Midweek Update: 2nd Sunday in Lent

Dear friends in Christ,

I hope you’re all doing well. We have a lot of things going on in the church as we begin the season of Lent:

Soup and Scripture: Lent Bible Discussion on Parable of Jesus, 3/1 (Soup Supper at 6:30, Scripture discussion at 7pm)

All Wednesdays in Lent starting on 3/1 at 7pm we will have a discussion on the parables of Jesus. We will be in the Conference Room and on Zoom.

On Wednesday 3/1 and Wednesday 4/5 there will be a soup supper at 6:30 preceding the scripture discussion. (Thank you, deacons!)

MCC Goes Axe Throwing: Saturday, 3/4

Mark your calendars! As a fellowship event on 3/4, we’re going to Oxford Axe Throwing followed by dinner. We will have childcare available at the church. (Some details are still being worked out pending group size.) We’ll meet at MCC around 4pm to carpool to Oxford.

Tickets are $32, but the cost decreases once the group reaches a certain size.

Please email: kmanzi@middleburyucc.org if interested!

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner: 3/17

You’re in luck to get a head start on St. Patrick’s Day 2023 with a mile-high corn beef on rye!!

Freshly made corn beef and swiss cheese piled high on bakery rye bread with just enough sides to make it a meal. 

You can pick up your orders to go or stay and join us for fellowship and entertainment while you eat. We will be hosting our first ever “Open Mic” night in our social hall. Bring a friend, support our youth, and enjoy a one of a kind evening. No Blarney!

When: Friday, March 17, 2023

Where: MCC Social Hall

TIME: 5:00-7:00 pm

Pre-orders are appreciated: You can contact the church office at 203-758-2671

Corned Beef Donations

To help defray the costs of our St. Patrick’s Day dinner, we’re seeking donations of corned beef (any cut is fine). Thank you!

Southern New England UCC Conference Regional Gathering: 3/19

On March 19th from 2-5, we are hosting the Conference’s regional gathering for clergy and church leaders in our area. We’ll be looking for some volunteers to help with set up and clean up. You’re also welcome to attend the event to connect with other churches in our region. More info is here: https://www.sneucc.org/eventdetail/17300610?month=3&year=2023&day=1&display=m

Donations Needed: Faith Formation

Throughout the month of March, Faith Formation is looking for donations of:

•             Plastic Easter Eggs

•             Individually wrapped Easter candy

Any contributions can be left in the box in the Social Hall.  Thank you!

Silver Lake Registration is Open

Silver Lake Camp (the camp run by our United Church of Christ Southern New England Conference) registration is open as of today: https://www.silverlakect.org/

Lenten Devotional Calendar

Our Faith Formation team has put together a devotional calendar for Lent with service, donation, and devotion options to help us observe Lent. We will have copies available on Sunday.

Mission Projects

Sock-it-to-Homelessness: We are collecting new and gently used socks, including mismatched socks, for Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries. Socks are the most needed item of clothing for people experiencing homelessness. Donations can be left in the white bin near the Multiplication Table at the front of the sanctuary.

Mitten Line: We are collecting new and gently used hats, gloves, and scarves for GWIM. Donations can be left on the clothesline in the Social Hall.

Vote for MCC: Ion Bank Foundation Community Awards

For those with ION Bank accounts, you can vote for MCC to receive money! Keep in mind that for joint bank accounts each person on the account may vote. We’re listed in the Religion category. The link to vote is here: https://cap.ionbank.com/CAP/CAP.aspx

Tell your friends, too!

Turkey/Syria Earthquake Relief Aid

The United Church of Christ has issued an appeal asking for funds to support recovery and relief efforts for the people in Turkey and Syria devastated by the recent earthquakes. The UCC and its predecessor organizations and partners have a long history in the area. The link to the appeal and to donate is here:

https://support.ucc.org/global-h-o-p-e/turkey-syria-emergency-appeal/donate?inf_contact_key=064aac67cdf34cce9cc4814ee1167c45842e902fbefb79ab9abae13bfcb46658&fbclid=IwAR2MshkZhuBRt65R2cJHnOIbyRd-PA1Zl6Mgx7mUI60R-GYM3tvYgNq6Er4#

General Comments

This Sunday, our gospel lesson is John 3:1-21. Many of you probably know the Bible verse John 3:16, but that verse is in the middle of a longer speech Jesus gives to a man named Nicodemus. So, this week we’re going to look everything in context and see what good news there is once we look beyond the surface.

Peace,

Pastor Katrina

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