PASTOR'S PIECE
Dear Friends,
When our oldest daughter was on the high school swim team, a favorite quote of her coach was, “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect”. What he meant was that just going through the motions doesn’t improve your stroke or your time in the pool. Practice needs to be focused. This is true of so many things, including the Christian life.
This year our guide for our journey to Easter is Adam Hamilton’s book “The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life”. Hamilton identifies the five practices as worship/prayer, study, service, giving, and sharing. He offers some very specific ideas for how we can hold ourselves as individuals and as a community of faith accountable.
I invite you to be a part of this “practice”. Copies of the book “The Walk” are available at church or can be ordered online. The videos that accompany the book can be viewed on our Amplify Media page found at Stoneumc.org website.
With Rev. Hamilton, we begin this season with worship and prayer. Sunday morning worship continues in person and live streamed at 9am. Ash Wednesday worship will be in person at 7pm March 2nd. Beginning Sunday February 27th, Lenten prayer cards will be available online or hard copy at the church. (Thank you, Cyndi Bland for putting them together for both children and adults).
Together we take up the first essential practice, that of worship and prayer. Together we take the first steps toward Easter and the renewal life in Christ. I look forward to taking this walk with you.
So, let’s get going! In the Name of Christ…Pastor Sarah
MARCH WORSHIP CALENDAR
9:00 am in person at Stone (And live on Armstrong Cable Channels 23/100 and on Facebook, stoneumc.org)
10:30 am at Bethany UMC (140 Wadsworth Ave)
March 6th First Sunday in Lent/Communion
March 13th Second Sunday in Lent
March 20th Third Sunday in Lent
March 27th Fourth Sunday in Lent
THANK YOU'S
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! A heartfelt thanks to: The super soup makers and cookie bakers: Barb Baker, Joyce Minnis, Debbie Knapp, Sarah Johnston, Beth Mosier, Darlene Ross, Cindy Karns, Leanne Venesky, Kathy Spadafore and Pastor Sarah…Marian Beckman and Cyndi Bland for organizing the Jared Box project (and all who have donated to it)…Patty Brown for three years of caring service as our office administrator …Valentine senders Adlee and Noah Mulhearn, Jake and Luke Liepic, Ashley and Morgan Johnston, Arthur and Henry Mourer, Raelynn Renicker, Jozeph and Sebastian Ferrence,… Capital Campaign Team members: Tyson Johnston, Pat and Jeff Loutzenhiser, Ron and Merrilee Saccol, Jim and Darlene Ross, and Erin Means… Supporters of our new “Care Team” outreach…Gloria Shields for keeping our Equal Trade coffee, tea and chocolate stocked…To all who give, pray and serve… THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Thank you for your love and support of our mission which enables us to provide for the needs of those who seek shelter. May God bless you for your kindness and concern for those in need. The St. James Haven Board, The Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern PA. Many Blessings Samantha Stump
Thank you for your generous gift of 176.40 to Wesbury’s Sunset Auxiliary... This thoughtful gift will enable the Auxiliary to fulfill their mission of Christian care for each resident. Your support is truly appreciated. Sincerely, Rhonda Thomas VP, Stewardship and Development
Your Stone UMC Supports Wounded Warriors fundraiser ensures warriors are reaching their highest ambitions. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to our mission. With gratitude, Erika, Julian & Alison
SOUPER THANKS!! A special thanks to soup makers and cookie bakers Joyce Minnis, Barb Baker, Darlene Ross, Kathleen Spadafore, Debbie Knapp, Beth Mosier, Cindy Karns, Pastor Sarah Roncolato, Leanne Venesky, and Sarah Johnston! With your help we raised over $350 for the Center for Family Services food pantries in Meadville. Thanks to those that also helped pre-package soup for pick up and to those who purchased soup to support this great cause!
A BIG BOLD THANK YOU to all who supported Stone’s three-year Capital Campaign. Facing two of the most challenging years in recent memory, the campaign was still able to raise over $235,000, providing for significant repairs to the roof and physical plant. Thank you to all who gave of their resources that the ministry of Stone UMC might flourish.
THE CHOSEN
Starting on Sunday, February 20th, our streaming provider sermon.net has arranged with Dallas Jenkins and THE CHOSEN series to allow our church to host THE CHOSEN Season 1 in its entirety, directly on our website! THE CHOSEN is an incredible and unique way to experience the Gospel story. It is a very powerful portrayal of what it might have been like to witness, first-hand, this very special time in History that forever defined our Destiny. Live Chat and study tools will be available for everyone who participates. We encourage you to invite family and friends to join you as we journey towards Easter.
PRAYER
Commit to Pray for 40 Days During this Lenten season instead of committing to giving something up we are asking you to commit to pray for 40 days. Prayer cards with prompts and scripture are available for pick up in the church office or sanctuary for both children and adults. If you are unable to pick up and would like these cards to be mailed to you, please call the church office.
CARE TEAM MINISTRY
Do you or someone you know need a little TLC?
We are happy to announce the launch of Stone UMC’s Care Team whose ministry is to coordinate delivery of food to anyone dealing with illness, a death in the family or a crisis of any kind. Donors provide soup, casseroles, bread and cookies to the first floor freezer. These food items can then be picked up and delivered the very day the request is made. For brief instructions as how to make a contribution or a delivery, call the church office at 814-724-6736, email churchoffice@stoneumc.org, or go to our website STONEUMC.org and click on “Care Team”.
WiNS PROJECT
We will be collecting boxes of graham crackers for the Easter food bags of the WINS project. The bags of food will be distributed to the children on Wednesday, April 13th so crackers can be donated until Palm Sunday April 10th. The Lord loves cheerful giver so what better way to be one than this project. Thank you.
JOB OPENING
From Stone’s Staff-Parish Relations Committee… As our current office administrator Patty Brown transitions back into fulltime work as a hairdresser, we wish her well and thank her for three years of faithful service. At this time…Stone UMC seeks a part time office administrator at 16-20 hours per week. The best candidate will have excellent organization, communication skills and strong computer skills. Starting pay commensurate with experience and skills, start date of April 1, 2022, or sooner. Act 33/34 and FBI clearances required. To see job description and apply go to stoneumc.org. Stone UMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
LENTEN OPPORTUNITIES
Lenten Opportunities “Are We There Yet? Our Journey to Easter” Lent, the forty days leading up to Easter, begins Ash Wednesday, March 2nd. Please consider taking part in these opportunities for worship, study, prayer and service.
Daily Lenten prayer cards are available in the sanctuary, the church office and online.
Ash Wednesday Communion Service Wednesday, March 2nd, 7pm in the sanctuary.
Sunday Evening viewing of “The Chosen” 7pm on our Facebook page and website stoneumc.org
Wednesday Evening Discussion (on Zoom) of “The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life” Wednesdays 6:30-7:30pm March 9th-April 13th Go to Stoneumc.org to register or call the church office 814-724-6736.
Wednesday Morning Discussion (in person) of “The Walk: Five Essential Practices of the Christian Life” Wednesdays 10-11am March 2nd-April 6th Go to Stoneumc.org to register or call the church office 814-724-6736.
Men’s Thursday Evening Study Thursday evenings 6:45pm
Check our website stoneumc.org often for more opportunities to learn, serve and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
