The Common Ground Contemporary Service April 14 at 11:15 am will be in person and live-streamed.

Dear Church Family:

After six days of creation, the Creator rested from His labors. When the Lord instructed Israel in how to live with Him and with each other, He included a command for their Sabbath rest. Christians understand that the rhythm of our life as disciples of Jesus Christ is one of work and rest that includes worship. By the grace of Jesus Christ, all creation will finally be renewed in the kingdom of God's Sabbath rest. 

As you read this, I am with Nancy at a conference in Lake Junaluska, NC.  

As I have expressed before, I am grateful to be serving our Lord with the disciples at Pender UMC. Now I will be glad for this needed rest and time with my wife. If you have an emergency need during my absence, please contact JaiVon. He will relay messages to me. For other matters, I will get back with you when I return.

Lastly, June 10-12 I will be attending the Pro Ecclesia church conference in Birmingham AL. The conference will include laity, clergy, and professors from many Christian denominations and traditions who gather each year to worship, learn, and talk together about being the faithful church and followers of Jesus in our time and respective places. Thank you to those of you who have helped to defray the cost of this trip by giving money to our pastor's continuing education fund. While we did not seek reimbursement for this expense, I am grateful for your generous support.  

It is good to be servicing Christ with the disciples at Pender UMC,

Pastor Bruce

Jesus’ Resurrection Brings Peace 

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

John 20:19

The disciples were in hiding. Their teacher had been arrested and executed, and they had acted shamefully. They abandoned Jesus when they should have helped him. Now, he was dead, and they couldn’t apologize or make it up to him. The guilt they felt must have been astronomical.

Worse than that, though, was the fact that the people who killed Jesus were probably going to arrest and kill them, too. So they locked themselves in a room and waited for the inevitable.

They were not, however, visited by the vindictive Jewish leaders. Instead, they were visited by Jesus. He who had been crucified, dead, and buried was now very much alive and standing among them. He entered without using the door. The surprise they felt must have been astronomical.

Do you think they were also afraid when they saw him? After all, they had wronged Jesus when they abandoned him. Now, he was standing right in front of them. The locked doors had not stopped Jesus from getting to them. Neither had death. Would Jesus hold a grudge?

No! His first words to them were, “Peace be with you.” He didn’t punish them or coax an apology out of them. He gave them peace. It was more than freedom from enemies who wanted to kill them. It was the peace that comes from knowing everything was right between them and God.

The risen Savior gives that same peace to you. What does it take to get peace? Peace with God comes at a cost, but Christ has paid it for you.

Sin makes everything wrong between you and God, but Jesus paid the price for your sin. You can be certain because after Jesus paid that price, he rose from the dead with a message of peace on his lips.

So, what guilt burdens your conscience? What sins keep you up at night? Know that Jesus’ resurrection brings you peace. In Christ, you have the unconditional pardon of everything that you’ve ever done wrong. You are forgiven.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, give me peace from the certain fact of your resurrection from the dead. Amen.

Daily Devotions are brought to you by WELS and www.WhatAboutJesus.com.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

• April 20, Dick Busby's Funeral at 11:00 am
• April 20, Youth Group Baking Event
• April 21, Youth Group Bake Sale to support the Philippi Youth Missions Trip
• April 21, Woman of the Year Tea
• April 21, Lava Lip Gloss Workshop
• April 23, Tuesday Evening Bible Studies return
• April 23-May 3, General Conference
• April 25, Thursday morning Bible Studies return
• April 30, Last day to submit Graduate information
• May 5, Graduate Sunday
• May 11, Chris Atwood Foundation HopeFest 2024
• May 11, Concert presented by the Music Department
• May 18-19, Faith Promise Missions Celebration
• May 19, Pentecost Sunday
• June 20-22, Virginia Annual Conference
• June 24-28, VBS. Registration open now at www.penderumc.org/vbs.
• July 19-26, Philippi Youth Missions Trip
• September 8, Back to School picnic
• October 19, Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat
• December 7, Breakfast with Santa

Weekly Events

• Sunday
• Children's Sunday School Class at 10:15 am.
• Youth Sunday School Class meets at 10:15 am.
• Connections Adult Class meets at 10:15 am
• The Seeker Sunday School Class meets at 10:15 am.
• Pray for Pender, 10:15 am
• The Turning Point Youth Group at 4:00 pm
• Monday
• Fun with Music
• Mary Martha Circle, online
• Tuesday
• Recorder Consort or Flute Choir rehearsal
• Handbell rehearsals
• Pastor Bruce Bible Study at 7pm on break
• Wednesday
• Ruth Circle meets in person the second Wednesday of each month
• AA Meetings at 6pm
• Thursday
• Pastor Bruce Bible Study at 10 am on break
• Lectio Divina Prayer Group Learn more here
• Choir Rehearsal at 6:30
• Praise Band Rehearsal at 7:30

• Check here for other meetings.

