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March
2010 Calendar
Click
here for the Current
Smyrna Calendar.
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2010 Lent and Easter Schedule
For Tuesdays during Lent we will join in a simple soup
supper.
Our Lenten observance will conclude with a Maundy Thursday
communion service on April 1.
All of the suppers will start at 6 p.m. A sign up sheet is in
the Narthex for making the soup.
 For
our Lenten study this year we will be studying the Parable of
the Good Samaritan. Each night we will view a 30 minute
video and participate in a group discussion.
On Easter morning, the youth will be serving
breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Our Easter Service will
 begin
at 9 and will include the opportunity to put fresh cut flowers
on the cross, to listen to our new bell choir, and to
participate in communion.
We would like to invite everyone to our Annual Easter Egg
Hunt at Smyrna on Sunday March 28th immediately
following the worship service.
We will have a light lunch coffee hour followed by an Easter
egg hunt for children 2 to 10 years of age. So everyone
bring your
 children
and grandchildren to this great annual event sponsored by the
Christian Nurture Committee. |
One Great Hour of
Sharing
 One Great Hour of
Sharing, as part of Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM) , is the special
mission offering of the United Church of Christ that carries God's
message of love and hope to people in more than eighty countries.
The UCC works with international partners to provide sources of clean
water and food, education and health care, small business micro-credit,
emergency relief, and advocacy and resettlement for refugees and
displaced persons. OGHS also supports domestic and international
ministries for disaster preparedness and response, including our current
response to the earthquake in Haiti.
We will be collecting our One Great Hour of Sharing Offering on March
21st.
-- Barb
Daniels
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Rural Dell FCE Luncheon/Auction
The Rural Dell FCE (Family and Community Education) group
will be holding a luncheon and silent auction at Smyrna on
Thursday, March 18,at noon. This is a fundraiser to provide
awards in honor of Glenda Sano for the 4H photography Exhibit at
the Clackamas County Fair. Glenda was a member of this community
and an active 4H leader in photography who donated these awards
for many years. The balance of the funds raised will go towards
4H camperships or other areas of need to promote 4H programs.
Dorothy Lucht, of the local area, will be the luncheon
speaker. Her presentation will cover experiences as a volunteer
the CNFA’s farmer-to-farmer program. In September she spent 17
days in Tanzania, which is located in central Africa, living in
a small rural village using her skills as an accountant to help
organize the bookkeeping for a farmers’ cooperative. For
reservations please call Helen Reeder at 503 651-3346. |
KIVA
Smyrna has a new team. It is part of the KIVA group that makes small
loans to people all over the world who ordinarily would not have access
to credit. Founded in 2004, KIVA is a mechanism for anyone to go online
and lend a minimum of $25 to people who have been identified by local
micro-finance organizations.
Since 2004 over $120 million has been lent by over half a million
people. Typically the loans average $400 and can make a major difference
in the lives of people subsisting on a dollar a day. Over 80% are
awarded to women and over 98% of the loans have been paid back. You can
go online to www.kiva.org to see more.
While there you can check our team out by going to “Community” and
searching Smyrna. We now have 12 members who have made 20 loans totaling
$550. Consider joining our team. KIVA issues gift certificates which are
perfect for those who “have everything.” You can search the profiles of
people currently seeking loans and choose one to lend to. It’s easy with
a PayPal account or a credit card.
Subsequently, you can follow that person’s profile and seek if
they got their money and how they are doing in paying it back. In all
likelihood, they will pay you back, and you can re-lend, donate it to
KIVA or get your money back. The interest rate on your loan is 0.0%, but
that’s not so bad in today’s economy. You won’t get rich lending through
KIVA, but you will have the satisfaction of helping someone here or
abroad who normally would have no access to credit to buy the additional
goat, more seed, fertilizer or raw materials.
For assistance in navigating the web for this project, see Rick
Gano, Joel Daniels or John Pease.
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Thank You!
I want to thank all of you who have responded by signing up to
bring flowers for church last year and this, filling all but the
Sundays in December 2010 and January 2011. Thank you. Thank you.
---Virginia Yoder |
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Treasurer’s Report
Bal
12/31/09
$17,958.95
Receipts
12,015.92
Expenditures (9,777.22)
Bal
$20,201.15
— Irene Schriever
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Many of the names on the prayer
list come from a list of people that the Diaconate sends cards
to every month. Some are get well cards, others are simply
“thinking of you” cards. If you know anyone who should be on the
prayer list in the Behold, please let Jeannie or Elaine know. If
they would enjoy receiving cards let someone in the Diaconate
know.
“Thinking of
you”:
Thinking of you:
Frank & Pat Peterson, Mickey Hester, Eleanor Holbrook,
Helen Kappler, Jack Kieling, Lucia Schuebel, DaNelda Strode
Thinking of you: Eleanor Holbrook, Helen Kappler, Jack Kieling,
Pat & Frank Peterson, Mickey Hester, Milda Kellands, DaNelda Strode.
Healing and better health: Don Stoneking, Bill Sperb.
Healing and
better health:
Bill Sperb
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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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Visions and Dreams
One of my favorite Old Testament passages is from the Prophet Joel.
He says, “I will pour out my spirit on all people: your sons and
daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your
young men shall see visions.” I like the focus on dreams and visions,
and the inclusiveness of all people.
