Calendar

“Myanmar (Burma) – Brimming with Optimism” Program, beginning with a Potluck lunch
What is life like in an ancient culture just emerging from decades of brutal military dictatorship? Jill and Byron Flateland wanted to find out, so they spent six weeks in Myanmar late last year. They will share highlights of their trip and other interesting information about this little-known country starting with a potluck lunch at 12:00 noon, followed by a talk in the sanctuary with many photographs of life in Myanmar. Byron will also provide a sampling of Myanmar cuisine as part of the pot luck.

Jill & Byron’s travels took them to several major sites as well as many out of the way places where life is still lived as it has been for centuries. There are still thousands of temples and pagodas that are more than 1000 years old, many of which they explored firsthand. Most magnificent of these are the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, more than 300 feet tall and gilded in more than 27 tons of pure gold. Other sites included Bagan with its 2,200 venerable structures and Inle Lake whose farmers raise vegetables on miles and miles of floating gardens; Inle’s fishermen are famous for rowing with one leg which leaves their hands free for casting their nets.

Other forays took them farther afield to see more remote parts of the country. These included taking the “slow boat” down the Irrawaddy River from Mandalay to Bagan, taking a seven-day boat trip up the Chindwin River northwest toward the border with India, making a day-long journey by narrow-gauge railroad across one of the world’s tallest railway trestles, visiting a camp for elephants retired from working in the timber industry, trekking to small villages, and meeting interesting characters all along the way.

Join us to experience the beauty and heritage of Myanmar through photographs and to hear about a friendly, spiritual people, ancient temples, age-old farming practices, cottage industries still being practiced, and lifestyles that are slowly disappearing as the country is on the cusp of modernizing.

This presentation is part of the the church’s 2017 Adult Education series on “Cultures.”

PrayerSpace will be available at 9am (before worship) on Feb 19. It’ll last no more than a half hour. We’ll sing a little, have some guided meditation and time for silence.

Children (elementary age) & youth (middle & high school) stay for the first 20 minutes or so, then are dismissed to Worship & Wonder and Youth Sunday School. (Nursery provided.)

Worship concludes about 11:00AM, with coffee and fellowship afterward.

Today:

• Sermon: “The Soul of Mr. Lincoln” (on Presidents’ Day Weekend)
• Celebration Choir sings

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
Sunday, February 26, 9:00 AM
Jason, age 10, who recently lost his grandfather,
will be sharing his experience, as a child, in dealing with grief.
His Grandmother, Louise, will facilitate the conversation. Any other child or teen is invited to participate. Learn from a child.

Children (elementary age) & youth (middle & high school) stay for the first 20 minutes or so, then are dismissed to Worship & Wonder and Youth Sunday School. (Nursery provided.)

Worship concludes about 11:00AM, with coffee and fellowship afterward.

Today:

• Transfiguration Sunday
• Matthew 17:1-9
• Peals of Praise Bell Choir plays
• A poem by Jan Richardson set to music by Patty Painter-Wakefield

Get your appetite ready for some pancakes for dinner before lent begins. We will have all the usual potato, blueberry and plain. Along with gluten free upon request. Sliced ham and coffee and tea. We are asking everyone to bring a fruit dish to share. We will be asking for a love offering to cover the cost and maybe bring additional funds for our operating budget.

A brief time of looking ahead to Lent will happen near the end of the meal.

Community Garden Steering Committee Meeting to further our discussions about where to start our projects for the new year. Planning for work days and programs.

New Adult Education Study Group: The first five chapters of Acts will be the focus of this new Sunday School class. We will examine the history of the time in which this book of Acts was written – what was going on and why was the book written? All are welcome to join this lively and informative class.

Children (elementary age) & youth (middle & high school) stay in worship this morning. (Nursery provided.)

Worship concludes about 11:00AM, with coffee and fellowship afterward.

Today:

• First Sunday in Lent
• Holy Communion
• Matthew 6:1-6 & 16-18
• Prayer table introduced (available throughout Lent)
• Kayla Richer sings

New Adult Education Study Group: The first five chapters of Acts will be the focus of this new Sunday School class. We will examine the history of the time in which this book of Acts was written – what was going on and why was the book written? All are welcome to join this lively and informative class.