After a four-year delay, the 2020 General Conference will take place April 23-May 3, 2024 in Charlotte, NC. Please pray!

Learn more on the General Conference Page at https://penderumc.org/conference/

Graduation Sunday is May 5th. We want to honor ALL of our high school, trade, technical, apprentice, vocational, college, and post-doctoral students.

Parents or guardians should send in the following information to the church office (office.admin@penderumc.org) no later than Tuesday, April 30th. Please include the following information:

• The high school, college, or trade school your senior is graduating from.
• Their future plans.
• Your senior's parent's or guardians names, as you would like for them to be listed.
• A photo of your senior.
• Questions can be directed to Jane McKee or Arlet Williams

We are very proud of our 2024 graduates and plan to honor them during our Traditional Worship Service on Sunday, May 5th at 9:00 AM. A slideshow of our graduates will be shown at the beginning of our 9:00 and 11:15 AM worship services. A dinner reception for the graduates and their families will be provided at 5:00 PM on Saturday, May 4th.  

We will need all graduate information no later than Tuesday, April 30th.

The Pender Faith Promise Missions Celebration will begin Saturday May 18 with a Potluck Dinner.

Sunday May 19 at 9AM and 11:15AM Services David and Laura Shuping, long-term Pender members will share about their ministries.

The Annual Missions Conference is an opportunity to meet visiting missionaries, hear their stories about what God is doing in the lives of people, and how lives are being changed throughout the world because of Pender's Faith Promise Missions outreach.

"Experience the spirit of giving this Easter!

On Easter morning 2024, Jane McKee revealed exciting details about Pender's annual mission trip to Philippi happening in July.

She highlighted the diverse volunteer opportunities available for this transformative journey. But that's not all – she also announced that the Easter offering would be dedicated to building Tiny Houses for Philippi.

Imagine the impact! We have the chance to purchase kits, assemble them into cozy homes, and then watch as Ruston Seaman and his dedicated team transport these homes of hope to Philippi.

Dive into this heartwarming mission with us, contribute to a cause that rebuilds lives, and be a part of a community that cares.

Don’t miss out on this incredible journey of faith and service – stay tuned for updates!"

Matthew 5:14-16 King James Version (KJV) says:

"Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Hey Pender Family It’s always a joy to see your smiling faces, but we know there’s a whole world of amazing achievements and cool activities happening in your lives outside of Pender too. Why keep all that awesomeness to yourselves when we could be celebrating together right here in our newsletter

Kids’ Corner: Did your little one just make the honor roll, strike up a tune in the school orchestra, master the art of coloring inside the lines, score a touchdown, try a triple axel, or toss their graduation cap in the air? We want to hear all about it!

Adult Achievements: What’s new and exciting in your life? Picked up a paintbrush or a guitar recently? Maybe you’ve just designed the next architectural marvel in London, tied on tap shoes, shared a meal with a homeless person, or knitted your first scarf—no feat is too big or small for our Pender community spotlight.

Share Your Stories: Drop us a note, send in a photo, or even a short blurb about what’s new and exciting in your world. Let’s fill our newsletter with your successes and new ventures. After all, every achievement deserves a shoutout!

Can’t wait to feature your stories and celebrate all the incredible things you’re doing. Let’s make our next newsletter issue the most inspiring one yet

April 27 and 28 Donna Parker, Worship Leader, Head of Church Council, Bell Ringer and much more at Pender, will play in two handbell concerts, one in Haymarket and one in Warrenton.

May 3 a group of Pender People, including a past pastor and family, will go to Herndon High School to support Sean Wittmer in the title role of "Fiddler on the Roof".

Interested? Ticket info here.

On May 10, several Pender People will be at Oakton High School to support Ash Dougherty as she works diligently back stage to produce the stage play "Pippin".

You can be there, too - tickets here.

June 15, Mary O'Connor, Pender Director of Communications, will play balalaika at Capitol One Hall. There will be two free outdoor concerts this summer. One at Mason District Park in Annandale and one in Harris Pavilion in Manassas.

We had a night full of strikes, spares, and unforgettable fun! Pender's Impact Youth Group took over the lanes at Fairfax Bowl America for an epic bowling extravaganza. From 7:00 to 9:00 PM at 9699 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA, everyone showed off their impressive bowling skills!

