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EASTER ARTERIES
How might we keep Easter joy, Easter hope, and Easter promise flowing within us and through us? In a word: practice. God's power to transform and change human lives and to restore the world and all creation to wholeness of life is already ours through faith. Easter power is in the very air we breathe in and out every day. By broadening and deepening our devotional and prayer life, we become more adept at practicing the presence of God and sharing the love and life-enhancing power of God. Many are the ways. It takes as little as ten minutes a day of focused time or up to an hour (even parceled out in smaller segments). The process is the same; the mediums we use as springboards can vary. First, be still and take deep breaths. Second, as you become calm seek to clear your mind of "chatter" (inner messages and urgent action items that are rambling through your brain). Third choose a focus and invite God's Spirit to speak to you in the silent time you spend while focused. Options for focusing are: a passage of Scripture, a captivating piece of art or music, being still in nature or taking a hike and just noticing what's present in creation, recalling to memory a time when you had a certain sense of direction for your life and connecting it to a word from God for your life today, centering on one key theological word or phrase (e.g. - "grace", "saving power", "resurrection hope"), OR paying attention to your body as you ask yourself a question like, "What is it about my walk with God that I and Marshall Memorial United just have to share with others?" Four, spend seven minutes or more just paying attention and listening for the Spirit. Are there some next steps you are being invited to take? Five, end your meditation with a prayer of thanks. Let it flow. My prayer is that such devotional times for you might be comparable to what happened to the few disciples who were out for stroll on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32): "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road ...?"
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The flowers today are placed in the sanctuary by Dave & Diane Paton in loving memory of Guy Mitchell.
In our thoughts and prayers are Judy van Duzer, Emmanuel Franca, Connie Kuntz, Geraldine Reise & Ellen Sawesky.
Congratulations to Alma Lister who is celebrating a "special" birthday.
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Everyone is invited to join The Transitions Team at our next meeting on Monday, April 24th at 7:00pm. We will be walking around the neighbourhood of Marshall trying to discern, "who is our neighbour". We try to see the strengths and needs of our neighbours as we move into the next phase of our interim ministry, "To whom should we minister?" On Sunday, April 30 and Sunday May 7 during worship, the Transitions Team will be asking everyone to fill out a short quiz regarding our focus for mission in the coming years. Please bring a pen or pencil with you on those Sundays.
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CPR Saturday (Clean, Paint, Repair)
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Our annual CPR day is Saturday May 6th. Volunteers are needed to do some light gardening, painting and cleaning. Please mark your calendar for some fun fellowship, complete with coffee and donuts. Start time is 8:00am and finish time is 12:00 noon sharp. The sign-up sheet is in the foyer, or contact Pat Radigan at pradigan@cogeco.ca.
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Outreach is hosting the 3rd annual Electronics event on Friday May 12 (4-8 p.m.) and Saturday May 13th (8-4 p.m.).
As you start your spring cleaning, please consider recycling your used electronics and diverting them from our landfills.
A partial list of items being collected includes; desktop computers, portable computers, keyboards, mice, desktop printers, printers, photocopiers, multi-function devices, c
ellular phones, display devices, televisions, monitors, personal or portable Audio/Video Systems, corded and cordless telephones, as well as telephone answering machines.
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The May/June Upper Room copies are now available.
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Please plan on attending our Spring Luncheon, open to all on Wednesday, May 3rd at noon in our church hall. Tickets will be available between Sunday services and after the second service. Next Sunday will be the last opportunity to purchase a ticket.
The UCW Contact person is Lynda Drennan. The cost is $15 and the lunch will be catered by Frank Pierce.
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Rev. Disher will be on vacation from April 22 through April 29. In case of pastoral need or emergency please contact Rev. Jeff Chalmers at Bethesda United Church (
905) 902-0337.
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Some members of our Church Board and Transition Team may be out and about forming triads (groups of three) who will gather prayerfully and then go to a coffee shop, pub, mall, or some other public place and eavesdrop creatively and unobtrusively on the conversations happening around them and observe people's behaviour. If you wish to join Rev. Disher on such a jaunt he will be visiting area pubs on Wednesday evenings around 8 p.m. and coffee shops on Thursday mornings around 10:30 ... but we will gather at the church first in the parlour to pray before we head out (7:45 p.m. and 10:15 a.m.). We are listening for what concerns and passions people in the community around us have as we seek to find a mission focus for Marshall Memorial. (Rev. Disher's "crawls" won't start until the first week of May).
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Carl and Margaret Haycock are 80 years old this year. There will be an open house on Saturday, April 22nd from 2 - 5 at the Optimist Hall in Ancaster. Please join us. Best wishes only.
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