A word from Max

Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday.
“Spring forward.” Set your clocks ahead and lose an hour of sleep.

Already I miss it.

Personally, I could use some sleep right now. Physical therapy day always wears me out. But I can tell it is helping. The treadmill helps too. Getting there—slowly but surely.

This Sunday

The sermon is titled “The System Is Working.”

Most people believe we are part of a broken system. God made the world, something went wrong, and now we are stuck living in the mess. But that is not what Jesus says. His message is far more hopeful. Life, it turns out, is better than we often think. Come and be uplifted.

The choir will also share something special. What did church music sound like in the time of Shakespeare? We will find out as the choir performs an anthem by Orlando Gibbons, who died in 1625. Beautiful—and fascinating.

Pastor’s Class

We will be talking about the purpose of life.

And yes—we believe we actually know what it is.

Class begins at 9:45 AM.

Breakfast

It is a “We-Bring Sunday.”

Which means the breakfast comes from all of us. Good food and good fellowship.

Breakfast begins at 10:30 AM, before worship.

This is a great season in the life of the church.

See you Sunday.

God Bless,
Max

revmaxb@tx.rr.com

A Word from Mary

I pray this newsletter finds you feeling peaceful. Peace can seem like a long shot in a world where it often feels as though trouble never takes a break. It is easy to get caught up in watching every headline and every difficult story unfolding around us. Much of what we see is sad, frightening, and deeply heartbreaking. We cannot control most of what happens in the world, except in the way we participate through our voices and our votes.

What we can control is how these things affect us and how we respond to one another. Even when we do not understand the cruelty or the reasons behind so much suffering, we can choose to love the people around us right where we are. Jesus reminds us, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Our prayers do not fall on deaf ears. They are heard by the Creator of the universe, and the God we love and adore loves us deeply in return.

In a world filled with trouble, we are called to live as Jesus taught us—with compassion, kindness, and faith that God is still at work. When the world feels heavy, try not to let fear take control of your heart. Instead, lean into the love of Christ and the community we share.

We also have several things coming up in the life of our church. Easter Sunday will be here before we know it, and we could use some help getting the church grounds ready. Brian McCosky has spent the last two days working hard on the flower beds on the north side of the building. We would greatly appreciate help cleaning up the flower beds on the south side so everything looks welcoming and beautiful.

As we prepare for Easter, we want everyone who visits to see the many blessings God has given us and to know that we are good stewards of those gifts.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Love,
Mary

Ladies’ Luncheon – March 12

The ladies of the church will gather for their monthly luncheon on Thursday, March 12. Everyone is invited to bring a plate of finger foods—such as sandwiches, deviled eggs, fruit, salads, or desserts.

Our program that day will introduce us to the Under the Bridge ministry, which serves members of the homeless community. As part of our outreach, we will assemble 100 hygiene bags for women that will be distributed through this ministry. All of the supplies have already been ordered and will be ready for us at the church.

We plan to assemble the hygiene bags after lunch and the program, which will take about two hours. For anyone who may not be able to stay through the afternoon, you are welcome to come early and help begin the assembly. The tables will be set up and ready starting at 10:30 AM.

Please add your name to the sign-up sheets in the church hallway, or call Veta or Carol to RSVP.

Kids’ News – Trusting God When Life Is Hard

After Jesus was baptized, the Bible tells us that he spent forty days in the wilderness. He was alone, hungry, and tired. During that time, the devil tried to tempt Jesus to make the wrong choices. But each time, Jesus answered by remembering what God’s Word teaches. Even when things were difficult, Jesus trusted God and stayed faithful.

What makes this story special is that it reminds us that Jesus truly understands what it is like to be human. Just like us, he faced moments when it would have been easier to take the wrong path. Instead of giving in, Jesus remembered the truth of Scripture and used it to guide his decisions.

We face choices every day, too. Sometimes it can be hard to know what the right thing is. But when we learn about God’s Word and keep it in our hearts, it helps guide us. Just as Jesus trusted God in the wilderness, we can trust that God will help us make good choices and stay strong in our faith.

What We Learned

  • Even Jesus faced temptation, but he trusted God and stayed faithful.
  • God’s Word helps guide us when we are unsure what to do.
  • When life is hard, we can trust God to help us make good choices.