Happy Easter to everyone!  Isn’t it hard to believe that we are already into Spring and that basically there are only about 9 weeks of school left?

April is starting off in a beautiful way with our first Sunday being Easter Sunday!  I hope you are able to attend our services that morning and perhaps even think about bringing a friend!

First Friends will be on Saturday, April 4th at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  Sonja Morrison and Doris Howard will be our hostesses.

Many of you will receive this newsletter before March is over, so I will take a moment to encourage you to attend the Maundy Thursday service at 6:00 p.m. at the Methodist Church on April 2 and the Good Friday service at  6:00 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church on April 3rd.

Don’t forget the opportunity to provide the gift of stewardship of your time by helping at Samaritans on April 14th from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  Since the first Thursday is Maundy Thursday this month, I will not be helping at Samaritans that day, but I encourage you to help on any Tuesday or Thursday that you are able.  Our service at The Willows will be on April 1st at 10:30 a.m.

Chalice Youth will meet on April 12th immediately following worship. I am in need of someone to serve as host for preparation of the meal. We have grant monies available to help offset the cost of this meal, but if you are able to be the one to organize and serve it, that would be a great help. The youth will be working on preparations for their participation in worship on April 19th which I have decided to name “Youth and Wisdom” Sunday.  Reba Jo Ward will be presenting our sermon for the day, in her infinite wisdom, and the youth will be handling the remainder of the service.  I think this will be a very special worship service indeed!

Originally there were plans to have the next installment of Praise & Pie! on April 26th, but due to a special celebration service at Sulphur First Christian on that day, Praise & Pie! has been moved to May 3rd.  Location is still not set, but has the potential to either be at FCC in Durant or at our church.  More information will be coming in regards to that.  FCC Sulphur’s special celebration service is in response to having their sanctuary and church back in complete functioning order after 2 years of recovery from the tornado that damaged their building in 2024.

Chalice Youth have also decided to start collecting non-perishable items to help those in need either by placing these items in our Food Pantry outside, or by taking the items to our local nursing homes. For March, they had asked for socks to be provided by the congregation.  In April, they are requesting that body soap be brought to the church each Sunday in April.  We have been blessed by the Texoma Camp Board in receiving some grant monies to help our youth do service projects, and some of this grant money will be used for these items, but the youth also wanted to provide an opportunity for the entire congregation to participate in their Outreach project.  Each month we will have a new item that they will ask you to bring as you are able.

Bible Study has been very interesting as we have been looking at the various Prophets in the Bible.  As always, you are invited to join our group….(which has grown to about 15 people!)....each Wednesday evening for a simple meal and then sharing of the scripture.  I have obtained a new devotional book that I think will also be interesting that we will delve into after we finish the current list of Prophets.  It is called “365 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know”.  This will be an interesting study that we will be looking at, most likely starting sometime in May. It will be Bible based as we learn more about the language that Jesus most likely spoke.

Finally, I would remind those with small children and younger youth that we have some items in the sanctuary each week that can be used by the them during worship. We still have our creative notebooks for those who would like to color or draw, we have fidget spinners and some stuffed animals available for busy hands and I have recently added some sleeves of “Picture Puzzles” that have scriptures written on them and are pictures that can be created with matching stickers.  Anyone…young or old…can use these items if in so doing they bring you comfort and ease while worshipping. 

April sometimes brings showers and severe weather…but it also brings beautiful weather and opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors.  I hope you are able to enjoy the beautiful weather and also take caution when any severe weather approaches. As always, those without a storm shelter can access the Fellowship Hall in times of weather crises. Just contact me if you have a need.

I encourage you to continue to approach the coming month in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice for each of us as we not only encounter what happened on the cross, but also come together to celebrate the Savior’s resurrection.  This is a perfect time for increased prayer….for studying your Bible more…and for making commitments to God through ways of service both of your time and financially.  We will be receiving an Easter Offering that will be given to our General Church to help support the ministries of Disciple Mission Fund.

And here is a closing thought that was on a devotional calendar I keep on my desk.  It was written by Keri Wyatt Kent who is a writer of books that explore the intersection of spiritual life and our hectic lives.  Her website is worth checking out at www.keriwyattkent.com:

“God hears simple prayers just as clearly as He does more carefully composed ones. “God have mercy on Me!” or even “Help!” are a delight to His ears. He not only hears but responds. In the chaos He whispers, “I am with you.”  

May your April be filled with blessings, comfort and not much chaos!

Pastor Elaine