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What isLent?
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Lent begins on Ash Wednesday andconsists of the 40days leading up toEaster, excluding Sundays.
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The 40 days of Lentare symbolic of Jesus’ time in the wilderness in whichhe was tempted, butstayed true to God.
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The word, ‘Lent,’ isderived from‘lencten,’ whichmeans spring, and isa time of preparationfor Jesus’ passion,death, andresurrection.
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Lent is often marked by practices of prayer, forgiveness,repentance, biblestudy, reconciliation,silence, fasting, andserving others.
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Often individuals will choose to deny themselves a certainluxury during thisseason in which weremember Jesus’temptation. Anothertradition is to add a spiritual practice forthe 40 days toremember Jesus’ journey to the cross.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION NEWS
UMC OF SWARTZ CREEK
MARCH/APRIL 2010
Ways to Observe Lent
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Read through an entire Gospel. Or, if you’re ambitious, read through all 4!Reflect upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
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Create a forgiveness journal. Each day during Lent, take time to writedown five requests to God in which you desire forgiveness that day. OnceEaster arrives, turn your forgiveness journal into a praise journal in whichyou write down five offerings of joy and thanksgiving each day.
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For families with children, utilize your “Family Study for Lent” booklet forweekly devotions. (See Rachel if you haven’t received one.)
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Repeat a traditional Lenten scripture daily (Joel 2:13): “Rend your heartsand not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious andmerciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents frompunishing.” You may even want to place the scripture on your bathroommirror, refrigerator door, or kitchen cabinet as a daily reminder.
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Choose a favorite Lenten hymn (such as Lord, Who Throughout TheseForty Days; To Mock Your Reign, O Dearest Lord; Ah, Holy Jesus; WhatWondrous Love is This). Sing it or reflect upon it daily.
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Make time to attend the events of the life of our church, such as ourMaundy Thursday service on April 1st at 6:30pm and our Easter Fair onApril 3rd from 1-3pm to embrace the true meaning of the season.
Dear Friends,We are now in the season of Lent, and if you’re like me, and it kind of crept up on you, it’s not too late to start observing the season! Below are a number of ways for us to more deeply enter into this season of reflection, repentance, prayer, and self-denial as we seek to draw closer to God as we examine our own lives. As we journey with Jesus to the cross, let us embrace this solemn season, for it is only then that wemay fully experience the joy of the resurrection. Seeking to follow Jesus daily, Rachel
WAYS YOU CAN HELP WITH THE EASTER FAIR SPOTLIGHT ON SPECIAL EVENTS
EASTER FAIR
Saturday, April 3
1:00-3:00m
Swartz Creek United Methodist Church
in the Family Life Center
C o me j o i n u s !
All are wel come! In vi te your f riends!
An a f t ernoon o f f am i l y f un f or e v er yon e!
GamesBounce houseCraftsPrizesMusicRefreshmentsInteractive Stories
E v er y t hi n g i s f r ee!
• Volunteer to run an
Easter Fair Activity
,Saturday, April 3rd from 12:30pm-3:00pm.•Help with
set-up
, Friday, April 2nd at 6pm.•Help with
clean-up
, Saturday, April 3rd at 3pm.•Donate
supplies
(list at welcome centers)•
Pray
for everyone involved &
invite a friend
to join us for lots of fun!!
What Now?
-Consider how you’d like to serve.-Go to the
Welcome Centers
tolearn more and to SIGN UP to help!-See Rachel with questions, ideas, orconcerns.
As you may have noticed in MurbachHall, our students and teachers have been busy writing prayers each weekfor the people of Haiti. Our goal is tohave a
‘wall-full’ of prayers
by theend of April. We’d love to have you join us as we seek to offer our heartsand prayers to people in need.It’s hard to believe that our time for ALIVE is quickly coming to a closealready! Our
closing banquet/ program
will be
Wednesday, April21st
, with all family, friends, and volunteers invited. Even if youhaven’t been involved in ALIVE this year and are simply curious about what good stuff happens each week,please join us at 6pm for this time of sharing and celebration.
Special Thanks
to EVERYONEinvolved in ALIVE this 2009-10school year - Our Bible Study,Recreation, & Music Leaders:Lucinda Brier, Terrianne Harnden,Rhona McBride, Hope & RichardMoreland, Paul & Lisa Ray, Diana Vavro. Our Head Food Purchasers:Don & Yukie Wyatt, Janiece & BillLawrence. Our Substitute Helpers:Genny Flanary, Tammy Gwillim,Tracy Reed. Plus, all of our wonderful kitchen crews and tableparents! What a blessing you are!
ALIVE Update
Sunday Schoolat a Glance
30 Somethings’
Jerry & Danette Rice, Lounge
Connecting with Others
Lesa McKeon/Ann Brimley, Rm. 205
Essential Christianity
Carolyn Landis, Johnson Center
Fellowship Bible Study
Norma Mueller, Rm. 207
Journey Through the Bible
Dennis Thorpe, Rm.203
Men’s Bible Study
Pete Plum, Rm. 302
Women’s Bible Study
Donna Heddins/Amy Gawthrop, Rm. 206
For Youth:
Jr. High Class
, Rm. 109
Sr. High Class
, Rm. 204
For Children:
2 & 3 Year Olds,
Rm. 101
4 & 5 Year Olds,
Rm. 104
Kindergarten-1st grade,
Rm108
2nd-3rd grade,
Rm. 102
4th-5th grade,
Rm. 105
FOR ADULTS:
An excellent read any time of the year, butespecially during the Lenten season,
Power &Passion: Six Characters in the Search of Resurrection
, written by Samuel Wells,explores the transformative power of theresurrection through the lives of thefollowing people: Pontius Pilate, Barabbas, Joseph of Arimathea, Mrs. Pilate, Peter, &Mary Magdalene.
FOR CHILDREN:
My First Book about Jesus,
written by WalterWangerin and illustrated by Jim Cummins, isappropriate for preschoolers throughelementary-aged children. A great resourcefor your family during Lent, this biblestorybook walks children through some of the key events of Jesus’ life, death, andresurrection in a simple, but profound way.Each Sunday from 9:45-10:45am.Come join us!
2010
Vacation Bible School
Week of August 8th
Get ready to get your handsdirty as we dig into
God's Good Green Earth
!
We will be learning about God'sgood creation, how we arecalled to take care of it, andhow God takes care of us.
Mark your calendars
and
invite your friends
for this amazingweek of bible stories, songs,crafts, games, and service!
UM Camping Ministry
As summer approaches, don’t forgetto include time in your schedule forone of our United Methodist-affiliated Summer Camps forchildren & youth:
Bay Shore CampCamp Kinawind Judson Collins CenterLake Huron Retreat CenterLake Louise Camp & Retreat Center
Stay on the look-out for more info,or go to http://www.umccamps.org/
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