Sunday Worship:
In Person and
Streaming
at 9:00 and
11:15 am
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This Week at Pender
April 5, 2023
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By following Jesus
and reaching out to others,
we seek God's transformation
of ourselves and our world.
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Holy Thursday, April 6
Holy Thursday, or Maundy Thursday, commemorates the events that occurred in the Upper Room.
The following is our schedule for the evening:
6:30PM – Soup, Bread, and Salad Supper, in The Gathering Place
7:30PM – Worship Service, The Sanctuary
Dinner
This isn’t a holiday feast like we might serve at Christmas, but rather a simple meal, as we’re approaching the time Jesus offered himself up for us. It will be tasty, healthy, and nourishing. Donations will be accepted to cover the cost.
Worship
After supper, move to the sanctuary for a service that brings to life the night in which Jesus began the practice we call the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion. On that first Holy Thursday, there was tension in the air as religious authorities had been conspiring against Jesus. There will be a little tension in our service too as you’ll be invited to become a part of the events of that night. But relax, you can simply watch if you wish. In the United Methodist tradition, all are welcome to receive sacrament of Holy Communion. Both the traditional and Common Ground musical teams will be participating.
Good Friday, April 7, 6-10AM and 5-8PM, The Sanctuary
“Meditations on the Cross”
Walk, pray, and meditate on Jesus’ betrayal, trial, and crucifixion. Come before or after work to pray in our recently renovated sanctuary. Join in this self-guided journey that helps participants explore the relationship of the cross with resurrection, new life now, and eternal salvation.
Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 8, 1-3PM
Bring your children and grandchildren to our church parking lot. We will have ample Easter Eggs for them to hunt down after a resurrection story by Rev. White. We’ll have a gentle donkey, a colt, and some rabbits to pet too. The Reaching New People Team is planning this event.
Resurrection Celebration, Easter Sunday, April 9
6:45AM Sunrise, Baptismal Remembrance
If you enjoy lighting candles, an outdoor fire, and being among the first to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, join us! Just as Jesus brought life from death in the resurrection, baptism is a symbol that ‘dying with Christ’ (through baptism) we’ll be ‘raised with him’. We’ll remember our baptisms that morning. If you, or your child, hasn’t been baptized, and want to be, please contact Rev. White. A portion of the water will be from the Jordan River in Israel. Even if you haven’t been baptized, come and witness one of the great mysteries of our faith early Easter morning.
Hot Drinks and Hot Cross Buns
Immediately following the Sunrise service, participants may join in having hot cross buns and hot drinks in the Gathering Place.
Resurrection Worship on Easter Sunday, April 9
At both our 9AM and 11:15AM services, Rev. White’s sermon will be titled, “The End that Wasn’t” based on Matthew 28:1-10.
9:00AM, Traditional Service
This resurrection celebration features music from our Sanctuary Choir directed by Brian Stevenson.
10-11AM, Easter Breakfast, The Gathering Place
Come to the Gathering Place for this Pender tradition. We’ll have an ample breakfast waiting for you. Come for the food, fellowship, and fun. Our thanks are extended to Keith Saddler for coordinating food. Let him know if you can make a casserole or help that morning! Use the Church Life app to contact Keith.
11:15 AM, Common Ground Service
This resurrection celebration features music from our Common Ground Band led by Uriah Moore.
We look forward to seeing you!
All of Pender's services are streamed live and in person. Masks are currently optional.
Join us live at Pender UMC
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Pender's Traditional Service will be in person and live-streamed at 9:00 am |
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Pender's Contemporary Worship is in person and live-streamed at 11:15 am |
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"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ. " 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Pender is a church committed to the power of prayer. Our "prayer chain" is a group of church members constantly in prayer for the needs of our congregation. To make your prayer needs known, you may email the prayer chain by clicking here to send an email to our group of prayer warriors.
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Pender has a powerful group of individuals who pray for the needs of the congregation. This group offers prayers of thanksgiving, for strength, for healing power for family and friends and for other issues in your life.
Please contact Iris Salcewicz with any prayer requests you have and if you would like to become a prayer warrior for Pender.
Your joys and concerns will be added to the prayer list.
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As a friendly suggestion, if you attend an in-person meeting at Pender and then later learn you have COVID, please notify the other people who attended that meeting (or at least the meeting leader).
Some of our church members are immuno-compromised and would appreciate such a notification.
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Do you like to read and talk about books? Do you like to read current bestsellers or classic books - mysteries, thrillers or non-fiction?
The Book Lovers Group meets monthly on the second Sunday at 4:00 PM. We are meeting by Zoom and normally we meet about 1 1/2 hours. We have a lively discussion about the book since sometimes we all like the book and other times, we can’t agree if we like the book.
We are moving the book discussion back to April 16 since the second Sunday of April is Easter.
Please join the Pender Book Lovers Group as we read Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. We will be meeting by Zoom on April 16th at 4 PM.
Please contact Iris Salcewicz for Zoom information.
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United Women in Faith Meeting
Ladies, please join us for a United Women in Faith meeting on Saturday, April 22. We will meet at 10 AM in the Gathering Space. We’ll have a continental breakfast, devotion time and will be working on a service project. Contact Iris Salcewicz for additional information.
