It seems that just yesterday we were in Annabelle’s barn singing Christmas carols and suddenly we find ourselves in the midst of the Lenten season with Easter not far away!

As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s Easter victory and his gift to us of new life and life eternal, I have been reflecting on the new life we have been experiencing in both our congregations as the year 2008 unfolds. In each church, new faces have appeared and we welcome these families into our worship and fellowship together. At Trinity, we have had a very successful beginning to our Friday Family Nights and together we have celebrated Black History Month and welcomed the Grandmother connection.

As the days lengthen and the sun shines brightly, we know that spring is definitely closer and our hearts are lightened at the prospect. We find this same hope in our worship times and in the life and work of our pastoral charge.

I look forward to our Easter rejoicing together and to the coming months. May we continue to find new ways to be the Body of Christ as we journey together through life.

“The one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also.”

May God bless us and our service in God’s name.

Lynda

The Grandmother Connection

In celebration of Black History Month and in keeping with this year’s United Church of Canada theme, “HIV/AIDS in Africa”, we invited the Grandmother Connection from Kingston to join us for a joint worship service on Feb. 24th. The Grandmother Connection is affiliated with the Stephen Lewis Foundation and works to raise awareness and funds to support the millions of grandmothers in Africa who are raising their grandchildren because their children have died of HIV/AIDS.

Look through our newsletter for some other thoughts on being a grandmother.

NEWS FROM ST. PAUL’S …

Our dedicated members of Council continue working to enhance the life of our church. We welcome new Council members, Brenda Crawford, Liz Bruce and Donna Walker. Many thanks to Erma Bracken for her years of service on Council.

At the Annual Congregational Meeting a motion was carried to sell the manse and to put the wheels in motion. Serious planning is underway by the Trustees now that they have the go-ahead for the sale.

The Italian Dinner on February 16^th was a lot of fun! The food was wonderful and people lingered to socialize; yet it was a disappointing turnout. Let’s support our church events!

Our church continues to be a busy place all week. We welcome the many groups who gather to have meetings or to work at crafts. The Tuesday luncheons are still very popular as well.

Gather up your family heirlooms and come for an Antique Appraisal and Tea on March 29th. Look for details in the church bulletin.  [Ed: Who knows, your petticoats may be valuable enough to become altar cloths.]

NEWS FROM TRINITY ...

We are a busy congregation, which is what we like. Because the Verona Farmer’s Market was closed the first five Saturdays of the new year, volunteers from Trinity fed Verona citizens their BREAKFAST as a fund-raising and community outreach activity. About two hundred and thirty breakfasts were served to our hungry population. Our new slogan for next year - “HONK if you loved the breakfasts”!

Trinity was fortunate during BLACK HISTORY MONTH to welcome Andrew and Jeanine VanHeyst to speak during Fellowship hour about life in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in central Africa. We learned that while North Americans spend about thirty-five BILLION dollars on their pets each year, Congolese residents spend about $15 per person all year on HEALTH CARE. Something to think about.

Trinity’s FAMILY AND MOVIE NIGHT once a month, has been a real hit . Around 40 people per event have turned out and enjoyed the delicious menu and the post-dinner movie (license costs underwritten by our church and charge). Why not join us for the next one, Friday March 28, 6:00 PM? Reserve your meal through RURAL VISIONS 376-6477.

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild

BEHIND THE SCENES …

Special thanks to the following:

ü Marni Pedersen, Irwin and Jerry Babcook and the many volunteers and donors who contributed to our Christmas angels and hampers

ü Gayle Robertson, Marni Pedersen, Elfleda Watson, Margaret Reynolds, and Mary Barr for organizing and contributing to our Advent Adventure

ü Dorina Friedli, Paul and Deborah Spaar for completing the felt work for the hall shutters at Trinity.

ü Nancy Moore-Carr and Don Coleman for collating the Annual Reports

ü Ralph McInnes for his many years of volunteer service to Bently Retirement Home. Ralph has long organized the schedule for Sunday afternoon worship services at Bently as well as the Monday night monthly hymn sings, both of which were much appreciated by the residents. Thanks also to the Monday night singers for their contribution to the lives of the Bently folks.

