Come and join us for everything Strawberry on Saturday, June 23rd from 10am to 3pm at the church.

Dear members and friends,

Spring is here!

Plants are beginning to grow!

This Church is growing!

The most important growth is under ground in the root system. Our roots are developing through Bible Study and Prayer, awesome music like that of Pastor Richard Parker last Sunday, and vibrant meetings like the Joint Meeting last Sunday. Come to Church on Sunday to hear the exciting plans that were generated. With your help they will become like the beautiful daffodils around the church, above ground beautifying the Litchfield community and giving glory to God!

Your Pastor

FROM SESSION:

Dear Litchfield Community Church Family Members,

The Church is currently facing financial hardship. This past year was unusually cold and the budgeted fuel cost was not adequate. We are reaching out to our Church Family for support during this difficult time. Any monetary contribution would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to consider this request.

Wishing you Health, Happiness and Daily Blessings,

Session

HOLY HUMOR

The Pastor said to the church organist, “I’m going to ask all those who are willing to contribute toward the Church’s heating bill to stand up. Then I want you to start playing the Star Spangled Banner.”

Come and share faith on April 1st at 7am followed by a Pancake Breakfast.

There will be a regular service at 10am.

“Consider the lilies” – you are a beautiful lily to Jesus, enough for him to risk his life to rescue and nurture you! “In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me. “ (Mine eyes have seen the glory) “For the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame.” Jesus looked ahead to a great future with you! (Hebrews 12:2)

“Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would follow me, you must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me.’” (Matthew 16:25) Are you feeling discouraged and down, carrying a heavy burden thrust upon you as it was on Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus’ cross? Jesus’ cross wasn’t just 2 heavy pieces of lumber, he carried the weight of desertion, denial, betrayal, public humiliation, hate crimes, shame, wounds of body and soul, and our sins. You and I carry the weight of our own mistakes and shortcomings, as well as those of our loved ones, our government, fake news, terrorists, school violence, even neglectful or unjust law enforcement, and burdens of the church and community.

As we walk down our own Via Dolorosa on Good Friday, we walk beside Jesus, holding his hand, his arm sometimes around our shoulder. Our anxieties, worries, sorrows, anger, and frustration are shared. You are NOT alone. Jesus said, “I am with you always.” And we respond to Jesus, “I am with You.”

Many of you are hard workers, you willingly lift heavy loads, and are helpers by nature. We saw that at the Community Dinners and Breakfasts, at Clean Up Day, and the many church events. Thank you for blessing the baptism on Sunday, over 50 people, including the Madden family! You believe in the value of family and church and community, and it shows! You are carrying your cross with joy!

Please come to the Maundy Thursday and Tenebrae Service at 7:00 to hear the readings by the elders, and Jesus’ last words to his disciples in the Upper Room. Come find out what “maundy” means!

Sunrise Easter Service at 7:00 am behind Riverside Cottage, followed by Pancake Breakfast. Follow this tradition of greeting the sun as it passes over the river, and experience again the glorious resurrection!

HOLY HUMOR

CHURCH BULLETIN BLOOPER: Baptisms: After Easter, the North and South ends of the church will be utilized. Children will be baptized at both ends. (We almost did this last Sunday with one of our children!! LOL)

We are very proud to sponsor the Scouts, Pack 11 and Troop 11. Yesterday was Pinewood Derby day. Young or “not so young”, all had fun!

SNOW! SNOW! SNOW! “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow?” (Job 38:22)

So beautiful and so much fun for children! And also, so destructive. Our prayers are with those who lost power, for those working on power lines and downed trees, for those repairing roads and plowing, and shoveling and shoveling and shoveling.

The Open House for Pat Jewett’s 90^thBirthday was a great success! Favorite part: Man Dance, and there was enough food to feed an army! A coming together of old and new friends to celebrate the official Pat Jewett Day. We owe a great deal of thanks to Matthew and Christie McQuesten, Linda Peeples, Pat’s children, and each of you who were part of planning, preparing, and participating in this joyous occasion.

Tomorrow we will honor St. Patrick and the Shamrock, talking about relationships and the Trinity. What makes for a good relationship? Bring your ideas. Read John chapters 14-17 and learn about Jesus’ relationship with the Father and Holy Spirit.

We are looking for 5 students at Campbell High School to join Killian Franklin and Jacob McQuesten in starting a Ratio Christi Club. Do you have any names to give them?

TUESDAY: Bible Study, 2:30, Fellowship Hall (not Riverside)

WEDNESDAY: Mug and Muffin 10:00

WEDNESDAY: An Evening of Faith & Fellowship at Anne Marie House, RSVP by 3/12

SATURDAY: St. Patrick’s Day Dinner of Corned Beef and Cabbage. Come help at 1:00, serving at 6:00.

