Weekly Tidings

Sunday, March 5: SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT, Pastor Rebecca Mincieli

8:30 am:  Early Worship in the Sanctuary

Live stream available on Facebook

9:30 am:  Prayer Shawl Ministry

10:00 am:  Worship in the Sanctuary and Sunday School

Live stream available on our YouTube  

6:00 pm:  Youth Group

Monday, March 6:

9:00 am:  Lend-a-Hand

10:00 am:  Fire Drill

6:00 pm:  Esprit

7:00 pm:  Men’s Study Group via Zoom

Tuesday, March 7:

9:00 am Yoga

12:00 pm: Deadline for Saturday Tidings

12:00 pm:  Prayer Group

Wednesday, March 8:

10:30 am:  Rainbow’s End is open.

 4:30 pm:  Hospitality and Worship Meeting

 7:00 pm:  Church Council Meeting

 6:30 pm:  Esprit

Thursday, March 9:

9:00 am:  Yoga

10:30 am:  Fire Drill

10:30 am:  Rainbow’s End is open

10:00 am:  Bible Study             

2:00 pm:  Chair Yoga

5:00 pm:  Big Book Step Group

5:30 pm:  Lenten Discussion Group        

Friday, March 10:

Office Closed

10:00 am: Al-Anon

10:30 am Rainbow’s End is Open!

Saturday, March 11:

9:00 am: Yoga

10:30 am Rainbow’s End is Open!

Sunday, March 12: THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

8:30 am:  Early Worship in the Sanctuary

Live stream available on Facebook

10:00 am:  Worship in the Sanctuary and Sunday School

Live stream available on our YouTube channel

11:15 am:  Welcome Committee Meeting

3:30 pm:  Esprit

5:00 pm:  Confirmation Class

6:00 pm:  Youth Group

Together in Christ—We Worship

Sunday services are at 8:30 A.M.  & 10:00 A.M. in the Sanctuary.

Worship with Us! Everyone is welcome!

We are still collecting for the Buffalo churches that were damaged by pipes freezing during the terrible blizzard earlier this winter.  You may put a check in the offering plate or make a donation online at our website.

We also are praying for all the people in Turkey who are facing great loss and death due to the earthquake. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is present in Turkey and you may support relief efforts by giving a donation to Osterville UMC and putting UMCOR-Turkey in the memo. 100% of your gift will go to help those in need in Turkey.  https://umcmission.org/umcor-international-latest-responses/

A Lenten discussion began on Thursday, March 2 at 5:30 pm. “The Chosen”, a TV series on Netflix, will be the topic.  Try to watch a few of the segments in the 1^st season before our first session. If you would like to do it on Tuesdays at 10:00 am, Rebecca Minceili will conduct the meetings. Call the office 508-428-2811 or email office@umcchurches.org  to sign up for either session.

A Bible Study continues on Thursday mornings at 10am in the solarium. We are studying the scripture that will be read the following Sunday.  Come when you can. Don’t worry about signing up. Don’t worry about having any experience studying the Word. Bring a friend. All are welcome.

Seeking Greeters and Ushers: Anyone interested in speaking, greeting or ushering, please give Mary Ann Farley a call. (774) 487-0719.  If you are interested in singing in our choir group, please call Daniel Shinabarger at 857-919-023 

The Church Book Group will meet on the fourth Tuesday of every month.   

Other Events

Sing-Along with Daniel on Wednesday, March 15 at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary. It was such fun at Christmas, we thought we should do it again. This time we will be singing ‘songs of positivity’ to uplift during the wintertime. He can also take requests. Let the office know if you are interested. 508-428-2811 office@umcchurches.org.

The Second “Cure for the Winter Blues Dinner” will be held on Friday March 24 at 6:00 pm at Wimpy’s in Osterville. There will be a sign up sheet in the Solarium or let the office know at 508-428-2811 or office@umcchurches.org.

Sign up for a Social Media Workshop! Saturday, March 25- 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm |Fear Social Media No More!  Come Learn the Basics in this Special Workshop Created for You! Get started with social media or gain confidence in this FREE workshop for ages 55+ Learn how to use social media to stay connected with friends and family. Have fun learning new skills! Coffee, tea, snacks will be provided.

2 ways to sign up for the Social Media Workshop:

Register by clicking HERE>

Sign up in the Solarium (sign up will be available this Sunday, 2/26)

Committed to Serve—You are Making a Difference

Donate to Hiefer Project International: Our Sunday school children are beginning a Lenten mission project this Sunday to collect enough money to purchase a sheep for Hiefer Project International. Everyone making a donation will receive a specially made sheep done by our Sunday school students. Please see the table in the solarium to make your donation.

Fundraisers Coming Up

Plant Sale Saturday, May 6

Craft Fair Saturday, July 22

If you can help, donate plants, know of crafters, let the office know 508-428-2811 office@umcchurches.org.

