March 24, Palm Sunday Worship at 9 & 11 am “Rejoice in song : A Celebration of Palm Sunday Praise”
March 28th, 6:30 p.m.: Holy Thursday Worship : “A Service of Reflection and Communion”
March 29th Good Friday: Sanctuary open (11 am – 6 pm) for prayer and reflection
March 31st, 7 am Sunrise Service —–Join us as a community of faithful people at 7 am Easter Morning to worship our resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We will gather in the Harrisburg United Methodist Grove, around a morning fire worshipping and experiencing the rising of the sun! If you are able bring cut flowers for the flowering of the cross
Highlighting your personal Lenten journey can be a meaningful and transformative experience that deepens your spiritual growth and draws you closer to God. Here are some ways you can highlight your personal Lenten journey:
1. Set spiritual goals: Reflect on areas of your life where you feel disconnected from God or where you struggle with sin. Set specific spiritual goals for Lent that will help you grow closer to God and deepen your faith.
2. Daily prayer and reflection: Get up a half hour earlier to make time for daily prayer and reflection during Lent.
3. Fasting and self-denial: Consider fasting from something meaningful to you during Lent, such as a favorite food or activity. Use this time of self-denial to focus on your relationship with God and to cultivate a spirit of discipline and self-control.
4. Acts of charity: Use Lent as a time to focus on giving back to those in need. Consider volunteering at a local charity or church, donating to a cause you care about, or performing random acts of kindness for others.
5. Read the book of Mark: Pastor Fredrick will be focusing the Lenten Sermons on Mark.
6. Engage in reading the Pause for Lent: 40 Words or 40 Days. Watch on Facebook Pastor Fredrick will be reflecting on selected reading.
7. Worship: Plan to be part of Holy Thursday Worship. Holy Thursday is the first of the three days of solemn remembrance of the events leading up to and immediately following the crucifixion of Jesus. Then celebrate Easter Morning at the Sunrise Service, watching as morning breaks anew.
8. Reflect on your journey: Regularly reflect on your personal Lenten journey and how you are growing closer to God.
By intentionally highlighting your personal Lenten journey through prayer, fasting, reflection, and acts of charity, you can deepen your relationship with God and experience spiritual transformation during this holy season.
Ash Wednesday invites us to reflect on our lives, acknowledging our shortcomings and sins, and seeking forgiveness and reconciliation with God and others. It’s a time to turn away from distractions and focus on deepening our relationship with the divine.
Following Ash Wednesday, the season of Lent unfolds—a period of fasting, and prayer.There are a number of ways to honor Ash Wednesday and the 40 days of Lent within your daily routines. Here are 3 of the 10 ideas suggested on UMC.org
“Giving something up for Lent” is a common practice for many Christians. Often, we give up a favorite food or try to kick a bad habit during Lent. When the change or challenge you set for yourself starts to waver pause for prayer. These practices help you to draw closer to God, emulate the sacrificial life of Jesus, and prepare your hearts for the celebration of Easter.
Pray your day – Pray for the drivers of the vehicles and fellow mass transit passengers with whom you share your commute. Pray as you pass the hospital, police station, and government offices. Lift up the trash collector and mail carrier. Offer sentence prayers throughout the day thanking God for your coworkers.
Be still –Light a candle and pause before the presence of God. Take a holy yoga class. Enjoy a cup of coffee on your deck. Listen for the voice of God.
As we embark on this Lenten journey, may we approach Ash Wednesday with hearts open to transformation and renewal. Let us embrace this sacred season as an opportunity to deepen our faith, seek forgiveness, and draw closer to God and one another.
Join us for an evening of great food and lots of fun. Start the evening with an amazing Italian dinner, served to you by our youth. After dinner, the fun begins as we auction off some great desserts. As the bids go up so does the fun and so does the funding for our youths mission trip. The goal for ticket sales is $3000, if the tickets sales reach $3000. Pastor Richards hair will be dyed BLUE. This event is filled with fun and fellowship. We invite you to join us.
It is hard to believe that it is already time to register for the 2024-2025 school year! Time sure flies when you’re having fun! Here are the details about our upcoming Registration.
Class assignments will be made using a lottery system. The lottery will take place on February 9, 2024.
Tuition for the 2024 – 2025 school year is as follows: T/TH – $170/month
MWF – $255/month M – F $380/month
Please complete an Application Form in Brightwheel. (Check your messages in Brightwheel for the link.) Once the form is submitted, you will receive an invoice for the Registration fee, which is $115 for the first child and $75 for each additional child in the same family. The registration fee must be paid for your application to be considered.
Applications submitted by February 9, 2024 at 1:00 pm will be processed with priority given to church members, current students, and siblings. Applications received after February 9, 2024 will be processed on a first-come, first served basis.
Confirmation will be sent via Brightwheel by Friday, February 23, 2024.
If we do not have a space available, the Registration Fee will be refunded. Otherwise, it is non-refundable.
One of the biggest compliments you can give us is to refer your friends to Stepping Stones Preschool. I would be so grateful if you would spread the word about our upcoming Registration and encourage your friends and neighbors to call the preschool office to schedule a tour.
Thank you, Ms. Lisa