ü Our secretary, Judy, who always puts in whatever time is necessary to complete our bulletin, annual reports, etc.

ü Linda Brown for organizing the discussion with the Van Heyst family after church on Feb. 10^th

ü Annabelle Twiddy for her help in organizing the visit of the Grandmother Connection on Feb. 24^th

ü The Christmas Elves (Santa’s helpers?) who did just a great job decorating the outside of Trinity for the Christmas holidays.

ü The organizers of the Friday Family Nights – Glenda Turner and her team of Carol and Gord Ramer, John McDougall, Andy Adamson, Luc and Bill Spain, Elaine St. John, and Carl Turner

If you know someone who should be recognized in any way, please tell a member of the Newsletter Committee.

JOINT SERVICES …

The Official Board has approved the continuation of the “5^th Sunday” combined worships services. In 2008, these will be held:-

ü Mar. 30 at Trinity at 9:15 a.m.

ü June 30 at St. Paul’s at 11:00 a.m.

ü Aug. 31 at Trinity at 9:15 a.m.

ü Nov. 30 at St. Paul’s at 9:15 a.m.

These services provide an opportunity for us to worship together and get to know one another better.

Text Box: BOOK REVIEW SECTION ...

“The Second Son”

by Charles Sailor

Review by Doug MacIntyre (also reviewed on Amazon.ca)

His name is Joseph Turner, a young construction worker from the Bronx, who falls twenty-four floors and miraculously survives. Within hours and without understanding what he is doing, he reaches out and begins to save lives and heal the sick. These actions throw him into the limelight and the world’s stage. But there are those who wish to exploit his new power. He is kidnapped and taken to Rome and appears to be the One named in an old prophecy. But he escapes and returns home. His new mission is to try to teach humanity the true meaning of love, and life. Is he the second Son? You’ll have to read this gripping story to find out.

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER? …

WOW, about 30 folks participated in our annual “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner” event. And the participants were from both churches, about equally divided. We heard that some people, after eating a very delicious dinner, played cards until midnight! Let’s see what happens next year – maybe some dancing?

One of the most powerful handclasps is that of a new grandbaby’s around a grandfather’s finger

WHO DOES WHAT ...

TRINITY			ST. PAUL’S
Greeters	Lay Readers		Lay Readers
For Mar.:- Darlene Nicol and Barb Joyce	Lucy Spain	Mar. 2	Elaine Lazier
	John McDougall	Mar. 9	Robert Galbraith
	Darlene Nicol	Mar.16	Kathetrine Duffy
	Carl Turner	Mar.21
	Ralph McInnes	Mar.23	Carolyn Brown
	John McDougall	Mar.30	Gayle Robertson
For Apr.:- Elfleda Watson	Caro Ramer	Apr. 6	Rob Christie
	Glenda Turner	Apr.13	Brenda Crawford
	Lynda Boulter	Apr.20	Elaine Lazier
	Linda Brown	Apr.27	Gayle Robertson
For May:- Hannes Friedli	Ralph McInnes	May 4	Nancy Moore-Carr
	Dianne Vicery	May 11	Elaine Lazier
	Lucy Spain	May 18	Eileen van der Zwan
	Glenda Turner	May 25	Brenda Crawford

If you are unable to read or participate please find an alternate.

PIN IT ON DARLENE …

Darlene Nicol went to Quin-Mo-Lac last fall. She sold a butterfly pin to her friend Debbie McGavin from Ajax United Church. Darlene said the money would be used to buy luncheon plates for Trinity’s kitchen. Debbie turned to her friend Karen, also of Ajax United, and said,”I think we have some luncheon plates in the back of a church cupboard that we don’t use, don’t we?” A month later, 99 luncheon plates, with beautiful gold trim, arrived from Ajax. So thanks Darlene, and your friends at Ajax for our luncheon plates! Proceeds from the sale of butterfly pins will now be rolled into the Wheelchair Access Fund.