Friends rallied, favorite bowling balls rolled, and the competition for the first strike was fierce. Whether seasoned pros or first-time bowlers, it was the perfect way to kick back, relax, and enjoy a fantastic evening with the crew.

We all met up and said our goodbyes directly from the bowling alley, still buzzing from the night’s excitement. It was an awesome event that truly struck up loads of fun! Don't miss the highlights—check out our video to relive every frame of the action!

Don't Forget to Share Your Stories!

Hello Pender Family!

We're excited to see all the wonderful meetings and gatherings being planned within our community! To ensure everything runs smoothly, we kindly ask that all Pender meetings, whether they're happening on-campus, off-campus, or virtually via Zoom, be included on the church calendar. This little step helps us all stay connected and informed.

If you're looking to request a meeting, it's super easy! Just fill out this form, and voilà, you're on your way. We'll send you an email to let you know once your event is approved. Just a heads-up: if a room is already booked, we won't be able to schedule your event there, but we'll do our best to find a great alternative for you.

We appreciate your patience in waiting for the approval of your meeting. We know you're eager to get together, but it's best to hold off on resuming meetings until you get the green light. This ensures that your space is confirmed and ready for you. Remember, completing the form is the first step, but your room isn't booked until you receive that approval email.

Thanks for helping everything run like clockwork at Pender! We can't wait to see all the amazing things you'll be doing in your meetings. 

Questions or need help? Email webmaster@penderumc.org.

Blessings and Happy Planning!

No meeting Saturday 4/20/2024

All are welcome to join us for a discussion to consider “Questions in Faith” that pertain to us all, no matter our station of life or faith. 

We will meet in the library at 10:30 to talk about biblical answers to questions about God, faith, and life that relate to us all. 

If you plan to come, contact me to make arrangement to get you a study book that will be the basis of our discussion. 

Bring your Bible with you and invite a friend.  

Grief Counseling

Grief is a non-linear journey, and you don't have to go it alone. Pender UMC specializes in grief counseling and support, to help you through life's most difficult moments. Supporting clients in and around Fair Oaks.

Premarital Counseling for Couples

Prepare for a lifetime together by having the important conversations ahead of time, and in a supportive environment. Pender UMC provides premarital counseling for couples in our Fair Oaks office. Get the support, encouragement, and the tools to build a lasting marriage with our help.

GBE Backpack Meal Program Thanks and Update

The bags are available now to be returned by Sunday, April 21st.

We wanted to thank you all so much for your very active participation in filling the blue bags for GBE. Each time we put them out they are all taken and brought back full! We can't tell you how much we and the counselors and students at GBE appreciate this! The bags will once again be available this weekend.

We have just been requested to provide 74 bags for each of our remaining three weeks versus the 50 we have been providing weekly. Because of this...there are even more blue bags in need of filling, but a friendly note that this is the LAST time for us to do this for the school year, because of the help of WFCM.

In addition to filling the blue bags if you have any plastic grocery bags that you would like to recycle, they have said that would be of great help in distributing the additional WFCM provided items. Thank you again for your continued support. If you have any questions, please contact Jami Flemmons or Ann Hines.

Support our First Responders by helping us restock our Rest Stop.

The following donations are currently needed: individual packages of chips, 16 oz bottled water and energy drinks.

Donations can be dropped off in the Church Office.

Our officers continually let us know how blessed they are to have a safe place here at Pender! In turn, we are safer because of their presence!

Join us for a recovery and family friendly festival with food, fun, and fellowship. All proceeds will help others access the profound hope of recovery, connection, and peer support.

ACTIVITIES:

10:30am:

• Morning yoga with Executive Director, Shelly Young! Bring your yoga mat if you have one.

11am - 1:30pm

• Smokin' Willy's on-site grilling
• Kids games
• Music
• Petting zoo
• Lawn games
• Raffle prizes
• Dessert

Pay what you can, but reserve your ticket in advance so we know how much food to have. We cannot wait to see you there!

Hi Sunday School Families & Friends, 

There are some wonderful family/children's activities happening ithis year. Please come and enjoy! All are welcome -- and invite a friend!

Discover a supportive space for new beginnings! Join us every Wednesday at 6:00 PM in the serene ambiance of Pender UMC's Library.

At 5:00 PM there is a time of casual chat, known as the "meeting before the meeting".

Engage in meaningful conversations and find camaraderie at our AA meetings, guided by the experienced Tom O, a dedicated long-term member.

These are open meetings.

