Yesterday, when I met in Rockford with my writing group there, I parked on a dry street. Three weeks ago when we last gathered to write, I parked in the same place on a sheet of ice. Green is pushing up through the ground. It looks like there is a nesting pair of cardinals near the parsonage. The newness and imagination of spring are daring to appear. Imagine is the theme for One Great Hour of Sharing this year, and it is woven in and out of our scriptures for Sunday. Come and imagine with us what new thing God may be about in our midst.
Pancake Breakfast
Attic Treasures should be dropped off at church by Friday morning, April 5. The church will be open for choir practice on Thursday, beginning at 7 pm if you would like to deliver items then.
Baked Goods can be left on the table either Friday morning or as early Saturday morning as is possible.
Breakfast begins at 6:30 am and runs until 11:00 am. Don’t forget to pass the word to all you know who might enjoy this delicious breakfast.
Whole Hog Sausage will be available for sale too, both patties and bulk sausage.
Lent Five Worship
Under the banner of “The Journey Is Home,” our Lenten theme for Sunday is Home Renovation – one metaphor for making things new. We also dedicate our One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday. And remember that at our communion table, our whole loaf of bread is now gluten free.
Cardboard for Bookmarks
We have enough. You can go back to recycling your cardboard at home. We have received the names of this year’s Bookcase Project recipients. Our children will assemble the bookmarks on April 14. Thank you for helping us collect a pile of cardboard.
The Bookcase Project presentation of books is open to the public at Faranda’s on Saturday afternoon, May 4, 3:00 pm. Hopefully, several of us will be able to attend.
Bench News
Peggy and JT will be driving our truckload of plastic caps to Evansville, IN, and returning with three recycled plastic benches on April 28-29. There will be a time later in the month when we will all be invited to help load the truck. Many hands will make it a much easier task.
Remember, we are saving plastic caps for the Granville UCC. Bring them to church in coming weeks. Becky will deliver them on our behalf to the Granville church.
JAMS Update
Anita Achieng Odhiambo graduated from Jane Adeny Memorial School for Girls at the end of 2018, thanks to the generosity of Mayfield Church and her own hard work! Anita took her Kenyan Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in November 2018. She earned a C+ overall in these national graduation exams. It’s important to realize that grades in Kenya do not correspond to grades in the US. In 2018, a KCSE grade of C+ put a student in the top 14% of high school graduates in Kenya. Anita has qualified to go to public university on government assistance. This is an excellent accomplishment. Diana has posted a letter from Anita, dated December 7, 2018, on the bulletin board at church. Take a few moments to read it. Among other things, Anita says that “aside from my family, I must say that you are the most important people in my life.”
Lina Okongo Adhiambo began her first year at JAMS in late January, thanks to a scholarship provided by donations from Mayfield Church members. Lina is an orphan whose grandparents have been caring for her. They and other family members are subsistence farmers. Lina achieved a good result on her KCPE (Kenyan Certificate of Primary Education) exams, and we believe she will do well at JAMS. Diana has put her picture on the bulletin board too. We can expect to get our first letter from Lina sometime this summer. It will be good to hear about her progress.
Nelle Conley will be returning shortly from her second block of service at JAMS establishing their new music program. Later in the year when we are able to schedule time with her, we will hear about how music is growing at JAMS.
Holy Week – April 14-21
Complete information on the Holy Week schedule will be in next week’s memo. Palm Sunday worship is on April 14 at 10:00 am. Maundy Thursday Salad Potluck and Worship begins on Thursday evening, April 18 at 6:30 pm. Easter Sunday worship is at 7:30 am around the fire and at 10:00 am in the sanctuary. Our potluck Easter breakfast will be served from 8:30-9:30 am.
6th Annual Mayfield Fellowship Retreat – Finding Resilient Hearts in These Days
Saturday, April 27 – 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – MacQueen Forest Preserve
See the flyer attached with this memo for all the details. The registration deadline is Sunday, April 21. Please register soon. This retreat is for the entire congregation and for friends you would like to invite to join us for the day.