Ø Live Simply

o Love generously

§ Care deeply

· Speak kindly - And leave the rest to God

It’s amazing how grandparents seem so young once one becomes one.

JUST FOLKS …

When the Murvale United Church closed in 1969, the congregation was encouraged to attend church in Elginburg. But Erma Bracken decided to attend St. Paul’s instead.

Being a homemaker, mother and “farmwife”, Erma brought with her

many skills and expertise that proved very beneficial to her new church.

As soon as Erma started, she was approached by Helen Botting to join the U.C.W., which catered many events. Erma tells about the time the ladies

were preparing a wedding lunch when word reached them that the organist was unable to attend. At that point, Glossy Day volunteered and almost forgot to remove her apron as she proceeded from the kitchen to play for the wedding! Thus ladies serving at St. Paul’s became known as “multi-taskers”.

Erma was no exception. She was Sunday School superintendent over one hundred children. Classes were held in the basement where the Fellowship room is at present (the kitchen, offices and Upper Room were not built yet). Sunday School must have been a busy, crowded place with only curtains to separate the classes.

Erma has been active in Women’s Institute for forty-five years, the current secretary-treasurer, and is a life member. She was a 4-H leader for over twenty-five years. She was a correspondent for the Heritage newspaper, writing the farm page. She is still active as Captain for the Heart and Stroke Campaign after thirty years. She helps to organize the World Day of Prayer services. She sings in the church choir. She is currently a board member of the Kingston Presbytery Resource Center, a member of St. Paul’s Council, and not to forget the organizer of those fabulous Tuesday luncheons!

Whether at St. Paul’s or our Pastoral Charge, we would be hard pressed to name a committee that Erma has not served on! The list is long!

If that is not enough, Erma is still the one we call upon to put together food for wedding and funeral luncheons!

Erma, you are wonderful! Thanks for your time, treasures and talents.

A grandmother is a wonderful mother with lots of practice

HEAVENLY HUMOUR …

Punny stories …

They’ve done so well in the logging business that they’re thinking of opening a branch office.

Pity the poor stage actors. For them it’s curtains every night!

The incredibly talented gymnast:- lost her balance only one time – while on a shopping spree!

An adventurous soul entered a rodeo to see what ir would be like. He signed up for the bareback event but was thrown off the horse, knocked cold, and rushed to the neurosurgery unit of the hospital.

“How do you feel? Asked a friend visiting him the next day.

“Not so bad”, the injured rider answered. “At least I fulfilled a lifelong ambition of my father’s.”

“Oh, id he want you to ride in the rodeo?”

“No, but he always wanted me to have my head examined.”

Church Bulletins …

• Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the Choir. They need all the help they can get.

• The Minister will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: “Joy To The World”.

A sea captain decided he wanted a less strenuous life. He began looking through the help-wanted ads for a new job. It didn’t take long before he found one that filled the bill. It was for light house-keeping.

(Now think this one over, it may take a minute)

Q. Which Bible character had no parents?

A. Joshua, son of Nun.

Q. Why didn’t Noah play cards on the Ark?

A. Because he was standing on the deck.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR …

	St. Paul’s	Trinity
Tues. Mar. 4		7:00 p.m. – Session & Stewards meet
Tue. Mar. 11	7:00 p.m. – Council meets
Sun. Mar. 16, Palm/Passion Sunday	Fellowship & March birthday celebration	Holy Communion, Fellowship & March birthday celebration
Fri. Mar. 21, Good Friday	11:00 a.m. – combined worship service at St. Paul’s 7:00 p.m. – Voices of Easter Concert at Trinity U.C. in Napanee featuring our combined choir
Sun. Mar. 23, Easter	11:00 a.m. – Worship and Holy Communion	7:30 a.m. – Sunrise Service at McMullen Park followed by coffee and fellowship at the church 9:15 a.m. – worship service
Fri. Mar. 28		6:00 p.m. – Family Fun Night
Sat. Mar. 29	Antique Appraisal and Tea
Sun. Mar.30	Clergy Day Away – combined service at Trinity at 9:15 a.m.
Tues. Apr. 1		7:00 – Session & Stewards meet