OPEN (Open to anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous' program of recovery from alcoholism)

DISCUSSION (Group participation in discussion of topic relevant to the AA program)

STEP (Group discussion of the 12 steps of AA)

Pender VBS Registration is open!

VBS will be the week of June 24 through June 28

In the bustling, whimsical world of Hero Hotline Headquarters, superheroes of every shape, size, and superpower come together under the watchful eye of the wise Professor and the legendary Super Meer, a daring Meerkat hero.

Here, in this vibrant hub of heroism, young and old heroes alike answer the call of duty, joining forces to lend their extraordinary talents to Hero Teams across the globe.

Whether it's solving perplexing puzzles, battling dastardly villains, or rescuing those in peril, these superheroes are always ready to save the day with a dash of fun, a sprinkle of humor, and a whole lot of heart.

Register at https://penderumc.org/vbs

Western Fairfax Christian Ministries ("WFCM") Current Request for Donations

WFCM has been providing food and services to the community for 35 years. Pender was one of the twelve founding churches that set the path and began the journey. Becky Bryan is our current liaison with WFCM.

Thanks goes out to all of you who continue to support WFCM many programs.

~~~

The WFCM blue cart is between the two front doors of he church.

Most needed items in the food pantry this month:

• Cereal (low sugar preferred)
• Hot Cereal (Oatmeal, Grits)
• Maseca Corn Flour
• Sugar (1 or 2 lb. bags)
• Red Beans (low salt preferred)
• Black Beans (low salt preferred)
• Canned Pasta
• Pasta Sauce
• Flavored Pasta (Pasta Helpers)
• Risotto
• Flavored Rice (Rice A Roni)
• Canned Tomatoes (stewed, crushed, diced, paste)
• Pancake Mix
• Peanut Butter
• Coffee (ground, no k-cups)
• Family Sized Snacks (pretzels, crackers, etc.)
• Canned Mixed Vegetables (low salt preferred)
• Individual Juice Boxes (100% fruit juice preferred)

• Toiletries: body lotion, body wash, toothpaste, hair shampoo, hair conditioner, toilet paper, and lotion (NOTE: we are not currently in need of diapers size 0-5 due to our partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank. Please only donate larger size pull ups size 4T/5T for toddlers, size 6 diapers, or baby wipes if you want to donate items for babies.)

All donations of food and toiletries are welcomed and needed.

Please no:

* Expired food

* Glass jars

* Egg Cartons

Thanks to all of you who faithfully extend your loving mercy to those in our community who may face food insecurity without the donations we make to WFCM. Usually this Pender weekly email does not contain the entire letter from WFCM with their monthly update. Since it may have been awhile since you’ve seen how your contributions make a difference, please take a couple of minutes to read this. You’ll also learn about the various ways WFCM gets food to those who need it. 

Below is an excerpt from the letter which I want to bring to your attention. 

Please consider a recurring monthly donation. How does this help? We are able to turn your monthly donation of $50 into $300 of groceries.

When you give a cash donation to Pender designated for the WFCM Food Pantry, Pender will forward the donation to WFCM with the restriction to use it for the food pantry. In March we have sent $1,000 – which multiplies into $6,000 worth of food when WFCM makes bulk purchases.

If you have any questions, please contact me, Becky Bryan, or you may contact WFCM directly.

Again, thanks to each of you who continue to support this important ministry.

Read this month's WFCM Newsletter.

The WFCM Food Pantry is accepting outside donations at their address below. There is a greater need for food but fewer donations.

You can also help by ordering from Amazon for delivery to WFCM. Rice, beans, canned fruit, diapers (Sizes 4, 5, 6), pasta, pasta sauce, etc.



                   WFCM

                   4511 Daly Drive, Suite J

                   Chantilly, VA 20151

Financial contributions are also accepted (cash, check or through our website). Please mark your tax deductible donation "WFCM Food Pantry." This will be recorded on your giving statement.

Thank you for your continuing support of WFCM. In 2021, Pender donated 6,128.74 pounds of food and personal care items to help the needy in the community. Thank you for your ongoing and generous support of WFCM.

Pender is an open and welcoming church. We accept and embrace all persons, period. All people are blessed children of God. Pender is a caring and praying church community; we believe as Christians that we are called to follow and practice the ways of Jesus Christ, who is our ever present and living God.

Our mission is to practice and embrace, providing unconditional love and acceptance of all of God's children as He loves and accepts all of us.

We do not discriminate based on age, mental, physical, or intellectual ability, culture, gender, race, religious belief or unbelief, or sexual orientation.