Pulpit Points – March 2026Greetings to you all as we wind down the month of February and enter into March. This will be a relatively busy month for the church and I hope there are several areas of worship and fellowship that you can participate in.The first event for March is the Oklahoma Disciples Regional Assembly that will be held March 6-7 at First Christian Church in Edmond, OK. I was recruited months ago to help on the Planning Committee for this Assembly and I believe that it is going to be a really good Assembly. It will begin with an event that may be unfamiliar to some called Dinner Church, where we gather in their Fellowship Hall and share a meal followed immediately by a worship service. Then afterwards, we will be attending a concert by Grammy Award winning Folk Singer Carrie Newcomer. I have witnessed her singing a few years ago at an event sponsored by Phillips Theological Seminary and enjoyed her music so much. For those who do not want to attend the entire Assembly, but would like to come and hear Carrie sing, a special ticket can be purchased for just that portion of the Assembly.On Saturday, there will be opportunities for attending informative workshops, fellowship and experience worship together in the afternoon where the guest speaker is the General Minister and President of the Disciples of Christ, Rev. Terri Hord Owens. I have heard her speak many times and she is a wonderful minister and a joy to listen to. Also during the Assembly, there is an opportunity for our youth and any adults who so desire to participate in a special service project called “Stamp Out Starvation” where meals for those in need will be packaged as a group. After that project is complete, the youth and their adult sponsors will be invited to go to The Main Event in OKC to enjoy games and bowling as well as a simple meal. Gathering with other Disciples in Oklahoma is always a joy and pleasure for me and I have come to know many people from various churches. Currently, Nikki Assad and Judy Powers will be joining me and will be representing our church as voting delegates for a few business items that will be addressed during a brief business meeting.  Other activities going on in March are an opportunity to join with our Methodist brothers and sisters for a special Bible Study on Monday evenings, beginning on March 2, at the Methodist Church. It will be a study based on the book “Why Did Jesus Have to Die on the Cross? Let me know if you are interested in attending so I can get you the reading material based on the Bible Study.We will not have First Friends this month due to the Regional Assembly that will be taking place the first weekend. We will reconvene on April 4th at our usual 11:30 a.m. time slot with Doris Howard and Sonja Morrison being hostesses.Our own weekly Bible Study will continue each week this month as we will be studying various Prophets from the Bible. And of course we will have our usual monthly commitments of helping at Samaritans on the 1st Thursday in the afternoon and on the 2nd Tuesday in the morning. Our monthly service at The Willows is on March 4th at 10:30 am . Chalice Youth will be March 8th immediately following worship. We will be working on our special worship service in April where the Youth will be working with Reba Ward to prepare a special service celebrating all ages as we worship together.  And on March 29th, which is not only our usual 5th Sunday worship service where you will have an opportunity to share a devotional, it will be a busy day as it will be Palm Sunday….and also a Fellowship Meal celebrating the Easter season with our annual cookout and Easter Egg hunt immediately following worship.  Many, many things going on this month….but that is what is wonderful about being part of a congregation that enjoys worshiping together…learning together…serving together and fellowshipping together! I leave you with these thoughts as we continue in the time of Lent before we have an opportunity to celebrate Easter….Here is how you can “fast” during Lent:

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude

Fast from anger and be filled with patience,

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

Fast from worries and have trust in God.

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity

Fast from pressures and be prayerful

Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.

Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

 

Blessings & Grace!

 

Pastor Elaine