Loving and Learning in Lodi April 12 2020

           We are mid-way through Holy week. At this point, Judas is figuring out when would be a good time for Jesus to be arrested by the temple guards…a time when the crowds are gone. We are headed into the darkest days in Jesus’ life. Yet because we know ‘the rest of the story,’ we know the glory to come on Sunday! Holy week is always a week of ‘turnings’ for me. Below is a poem I wrote years ago about those very turnings: Lent Turning to Easter: The Wonder of a Week.  I shared it with us a few years ago and find it fitting to share again. AND…I suggest that we understand how life abruptly ‘turns’ on us a little better this year as all of our lives have been turned upside down in so many ways these past weeks. The lesson of Holy Week turning to Easter is a lesson of holding on to hope…the hope that the empty tomb proclaims: He IS risen…He IS risen indeed!

                                                       Missing you all…but grateful to carry you all in my heart,

                                                                 Pastor Diane

P.S. Watch for our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services…they will be coming to you by email…

Prayer time:

Birthdays coming up:

~15 - Mary Jane Rice                       ~18 - Missy Laughlin                      ~18 - Becky Laughlin

Anniversaries coming up:

~April 10 - Bob and Dee Heitkamp

Concerns:

~All the unspoken joys and prayers among us.

~From Jeff & Marta Van Loon - their daughter, Shawna, her brother-in-law has COVID19. Don is a paramedic and recently had pneumonia. Prayers for healing and for others to not catch it.

~Carl Freiberg is home. Prayers for healing and figuring out why he collapsed in the first place.

~Sue Weir – her cousin, Tina, has COVID19, as well as her husband, Greg, who is hospitalized with COVID19. He is receiving dialysis, temporarily, to help his kidney function. Prayers their healing.

 ~The flu and COVID virus – pray for the world!

~Prayers for our church as we face so many changes this year.  We pray for our new minister, Pastor Pamela Buzalka, as she transitions from Park UMC in Akron. 

~Our military personnel, near and far, deployed and defending the homeland, and their families, in this unsettled world of ours. And, our first responders as they protect us each day.

Recovering: Garry Moore, Tom Repp, Lee Geissman, Patty Ramey

Cancer: Terry Gayner, Zachary, Delbert Miller, Sherry Walker

Families Grieving:  Hattie Ziegler family, Mac McCrary family, Betty Baughman family, Donna Lance family

Sunday, April 12, 2020 ~ Easter Sunday

Hymns:         Christ the Lord Is Risen Today             verses 1 - 4                          #302
                      Alleluia                                                      sing once                              #186

                      Christ Is Alive                                            verses 1, 3 & 5                      #318

                      Up from the Grave He Arose                                verses 1 - 3                          #322

Scripture                                                  Luke 24:1 - 12                              Common English Version 

           Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb, bringing the fragrant spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. They didn’t know what to make of this. Suddenly, two men were standing beside them in gleaming bright clothing. The women were frightened and bowed their faces toward the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He isn’t here, but has been raised. Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words. When they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. Their words struck the apostles as nonsense, and they didn’t believe the women. But Peter ran to the tomb. When he bent over to look inside, he saw only the linen cloth. Then he returned home, wondering what had happened.

Leader: The Word of God for the people of God.               People:  Thanks be to God.

THE CHURCH IN ACTION

Moving forward…Perhaps, you’ll notice a decrease in the Celebrate 100! account balance above…Since construction is considered an essential work category, we are moving ahead with the repair of the exterior stairwell that leads down into the kitchen. (Frank) Nehls Masonry had been paid ½ of his invoice as per our contract with him. Work will begin on Monday, weather permitting.

 

Easter Flowers: Instead of purchasing Easter flowers in honor of and in memory of our loved ones, we will be donating the monies to our local non-profit, Matthew 25. Matthew 25 meets the needs of people in our community for rent, utilities, car repairs, etc. The flower/donation form is at the end of this email. We hope you will respond generously as we remember and honor our loved ones this Easter. You can learn about the ministry of Matthew 25 at https://matthew25coalition.wordpress.com. Please make checks out to Lodi UMC, and we will send the donations to Matthew 25.

Feeding Medina County food pick up for all county residents (no forms or income requirements) on Thursdays going forward at 7:30 a.m. at the County fairgrounds. www.feedingmedinacounty.org/

Please save your plastic caps & lids for a “buddy bench” at Sylvia Anderson’s great nephew, Braden’s school.