As the winds were picking up speed this morning after blowing all night, the air was filled with birds on the move. Many of them flocked in the high branches of the trees at the parsonage.
Bookcase Project Thanks
After we dedicated the 2019 book offering on Sunday, another bag of books showed up on Monday. Our final total was 300 books for The DeKalb/Sycamore Bookcase Project. An additional 42 board books were donated. Those will be saved for our next board book collection for the Children’s Waiting Room at the courthouse. Thank you all!!!
Keep the Cardboard Coming
As soon as we receive the first names of this year’s book recipients early in April, we will craft a bookmark for each child. In the meantime, keep bringing in the cardboard fronts of boxes – cereal boxes, cake mixes, granola bar boxes, cracker boxes, etc. We just need the box front, not the entire box. You can recycle the rest of the box at home. Your box fronts can be left in the plastic container you’ll see in the Gathering Area.
The Journey Is Home
This week’s worship theme as part of our “The Journey Is Home” Lenten series is Home Protection Plan. Watch for Roger’s changes in our Belong banner reflecting this theme.
Lenten Prayer
The traditional spiritual practices of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Our children crafted prayer boxes for us to use as a form of praying for others during the season. The idea is for you to draw out one of their prayer requests each day for forty days. The prayer box also has a pen and paper for you to write down any additional prayers you offered for others throughout the season. There are several prayer boxes left at church if you didn’t receive one for your household last week. The prayer below from Joyce Rupp reminds us of the power of prayer extended to others:
One way of being a light or a sign
of God’s great compassion
is by praying for and with others.
Each morning I name to the Holy One
the significant people of my life.
I also name the groups I will be with
for conferences or retreats in the coming weeks.
In this way, I am reminded of my oneness with others
and of the call to be the messenger of God’s love
in all I am and all I do.
One Great Hour of Sharing (UCC all church offering)
This year’s One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) theme is Imagine. We are invited in our hearts and through our offerings to imagine a world where all are safe, all are loved, and all are fed. There is a brochure in this week’s bulletin with more OGHS information. This annual offering with its roots in the years immediately following the Second World War is distributed to countries around the globe for disaster relief, refugee services, and development projects. There will be offering envelopes in our bulletins on the 24th and 31st. If you do not have one of these envelopes, make sure to clearly mark your check or envelope “OGHS.”
Liturgists are needed for our services in April. Please sign up soon.
Bring More Plastic Caps
Our sister UCC congregation in Granville is following our lead and saving caps for a recycled plastic bench to place in their lovely shade garden. A number of members of this congregation joined us by saving caps in 2018 for our benches. Becky grew up in the Granville church. If you bring your clean plastic caps to church, Becky will make sure they get to Granville.
Upcoming Highlights
Spring Pancake Breakfast – Saturday, April 6, 6:30 – 11:00 am. Remind neighbors, friends, and family members to mark their calendars. Sign-up sheets are out in the Gathering Area. Can you offer a hand with this semi-annual Mayfield fundraiser? Thanks to Angela and Dawn for organizing all the pancake breakfast details.
Maundy Thursday Salad Potluck and Worship – Thursday evening, April 18
Easter – Sunday, April 21
Annual Retreat – Saturday, April 27, MacQueen Forest Preserve, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. This retreat is organized by the Mayfield Fellowship for members and friends of the congregation. A flyer will be available later in March
Bookcase Project Presentation –Saturday afternoon, May 4, at Faranda’s in DeKalb. More details to follow.
Belated Thanks to the Deacons
For a number of years now, we have made sure to have a gluten free alternative for anyone among us for communion who can’t consume wheat. In an effort to simplify and strengthen this effort, the Deacons on March 3 provided a gluten free loaf for the table, a loaf we could all taste safely. Thank you Jan, Theresa, and Cary.
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Are you a part of a group that might enjoy volunteering at the Northern Illinois Food Bank? Our friends at the Food Bank remind us that “A volunteer shift is the perfect way to give back with friends, family, scout troops, and coworkers alike.” Groups can sign up through their calendar, SolveHungerToday.org/volunteer. Your ongoing support of the Northern Illinois Food Bank is appreciated. Every $1 donated is converted into $8 of food. Your gifts may be placed in either the food bank box or the offering plate.
Church Council Members – our next meeting is Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 pm.