God's Link

 Peace be with you, April is a month of beauty. All things are blooming with the expectation of a new life. The extraordinary grandeur of God*s creation is spread before us that we might enjoy and celebrate it. We need to take time to really enjoy these gifts of God that *spring* forth in April. But flowers and shrubs aren't the only things that need to be *springing* forth for us. Righteousness, which is really living obediently with God, and praise, which is really offering praise to God for all that God has done and is doing, are to be as beautifully visible in us as the new blooms of the azaleas and dogwoods. God will cause it to spring forth from hearts and lives that are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, from hearts and lives that are open and obedient, and from hearts and lives that are faithful and committed. What would it mean if the church was landscaped with the most beautiful shrubs but inside there was only apathy and decay? There is a beauty inside of each of you that God wants to spring forth. Let the gardener have the fertile soil of an open heart and don*t be surprised at the blooms! *For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.* (Isaiah 61:11).

Palm/Passion Sunday
Worship Service
10:00 AM

Holy/Maundy Thursday
Tenebrae Service
7:30 PM

Easter Son/Sun Rise
Service - 7:00 AM
Easter Sunday Service
10:00 Am

Christian Community Mission (CCM) will be having a Good Friday Service at Moore's Chapel with Reverend Bert Jicha giving the message. The churches that make up CCM are Baldwin UMC, Cherry Hill UMC, Leeds UMC, Moore's Chapel UMC, Rock Presbyterian Church, St. John's UMC and Union UMC.

Good Friday CCM Service
7:00 PM - Moore's Chapel UMC

Sunday School News!!

Valerie Gilbert is our new Sunday School Director as of January 1, 2010. Thank you for stepping up, Valerie! Sunday School is still concurrent with the Sunday worship service. The children stays for about 15 minutes in worship service and after the children's message they go over to the Community Building for class.

A BIG THANK YOU goes to the committed Sunday School Teachers-Della Lied, Chrissy Moore, Judy Oikemus, Victor Cericole, Melanie Gilley, and Valerie Gilbert. Also thank you goes to Emily Cericole and Nancy Runyon for helping the teachers.

Reminder: Family Easter Party
March 28, 2010 after Worship Service
Open to All!!

Fellowship
March Wii Bowling Tournament

Well, we had our first Wii Bowling Tournament Sunday March 14th after worship Service. There was seventeen participants competing in the tournament.
With all good United Methodist's events there was food as well. We had hot dogs, macaroni salad, baked beans, and finger foods.

Jean Caudill score of 202 won her a $40.00 gift card from Walmart. Bobby Carter score of 179 won him a $10.00 gift card from Walmart. In third place, Autumn Gilley scored 167 which won her a bowling set. Betty Warren came in fourth place with a score of 157.

The next Wii Bowling Tournament is set for Sunday, April 25, 2010 after the worship service. Free food will be available.

Hope to see you there!!

New Mission
Prayer Shawl Ministry

Whether they are called Prayer Shawls, Comfort Shawls, Peace Shawls, or Mantles, etc., the shawl maker begins with prayers and blessings for the recipient. The intentions are continued throughout the creation of the shawl. Upon completion, a final blessing is offered before the shawl is sent on its way. Some recipients have continued the kindness by making a shawl and passing it onto someone in need. Thus, the blessing ripples from person-to-person, with both the giver and receiver feeling the unconditional embrace of a sheltering, loving God!

Shawls can be used for: undergoing medical procedures; as a comfort after a loss or in times of stress; during bereavement; prayer or meditation; commitment or birthing, during an illness and recovery;
ministering to others; there are endless possibilities! PLEASE LEND A HAND!!!!

Next Prayer Shawl Meeting is Sunday, April 15, 2010
after Worship Service. 

Missions

* The Jackson Area Green Thumb Ministry - It's the middle of March and our seed packet drive is underway. Jackson Area Ministries and the families who depend on our generosity will greatly benefit from our donations. The list of seeds is below. We have two more Sundays to participate. Thanks for your support of this Mission! This ministry distributes over 20,000 plants each year to families in need. Here is a list of seeds you can contribute to this ministry... Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumber, Green Beans, Greens, Herbs, Lettuce, Melons, Peppers, Pumpkins, Radishes, Spinach, Squash, Turnips----Please donate and bring in your seed packets on or before April 4, 2010.

* The Cecil County Pregnancy Center Ministry - Come Sunday May 9th to get the baby bottles for collecting loose change that will be donated to the Pregnancy Center. The campaign will run from Mother's Day until June 20th/Father's Day.

* Soldier Boxes - We are collecting items for soldier boxes-male and female. Here is a list of items needed...single powder mixes(ex:crystal lite, kool aid, etc.), baby wipes, toiletries(ex:deodorant, q-tips,shaving cream,lotion, toothpaste, etc.), sunscreen, ramen noodles, microwave popcorn, gum/candy, instant coffee, simple medicines(ex:cough drops, aspirin, etc..), granola bars, Fabreeze, car air fresheners, books, and flea collars. Please see Martha Lebo for more information. 

Family Movie Night
We all came together in fellowship for movie night on Saturday, February 28, 2010 to watch Disney Pixar's movie "WALL*E". The movie was projected upon the wall with a power point projector, "it was like being at the theatre." There was popcorn, hot dogs, potato chips and soda.

Thank you goes to everyone who donated food items and to the one's that participated in this Christian gathering.
Our next Family Movie Night will be held on March 27, 2010 at 6:00 pm. The movie of choice is "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Feature Films for Families. For more information please call Pastor Cheryl -- 410-398-8009. 

Website: www.union-umc.com
E-mail : cheryl_a21921@verizon.net

RETHINKCHURCH

"Open hearts" challenges us to show kindness, acceptance, and hospitality to everyone - guests and members alike. But, what if "open" moves from an adjective to a verb and together we open hearts, open minds, and open doors? How can we rethink church as more of an out-of-building 365-days-a-year experience, where anyone seeking may find a spiritual journey they can call their own? And, what if we invited the world to come?

Key to this concept is that there isn't just one door into the church, but thousands of doors through which a person can become engaged -- many of them non-traditional.