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Pedro Magalhaes and his wife Carla are Brazilian missionaries called by God to work in Paraguay, South America. They have been serving there since 1990, and Pender has been one of their supporting churches since that time. One of the ways in which Pedro and Carla have been used of God is calling and challenging the church to pray. He established a national prayer initiative that challenges and equips the churches to engage in a true spiritual battle through prayer. Both Pedro and Carla have been a part of the administration and teaching at the Bible Institute, which trains and supports workers and pastors for their churches. Music classes and tutoring classes are two of their most recent endeavors as a means of contact and discipleship for the participants, most of whom are children and teenagers and also reaching out to the students' families and influencing that neighborhood.
Over the years they have pastored a number of churches in and around Asuncion, Paraguay. Pastor Pedro also served as the Bishop for a time and Carla was the administrator of a Christian school. They are currently pastoring the Central Church, a challenging assignment because of it's location near a huge Catholic church. (Paraguay is the most Catholic country in Latin America)
Pender has been privileged to know Pedro and Carla and their two sons for all these many years. They have hosted the numerous short term mission trips that Pender has taken to Paraguay; and we in turn hosted them for several months when Pedro was studying English before he entered Asbury Seminary. We are blessed to be able to lift them up in prayer. They asked us to pray specifically for a Support and Counseling group they hope to begin soon, for Carla's extensive dental work, and for their family (which includes two sons, their wives and a grandson) that God will bless them with His provision and care.
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VBS 2023
These are the areas where we need volunteers to help during VBS:
1) We need a Snack Time Leader, and will need people to volunteer to bring snacks from our list each day.
The leader will get the snacks ready for children to pick up and help with clean up. The leader doesn't need to make the snacks!
2) We need a Story Time Assistant. (The assistant will help the Story Time Leader present 3 lessons each morning.)
3) We need 5 more Shepherds to work in teams to guide the children through each morning's activities.
4) We need a Check-In Supervisor to check children in and out each morning, and to help when there is the need for a Band-Aid, someone to watch a sick or crying child, making a parent phone call, etc. each morning. Biggest requirement: a love of children!
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Children's Sunday School meets Sunday in person from 10:15 - 11am.
Welcome to Sunday School!
Any questions? Please speak with Miss Jane or Miss Maya!
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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!
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Pender Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a week-long program from June 26-30, 2023 from 9:00am-12:30pm, for children ages 4-12.
This week at VBS, we will be exploring the Rocky Railway! Your child will experience Bible stories about God’s amazing world and discover the ways God cares for every part of creation.
Your child will make new friends, sing fun songs, watch dramatic presentations of the Bible stories, play active games, go on a nature scavenger hunt, do art projects and science explorations, and dig into the Bible.
Be sure your child arrives by 9:00 am each day. Children will gather with a small group and leader in the same place each day.
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Sunday School
Topic: Youth Sunday School
Time: Sundays @ 10:oo am-11am
At Pender
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If anyone would like to contribute items for the Rest Stop, those items can be left in the blue bin or in the church office labeled "Rest Stop".
Items often needed are: full size water bottles (They do not use the 4oz ones), seltzers, energy drinks, Aspire, Gatorade and Propel.
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Western Fairfax Christian Ministries
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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.
Thanks goes out to all of you who continue to support WFCM many programs.
During 2022, WFCM was able to support the needy in the community by:
* $0.96 of every $1 spent was used on programs.
* Served 4,489 individuals, providing the equivalent of 458,745 meals to 2,733 individuals and $4,658,637 in financial assistance to 2,454 individuals keeping them housed.
* Provided 427,075 diapers through a partnership with Greater DC Diaper Bank
* 110 volunteers served 10,437 hours along 11 staff members
* Were supported by 568 individual household donors, 36 Congregation Partners and 38 Corporate Partners in addition to 48 Grantors, Foundations and Organizations and Fairfax County Government
Together we can do it - provide help for the less fortunate in our community.
~~~
The WFCM blue cart is outside the church.
All donations of food and toiletries are welcomed and needed.
Item of the Week: Tomato Sauce
Please no:
* Expired food
* Glass jars
Thank you for your continuing generous support of WFCM.
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Western Fairfax Christian Ministries ("WFCM") Current Request for Donations
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.
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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.
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April 2-8, Holy Week
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April 6, Holy Thursday, Dinner and Worship
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April 7, Good Friday
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April 8, Easter Egg Hunt
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April 9, Easter Sunday
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April 10, The Church Office is closed
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April 13, Preschool Moms' Bible Study
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April 15, Churchwide Power Outage all day
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April 16, Pender Book Club
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April 22, United Women in Faith General Membership Meeting
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April 23, Women of the Year Reception
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April 29, NOVA Tranisition Training for Pastors & Leaders
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May 6, The Chris Atwood 10th Birthday bash
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May 13, Spring Concert
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May 21, Common Ground Contemporary Cantata, "Songs and Stories"
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June 10, Rev. Will White Retirement Dinner Ceremony
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June 11, Music Appreciation Sunday
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June 26-30, Vacation Bible School
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July 18, Meet & Greet Barbecue for PUMC New Pastor
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October 21, Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat
Weekly Events
- Sunday
- Choir Rehearsal at 8 am
- Children's Sunday School Class at 10:15 am.
- Youth Sunday School Class meets at 10:00 am.
- The Seeker Sunday School Class meets at 10:15 am.
- The Turning Point Youth Group at 4:00 pm
- Monday
- Mary Martha Circle, in person and online
- Tuesday
- Staff Meeting at 11:00 am.
- Recorder Consort
- Handbell Rehearsals at 6:45 and 7:30.
- Wednesday
- Ruth Circle meets in person the second and fourth Wednesday of each month
- Thursday
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4th Thursday Romeos at 11:45
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Lectio Divina Prayer Group Learn more here
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