HOLY HUMOR

How do you decide who to marry?
No person really decides before they grow up. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with. It’s called pre-destiny.- Kirsten, age 10, a true Presbyterian!

To Brothers and Sisters in Christ who have survived Vacation Week!

Tomorrow we have an opportunity to honor a great lady: PAT JEWETT, 90 years old. Pat has given generously of her time, talent, and treasure to the Litchfield Community, as well as to her students. We look forward to making her day a happy one. Many thanks to those who have pitched in to make the Open House a success. We look forward to visiting with Pat’s children, Nancy (recently widowed and living in Hollis), Keith and Theresa, who live in Hudson, Jack, who is here from Washington DC, and maybe others I have not yet met.

Communion on Sunday will be a remembrance of the Last Supper before Jesus’ death. It was a Passover meal. Passover has been celebrated for over 3,500 years (the Jewish celebration this year falls on Good Friday evening). We will eat and drink the same kinds of food Jesus and his disciples had for their final meal together.

Many thanks to each of you for participating in the Assessment during the Worship Service. We have collected your great ideas, and look forward to including them in the Strategic Plan. Many thanks to the Elders on Session who served as Group Leaders.

Get ready for the St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner on Saturday, March 17, at 6:00. If you can help prepare, come at 1:00.

“Your willingness to step forward and serve God in this church is truly amazing! I hope you love your church, too. If you do, let others know. Talk about your church with your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Post “I love my church” to your social media. Be good news people living in a bad news world. God will use your voice to inspire others.” BC @MCC

HOLY HUMOR

Just as the graveside service had ended, there was a tremendous burst of thunder accompanied by a distant lightning bolt and more rumbling thunder. The little old widower looked at the pastor and calmly said, “Well, she’s there.”

TO the Church of Jesus Christ in the Litchfield community:

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! (Rev 3:15-16) Paul got his wish for us this past week. We were both cold and hot! Both temperatures are a gift from our Creator/Sustainer of heaven and earth. Each day was a gift, the gift of life.

You are probably wondering whether there is a worship service tomorrow. A cancellation plan is in place. You will receive a phone call from one of the elders if church is cancelled. If it is NOT cancelled, we have another activity planned, this time in the Sanctuary.

Happy vacation to teachers, parents, and students!

World Compliment Day is March 1. Let’s continue the Compliment Challenge. Stars are available on the back table.

Lent is a time to assess our spiritual walk with God. Let’s take an in-depth look at our hearts, minds, and actions. Time, Talent, and Treasure. May our roots go deeper in Christ, and may the planting go on in our hearts, even as it is going on in the McQuesten greenhouses!

I pray that God’s glorious riches may strengthen you with power through God’s Holy Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you will be rooted and established in love. Ephesians 3:16-18

HOLY HUMOR

A Jewish couple had a son who was . . . well . . . a holy terror. By the time for his bar mitzvah, he’d been kicked out of every school they put him in. Desperate, the parents went to the rabbi for advice. The good rabbi stroked his beard and meditated. Finally, he told them to enroll the boy in Catholic school. The shocked parents did as their rabbi directed and took their son to the nuns at St. Jude’s and left him. After school, the son came home and said, “Good afternoon, Papa. Good afternoon, Mama.” The young man went to the table and did on his homework. The parents looked at each other in amazement, afraid to speak. The mother wrung her hands and the father twisted his beard all the while their boy helped serve the evening meal, bowed his head for prayers of thanks, and even helped with the dishes. No longer able to contain himself, the father asked, “We’re ever so grateful, my son, but what in Moses’s name did they do to you?” Papa, when you left, the nun took me from class to class all day, each time saying they knew how to deal with rowdy boys. Those Catholics mean business! They got some Jewish guy nailed up on boards in every room!”

A daytime Bible class is starting in February. Please contact the Pastor for details.

HeeHaw! Get out your cowboy hat and boots, and be ready for Country Gospel Music with Don Smith at Sunday’s Worship Service!
Don Smith has been singing in churches and many other venues for over 40 years, bringing back the old hymns and hits of the past. He will tell his own story of how he came to Christ.
Don’s wife Tracey is her own inspiration, loving, caring, and friendly. Let’s give them both a warm welcome and show them LCCP hospitality!
Bring your friends who like Country Gospel, and be prepared to sing “The Old Rugged Cross,” “What a friend we have in Jesus,” and “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” with Don Smith.
We are going to continue Strategic Planning through Vision and Dreams, Beliefs, and Values. What do you value? What is important for this church? Read Luke 12:13-48, Sunday’s text.
“Use your ambition to try to work toward being the best at building up the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:12