Rainbow’s End is back on schedule! All Winter Clothing is #1.00 per piece! We need a Volunteer for March 10^th Call the office 508-428-2811 if you can help. Open Wednesday through Saturday 10:30 am till 3:00 pm. Come volunteer at the shop. Help customers find items, price clothing and items for sale, and get first pick of all the beautiful and unique things that are donated for sale. Speak to Heather Wolfe if you are interested or send an email to Jane in our church office.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry will be meeting in the parlor the 1st Sunday of each month between services from 9:30 – 10:00. The dates are Sunday March 5th, Sunday April 2nd, Sunday May 7th and Sunday June 4th

Buy BIC cards. BIC cards are gift cards to local supermarkets like Shaws and Stop & Shop, Dunkin Donuts, and many more. When you buy a gift card the company on the card donates a percentage to help people in need of housing assistance. You get a card of full value and someone in needs gets a helping hand through the generosity of the retailers participating. Cards are sold in the solarium every Sunday. We accept checks or cash.

Our Holiday Fair was a great success, and we are already making preparations for the next one. One way you can help is by donating jewelry to be sold in our jewelry room. There will be a box on the kiosk in the solarium every week for you to leave your jewelry that you don’t wear anymore. If you have something of greater value than just ordinary jewelry, please give it to Heather Wolfe or bring it to the church office.

Outreach March Collection This month we are collecting eco-friendly cleaning products. Some ideas:  Baking Soda, vinegar, Bon Ami, sponges, Mrs. Meyers products, whisk brooms, Dawn dish soap, empty spray bottles, rubber gloves, liquid laundry detergent, buckets and brooms.

Mission Trips to Sierra Leone in 2023: Helping Children Worldwide has announced planned mission trips to Sierra Leone, West Africa for 2023.  The dates of the trips are:

• July 16-30 – Zoom Interest Meeting 2/5/23 @ 3:30 p.m., application deadline 2/12/23.
• OCT 15-29 – Zoom Interest Meeting 5/14/23 @ 1 p.m., application deadline 5/21/23.
• DEC 26-JAN 3/2024 – Zoom Interest Meeting 7/23/23 @ 3:30 p.m., application deadline 7/30/23.

For additional information, please contact Patty Morell at 703-725-2773.

Ukrainian Flags are Available to Take: At the beginning of the war against Ukraine, we made small Ukrainian flags available for people to take home and display. We have some left which you are welcome to take from the table in the Solarium.

To continue with our pledge theme, “I Can Make a Difference” you will notice on the MAKING A DIFFERENCE bulletin board in the solarium, a list of projects that need to be done in our church. 

This list was put together by Dave Eaton, our Lend-a-Hand leader. By helping with one of these projects you will be making a difference in our church.

If you have any questions on any of these projects or how you can help, please contact either Dave Eaton or Heather Wolfe.

Remember our pledge campaign bible scripture from Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me, as you pray fully consider ways you can continue to help our church.

Thank you in advance for making a difference! – The Stewardship Team

Bright Promises Preschool is now accepting registration for the Fall 2023. Children must be 2 years 9 mpnths old to attend. If you are interested, please call the school office @508-428-5010 or email brightpromises@gmail.com.

Lend-a-Hand Tasks Completed in January 2023

1. Determined safest way to remove stained glass window from wall in sanctuary. Tried several lighting applications before settling with 4′ 36″ LED tubes. Installation completed.

Lend-a-Hand Tasks Completed in February 2023

1. Replaced mercury vapor bulbs from 2 wall sconces at the rear of the sanctuary with four low-wattage bulbs.
2. Continued vacuuming high traffic areas in the sanctuary and choir loft.
3. Completed Integrated Pest Management (IPM) documents, including Compliance.
4. Checklist for the Children’s and Families’ Protection Act for Bright Promises preschool.
5. Cleaned out clutter in narthex, including items stored under stairs to balcony. Replaced light in desk display. Organized closet in west corridor adjacent to choir room door.
6. In anticipation of replacing Lend a Hand shed, cleaned all garden tools scheduled to move to new wooden shed. Wooden shed scheduled for construction in March.
7. Continued removing recyclables from church on a weekly basis.
8. The burned-out light at the outside entrance to the choir room was replaced.
9. Completed taking down all holiday decorations and storing them in the north basement.
10. Removed seven soiled communion kneeling pad covers and washed them.
11. Conducted a walkthrough of the Annex every Monday to inspect temperature setting, condition of the furnace and the temperature alarm and basement water alarms.
12. We are going to post opportunities to help on the Make a Difference bulletin board in the solarium. David Eaton has compiled a list of things we can do to help the Lend a Hand group. These men and women meet every Monday from 9 to noon at the church to help us keep our buildings and properties in tip top shape. You don’t have to have any special skills to join them. Take a look at the list. If there is something you can do, it doesn’t have to be done on Monday morning if your schedule doesn’t fit that day. Speak to David Eaton or Heather Wolfe about other times the church is open or ways you would like to help.