Laity

From the Lay Leader’s Desk 2023

~ A review of 2022 and what’s ahead for 2023 ~

“Church Outside Our Walls”               

(1)  Highland Forest Worship/Sleigh Ride Service in February was the first of the four events planned for this year.  What a delightful event for the young and the young at heart. We had a beautiful morning service complete with a table full of donuts, bagels, fruit cups, hot chocolate, juice and coffee.  After we sang our last hymn we donned our winter coats, boots, hats and gloves and boarded the horse-drawn sleigh for a 30-minute ride through the deep snow of Highland Forest.

(2) Selkirk Shores State Park Sunday Service was on October 2nd. What a beautiful sunny, but cool Sunday. As soon as we arrived Paul started a roaring fire in the beautiful pavilion fireplace. After our morning worship service the young and young at heart started pumpkin painting. Elaine brought all the supplies and the kids did a beautiful job painting and decorating their pumpkins… the adults as well. The charcoal grill was fired up and the burgers and Hoffmann hotdogs were soon on the grill. Richard was our grill-master. The ladies set-up the delicious dishes that were brought, Pastor Darlene said grace and a wonderful picnic lunch was enjoyed by all. After lunch several folks took a nice walk by the shores of Lake Ontario while Sherron got all the S’mores ingredients together to make a favorite camp-fire snack. Anne Hutchins and two of her friends were our honored guests for the day.
We hope to repeat this event this fall.

(3) Movie and lunch right after church was held on Sunday August 28th. We enjoyed a great old movie. Stopped half way through and had a wonderful lunch… then it was back to the movie! Sunday March 19, 2023 will be our next Lunch & a Movie Sunday.

Open house and celebration of our church’s Mission Partners was held on Sunday, July 31, at our morning service. It was a time to meet Pastor Darlene and to showcase our church missions as well as meeting several of our mission partners from the local community and our Conference Hub. After the service we all gathered in the parlor for refreshments… Donations were given to all the missions our church, UMW & UMM support. A major thank you to everyone for their generous hearts!

Plans for 2023 are being made. We had to cancel our Ark Encounter for 2023, but that trip will happen, just need to work on a different dates when more can travel.
The upcoming Easter schedule of services will be posted soon in the church bulletin as well as on the website and Facebook.

Adult Bible classes begin Sunday April 16, 11:15 to 12:30 pm. We still need to vote on what kind of a study to do. Either one of the Books of the Bible or one of Adam Hamilton’s programs. Information will be posted in the church bulletin soon on which study we will be doing.

As we look forward to new ways that we can serve our Lord in 2023, let us keep in the front of our minds, that He will lead and show us the paths we are to follow. So please keep working hard to keep our church shining bright and Shine it does!

Thank you.

Blessings:                          Don Day, Lay Leader