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Feburary
2007 Calendar
Click
here for the
Current Smyrna
Calendar.
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Tuesday, February 5th at 6 PM combined Shrove
Tuesday/ Ash Wednesday service. We will start with a traditional
pancake supper. For Lent this year we are encouraging everyone
to collect money for the Molalla Service Center, and for the Maclaren Youth Facility.
We will make banks to use as daily reminders during Lent. The
money we collect for Maclaren will go to buy books for the boys.
Following the craft time, we will have a prayer/ confession
service concluding with applying ashes to our foreheads.
 Wednesdays-
February 13 through March 12 at 6 PM- we will meet for a simple
soup supper followed by a study of the Lord’s Prayer. Each
evening will conclude with an informal prayer service. The money
we save by having a simple supper will go to the two service
projects we are supporting.
Thursday- March 20 we will have a 7 PM service to
include a Foot washing observance of Jesus humility and service.
Easter Sunday, March 23- we will have an Easter
breakfast together at 8 AM followed by a 9 AM Easter worship
service. The earlier service will allow everyone a chance to
celebrate with their families later in the day. |
Thinking About
Membership?
We would like to take in new members on Palm Sunday, March 16th. Palm
Sunday is a great day for a celebration- both a parade for Jesus and a
celebration of new members.
If you are interested in becoming a member of Smyrna please speak with
Pastor Dave. We will have one class at a time convenient for everyone
who would like to join. The class will provide background information on
both Smyrna and the United Church of Christ.
Membership can be through confession of faith if you are not currently a
member of a church or through letter of transfer from your previous
church. If you have never been baptized, we can also arrange for a
Baptism service.
Feel free to talk with Pastor Dave after the service or call him at
(503) 651-2131.
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Winter Days of Giving
Sunday, February 10, 2008, has been designated as
Smyrna’s Winter Days of Giving. This is one of Smyrna’s major
fund-raising dates. Please bring your donation to church marked
for Winter Days of Giving and place it in the offering plate or
mail it to
Irene Schriever, Treasurer
32914 S Kropf Rd
Molalla OR 97038.
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Annual
Angel’s Luncheon
The Molalla Methodist Church will host the annual
Angel’s Luncheon on Saturday, February 9, 2008, assisted by the
women of Grace Lutheran Church.
Women groups from the area churches share hosting the luncheon
which benefits the Molalla Crisis Pregnancy Center. Those
attending can support the Center with monetary gifts or by
bringing much needed baby layettes, disposable diapers, etc.
Those wishing to attend should call Joann Gribble at (503)
651-2131 so that she can call in the number of women attending.
This is a great event, if you have not attended before, I urge
you to do so. It is a great way to share fellowship with women
from other churches.
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 Debbie
Snyder, formerly of Molalla, passed away on Thursday,
January 24, 2008, at the age of 96. She had recently moved from
Portland to the home of her daughter, Sarah Deumling, in
Rickreall, OR. Services will be held at 2 p.m. on February 9 at
the Trinity Episcopal Chapel in Portland, OR. |
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The Hank
Baker family
Gale Blatchford
Dick Cheadle
Eleanor Eyman
Kent Fisher
Mickey and Ron Hester
Eleanor Holbrook
Helen Kappler
Milda Kellands
Jack and Willa Kieling
Blanche Lindland
Linda Melcher
Carl Menkel
Norton Nicholson
Arlene Peterson
Larry Sano
Lucia Schuebel
Jackie Sperb
ude Strader
Beverly Stutz
Evelyn Wormdahl
Mark Hall
Laurie Chilcote
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No matter who you are,
or where you are on life’s journey,
you are welcome here.
Mission Statement
Smyrna United Church of Christ is striving to be:
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A place of peace where we teach the word of God and the story of God’s
love. |
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A spiritual haven where we accept and care for all humanity in an
outreach of grace. |
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A lighthouse of God’s light, where worship, teaching, learning and
spiritual growth take place in community powered by thought and action. |
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A Christian people, working for God’s realm in ecumenical
harmony with other people of faith and conviction. |
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Encountering
Jesus
In churches all over America this year pastors and lay leaders are
scrambling, with the often repeated phrase, “Easter is early this year.”
It is. This year Easter is on March 23rd.
According to the great church reference, Google, the date chosen for
Easter each year is chosen by these rules:
- Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical
full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox;
- This particular ecclesiastical full moon is the 14th day of a tabular
lunation (new moon);
- The vernal equinox is fixed as March 21.
Resulting in that Easter can never occur before March 22 or later than
April 25. Easter is early this year- almost as early as it can be.
I grew up in Ohio, and remember a couple of Easters where our special
Easter clothing was not quite warm enough for the snow that fell. Those
must have been early Easters as well!
What will we remember about Easter this year? My hope is that through
our Lenten activities, our Sunday worship, and our daily devotions, we
can encounter Jesus in a fresh, new way.
Bono, the lead singer for the rock band U2, has been very active in
leading worldwide efforts for relief of poverty and Aids. Bono suggests
we not ask God to bless our work, but to ask God to show us work that is
already blessed and jump in. And when you jump, keep your eyes open- you
never know when you might encounter Jesus building his kingdom.
Peace,
--- Pastor Dave
DavidAkers@smyrna-ucc.org
Volunteers
Needed
On the last two Sundays of the month volunteers are
needed for either flowers or coffee hour. If you can fill one of those
spots, step forth! There are also plenty of spaces in the upcoming year
particularly during the last half. Sign-up sheet to come!
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February
Lectionary Readings
The following
readings will be the basis for January’s sermons:
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February 3
Exodus 24:12-18
Psalm 2
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9 |
February 10
Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7
Psalm 32
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11 |
February 17
Genesis 12:1-4
Psalm 121
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17 |
February 24
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42 |
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Amber and
Dylan Ferris
Amber, née Rogers, leaves the
altar at Smyrna with her new husband, Dylan Ferris.
Pictured here is their
wedding quilt, composed of blocks created by friends and family,
including several members of Smyrna. |
Building Committee Report
 The
building Fund continues to grow. Pledges and gifts since our
kickoff in December now total $82,000 toward our goal. We are
confident that the New Year will bring in much more. Our next
big event is the Chili Cook-off scheduled for Souper Bowl
Sunday, February 3. Teams are busy planning their entry.
We would like to remind everyone that Smyrna has a long
tradition of individual responsibility for stewardship. We do
not have every member canvasses, nor do we contact members and
friends individually to do their part toward our financial
mission. No one will come knocking on your door to ask for money
for this project. We have been so richly blessed over the years.
When there is a need, everyone rises to the occasion.
—Joel Daniels, reporter— |
Treasurer’s Report
If you were unable to attend Smyrna’s
Annual meeting on January 23rd, copies
of Smyrna’s 2007 Financial Report are
still available in the Narthex at church.
— Irene Schriever
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Please let us know if you want to
be removed from the Behold!! mailing list.
You may also choose to view a very
colorful version at our church website,
www.smyrna-ucc.org . If you would prefer it to
the printed edition, we can arrange that too. You will be
reminded each month when a new Behold!! is available.
Contact
smyrnaucc@canby.com
or
behold-email@smyrna-ucc.org
Announcements are available on our
website each week as well.
In order to avoid an interruption,
let us know if you have a change of address. |
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