The world of sports learned a long time ago about the importance of
visualization. The very best golfers know that they have to see a golf
shot in their mind, before they hit the shot on the golf course. You can
watch them practicing their swing as they imagine the flight of the
ball. They also stand over their putt and imagine the ball going in the
hole.
A couple of years ago the leaders of Smyrna had a vision of a
building addition and a Sunday school program. We are all pleased with
our “new building” and the Sunday School program is going so well that
we might need to add another class.
We dreamed of an expanded music program and the Bell Choir has
started practicing with the goal of playing for our Easter service.
Now we are starting to dream of new outreach programs, and new ways
to use our building. Our focus on KIVA in February was a new outreach
emphasis for us reflecting our understanding of the importance of micro
finance in poor countries.
Do you have any new ideas or dreams for us? Do you have any thoughts
on where to direct the Children for Change offerings? The offerings
collected during Lent will go to clean water projects in poor countries.
New visions are welcome at any time— during a council meeting, during
our Sunday morning prayer time, or even on a Wednesday morning visit to
the pastor. Let’s dream big and see how much our faith can accomplish.
--Pastor
Dave
DavidAkers@smyrnaucc.org
Children for Change
during Lent
For the last several weeks we have been collecting money for Smile
Train, an organization that collects money to pay for the cost of
surgery to repair cleft lips. We raised $511.80 since the first year—
enough to pay for two surgeries.
During Lent we will be collecting money for a project begun by First
Congregational UCC in Salem several years ago to bring clean water to
people in Haiti. The Salem church has fasted from coffee during Lent to
support their project. Of course the need for clean water in Haiti is
even greater now after the earthquake. Please continue to give
generously.
Excursions 4 All
 Feb.
21st - We went bowling in Molalla and had some pizza afterwards. A
fun time was had by all.
March - Excursion to be announced later in the Church Bulletin
and during Church Announcements.
—Sandra J.
Mahar Excursions 4 All Coordinator
SandraMahar@smyrnaucc.org
WNYC Update!!
January 31— Bake sale for Haiti raised $75 Car Wash for Jon
Schriever’s MDA team “Big Dogs” raised $175.
February 7— Chili Cook-off raised $200 for Molalla Police Activities
League (won best enthusiasm for runner-up)
March 27— WNYC and Church members invited to the Rock and Worship
Roadshow, 6 p.m. @ the Rose Garden. Tickets are $10 at the door, no
reserved seating— It will be a Christian Concert you won’t want to
miss!!!
March — Please buy your Smyrna WNYC sweatshirt, t-shirt or backpack,
pen and bumper sticker!! We are out of funds, please help us, so we can
help you!!! Simply go to www.acelineupathletics.com
click on the Smyrna thumbnail (it’s red) and start ordering.
--Carly Sether Youth Director
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Smyrna
Pictoral Directory
We are excited to announce that we are going to create a new
pictorial directory of our church family. The directory will
help us connect names with faces. It will also help to capture
the history of our church congregation.
We hope everyone will participate. All we ask is that you
have your picture taken by the professional photographer and
meet with a Portrait Consultant at the church. Every family that
participates will receive a free directory and a complimentary 8
X 10 Custom Natural Portrait. You will only have to come to the
church once. After the portrait is taken you will have the
opportunity to order additional portraits. The pictures will be
mailed to your home.
The photography team has been scheduled for Monday, May 3 in
the afternoon and evening. Please save the date. The sign up
process will begin on Sunday, March 21. The deacons will have
sign up desks in the Friendship Hall during the coffee hour.
Friends and extended family are welcome to participate. |
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Baked Potato
Sunday!
Baked Potato Sunday Mark your calendar for Sunday, March 14,
to stay after the morning service and enjoy a loaded baked
potato. This is a fundraiser for the building fund and as you
may know, our goal is to pay off the notes in 5 years. |
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March Lectionary
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March 7, 2010
Isaiah 55:1-9
Psalm 63
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Luke 13:1-9 |
March 14, 2010
Joshua 5:9-12
Psalm 32
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 |
March 21, 2010
Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4-14
John 12:1-8 |
March 28, 2010
Isaiah 50:4-9
Psalm 118
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 19:28-40 |
Chili Cook-Off
Results!
Once again, the Chili Cook-Off was a huge success. With 7 teams
taking part, the building fund was increased by $1,502.30 and $202.90
was sent to Molalla PAL. A big thank you to all who made chili and
everyone who contributed. Of course, the "Hot Chili Mamas" were
especially pleased as they received the rubber chicken for taking 1st
place. A good time was had by all!
Here are photos of the Cook-off. Click on thumbnail to see
larger photo.
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More Books
Pastor’s Reading Shelf
 There are
three new books on the shelf this month. Please feel free to
borrow any of the books and let me know what you think of them.
Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter. We
talked about this book in the adult Sunday School. President
Carter wrote  this
book in 2005 as a critique of fundamentalism in all forms.
Rediscovering Values by Jim Wallis. This book
is Wallis attempt to look at the financial problems of our
country from a faith perspective. Wallis suggests we need to
begin looking at what is good for all of us rather than focusing
on our self interest.
 The Poor
Will be Glad by Greer and Smith. This book is a review
of the value of micro finance in lifting people out of poverty.
In addition to explaining how micro finance works, the book has
some wonderful stories and pictures.
—Pastor Dave—
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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.smyrnaucc.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
beholdemail@smyrnaucc.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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