Anita Halpern and our Wednesday teachers are Nancy Gansner, Gail Achilles and Anna Friedrich.  We are using the Whirl curriculum, following lessons that go along with the lectionary (the lessons that are read each week.) 
    Please come on Sunday morning or contact the church office at faithmont@verizon.net if you would like to be part of the Wednesday zoom class.  (Please make sure we have your email address so we can send you the zoom link.  Materials will also be sent to those participating on zoom.  A Bible will be provided to your child if they do not have one.  Please let us know.)
    The lessons for March are:
Mar. 6 & 9:                         Jesus is Tempted             Luke 4:1-13
Mar. 13 & 16:   God’s Covenant with Abraham      
                                                                                              Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Mar. 20 & 23:                  God Provides                     Isaiah 55:1-9
Mar. 27 & 30:               The Prodigal Son           Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
 
    For more information see, Melissa Prunkel, Education Leader

Adult Forum, Bible Study for adults is on hold for now.  If you would be interested in leading this group, please contact the church office. 
Thank you, Rich Hollenbach, for your years of leadership and service!
 
 
Monday Night Bible Study will meet via zoom from 7-9pm on Monday nights.  They are reading, "Leading a Life of Balance" by Christa Kinde, foreword by Marilyn Meberg.  There are 12 chapters, and they started Chapter 1, on January 24.  All are welcome to come at any time during the study.
Your Sister in Christ, Gail Achilles.
 

We will be resuming in-person VBS in 2022.  Gail Achilles is enthusiastically looking forward to August.  We will be doing “Monumental” Vacation Bible School Monday through Friday, August 8-12, 2022 from 9am to 12noon.  We will be needing lots of volunteers to help out in many different ways. Please contact Melissa Prunkel, Gail Achilles or the church office with your suggestions or to volunteer to help.  Thank you, Church Family!

SOCIAL MINISTRY
Lord, when did we see you...? 
  
The Project for March will be Lutheran World Relief " Personal Care Kits". We have done these in the past and we are confident that we will be successful again this year. There will be a poster board with post-it notes that will have the items to purchase. 
Take one or several of these post-its, purchase the item/items and put it/them in the purple bin under the coat rack. The kits will contain one towel, 2 bars of soap, one toothbrush, one comb and one pair of nail clippers. 
There will be a description of what items to purchase. We must follow these instructions so shipping of the kits can be done properly.  If you have any questions please contact Chris Jones, who will head this month's project. 

Prayer Vigil - Saturday, March 12 - 9 to 3
 
Everyone in the congregation is invited to participate by devoting one (1) half hour of time to come to the sanctuary to pray for that half hour.  Hoping we can pray from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.   Council has given their blessing for this Vigil.
 
We know there is power in prayer.  In fact, when I opened my pocket size “The Power of Prayer”, the page maker was at March 12....a true God wink in support of our wanting to pray to him on that day.  The prayer on that page is...  “Almighty God, my body and my soul yearn for You.  I praise Your name for supplying my earthly and spiritual needs.  Amen.”
 
Our focus is to pray for God’s will and leading in the call for a pastor for our church.  We can pray that Pastor Tim Garman becomes our part time pastor or that God leads us to another option.  It has been 3 and ½ years since we’ve had a full-time pastor and we have miraculously kept together in our bond to love Jesus and love each other.  We are ready to move forward and grow with pastoral leadership.  Please join this day in praying that God will give us clear direction for Faith Church. 
 
We know that Jesus spent much of his time in prayer…communicating with his Father, so we need to follow his example.  “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” Hebrews 5:7
 
A sign-up sheet is on the desk in the Foyer.  If you cannot be at church, please pray at home. 
 
Won’t you be part of the Power...the Power of Prayer, that is!
 
                                                                           Your Sister in Christ,         Sharon Hood       

 


 

 
 

Hello Church Family:  For my message for March, I want to talk about Ash Wednesday.  Growing up Catholic, we received ashes every year on Ash Wednesday, but I never understood or even questioned the reason behind it.  In my youth, I just did it because that was what was expected.  I have to say, shamefully, that as a young girl I always worried I would get a big fat cross on my forehead that wouldn’t disappear for days.  Children can be cruel due to their ignorance I suppose and would make fun of the big dirt mark displayed on one another’s foreheads.  In our youth, Ernie and I believed we die, and our bodies turn to dust.  Lights out.  As we grew in our Christian education, we know that Jesus dying for us on the cross freed us from sin and through his Resurrection, we, who believe, are given eternal life with God forever.  (John 3:16)

Having faith as a true believer, I was intrigued to get more background on Ash Wednesday.  The following information is by Kelly Givens, contributing editor to Crosswalk.com.  “Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.  In 2022, Ash Wednesday falls on March 2.  Ash Wednesday focuses the Christian’s heart on repentance and prayer, usually through personal and communal confession.  Ash Wednesday is always 46 days before Easter Sunday and marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Lent is traditionally a 40-day fast (not counting Sundays) — a reference to the time Jesus spent being tempted in the desert — that seeks to prepare the heart of the believer for the solemn remembrance of Jesus’ death.  It concludes and is followed by a joyous Easter Sunday celebration of the resurrection of Christ.
 
The History of Lent and Ash Wednesday
The history and beginnings of Lent aren’t clear. According to Britannica.com, Lent has likely been observed: “since apostolic times, though the practice was not formalized until the First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE.”  Christian scholars note that Lent became more regularized after the legalization of Christianity in A.D. 313.  St. Irenaeus, Pope St. Victor I, and St. Athanasius all seem to have written about Lent during their ministries. Most agree that “by the end of the fourth century, the 40-day period of Easter preparation known as Lent existed, and that prayer and fasting constituted its primary spiritual exercises.”

Though Lent is not named or observed in the Bible, as Christianity Today notes, “the path of Lent—prayer, fasting, and generosity over a period of time—is heavily emphasized by the authors of and characters in the Bible, including Jesus. The Bible commands a lifestyle of worship and devotion that looks considerably like Lent. Therefore, while the word is absent in the Bible, the reality of Lent is woven throughout the whole of Scripture, as we have discovered.

 Verses to Reflect on for Ash Wednesday
If you’d like to start thinking through and observing Lent and Ash Wednesday, here are a few verses specific to Ash Wednesday to meditate and reflect on, and then a prayer you can pray to observe the day.

• Our Creation: Genesis 2:7 - Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
• Our Curse: Genesis 3:19 - By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.
• Our Cry of Repentance: Psalm 51:7- 10 - Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Although Ash Wednesday is not officially in the Bible it is an important ritual to begin the season of Lent.  From Lutheranlenses.com I learned--
       1.    The ashes remind us of our sinfulness.
       2.    The ashes remind us of our mortality.
     3.  The ashes demonstrate that without God all of us are spiritually dead.—We are redeemed by our God.  They are a reminder that we need to repent for our sins and turn back to God.”

​As in Genesis 3:19, God said to Adam, You are dust and to dust you shall return.  Ashes remind us that the price of sin is death.  We are mortal and our eternity reigns in God alone.  (Interesting tidbit:  the ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from burning the blessed palm leaves from the previous Palm Sunday.)   Also, ashes in the “Sign of the Cross” displays the good news of the Gospels. 

Spread the Good news by wearing that “Ash Cross,” the bigger the better.  Wear it proudly to proclaim the Good news of God’s love for all his people.  Matthew 28: 19-20 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.   Ash Wednesday is a fitting way to start the season of Lent leading to Resurrection Sunday!  Thank you, Jesus.  Help us stay in your Light!  Amen. 
 
                                                Your Sister in Christ, Gail Achilles