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Worship Services Schedule Change

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Worship Services Schedule Change

regarding important changes to our schedule on Sunday mornings.

One Great Hour of Sharing

When we give from the heart, we receive unexpected blessings—especially the joy of making a difference in someone’s life. In The United Methodist Church, we have six annual opportunities to share beyond our regular gifts through churchwide Special Sundays with offerings. March 14, 2010 is One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday. With your offering, The United Methodist Church rebuilds lives and communities around the world by helping the United Methodist Committee on Relief keep its promise that 100% of your designated gift goes to specific causes. Please give generously.

An Evening with Kay Warren

Please visit the News web page

An Evening with Kay Warren

UMW PORK BBQ - Dinner & Bake Sale

Saturday, March 20, 2010, 4-7 PM

Entertainment will be provided by our own Yvonne McFarland & the Laurel Creek Band. Tickets are $8 & ALL will go to missions! Please contact any UMW member for tickets.

STILL WATERS SPIRITUAL RETREAT

March 12-13, 2010 at Mt. Sylvan UMC

All Mt. Sylvan ladies and friends are invited to attend and enjoy fun, and fellowship, as well as an opportunity for spiritual growth. Our leaders will be Mary McLaurin and Betty Walden from Cary, NC. Registration forms are available in the church office. The registration deadline is March 7.

Friday - March 12, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm (bring a snack to share)

Saturday - March 13, 7:45 am – 1 pm (includes breakfast & Snacks)

$15 Registration Fee

PARENTS

Do you sometimes wish you could understand and communicate with your youth better? Then check this out!!!!!!!!

“Understanding Your Teenager with Duffy Robins”

A video series with discussion and sharing time facilitated by June & Jim Armstrong , starting Sunday, March 14, 6:30 pm. Please register by emailing or calling Nate by March 8th. For more information check out:


http://www.homework.com/default.aspx

CROP WALK, March 21st

Enough for All!

By supporting the Durham CROP Hunger Walk, you help build a world where there can be enough for all: enough food, enough fresh water, enough opportunity to grow and prosper. Together, we reach out to neighbors in need near and far. Not with a hand out, but a hand up. You can help by raising funds and walking with Mt. Sylvan’s team on March 21st or by sponsoring a walker. Join Mt. Sylvan’s on-line team at www.durhamcropwalk.org.

Please join us!

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING A "WINTER" IN YOUR LIFE?

OUR STEPHEN MINISTERS CAN HELP!

The winter weather we've had recently can be symbolic of what can sometimes happen in life. A crisis hits and we feel like we're buried beneath a drift of snow. Relationships can become "icy," or we can feel "frozen" by life circumstances. Little difficulties build up like "slush," making us slip and slide, causing every decision to seem treacherous. Life seems dreary, and we begin to doubt if spring will ever some. We can wonder "Is God even there?"

Stephen Ministers are trained to provide confidential Christian care, giving you the emotional and spiritual support you need to make it through a "winter" in your life. To learn more about how a Stephen Minister can help you or someone you know, contact our Stephen Leader, Jacquelyn Turner, 667-5584. Our Stephen Ministers are ready to care for you.

Thank you, Jacquelyn

How will you observe Lent this Year?

with imposition of ashes
February 17, 2010
7:00 p.m.

Pasted Graphic 1

Throughout the 40 days of Lent we will point ourselves towards the cross in an intentional study of Christ’s final 24 hours on earth. Through Sunday School, small group study, devotional literature, and preaching, we will immerse ourselves in the images of the Passion that we might more deeply understand the significance of Christ’s death on our behalf. Devotional guides will be available in the church office for $10.00. Tom and Jessie will be using this book as the basis for Bible study on Tuesdays at 9:45 and Wednesdays at 7:30.

Books for BACKPACKS

Please donate new (or VERY gently used) books for our backpack children. We currently have 51 children in our backpack program in grades K-5. The donated books will be distributed to the children in their backpacks after Easter. Donation boxes will be in the Chapel narthex and Sanctuary narthex during the season of Lent, February 17th through April 4th. If you have any questions, please contact Katy MacDonald at 479-3031 or krazmacd@nc.rr.com.

Mt. Sylvan Community Garden 2010 Kick-Off

February 27, 9am-12 noon
Membership forms for the 2010 Gardening Season are available in the church office. Membership is for both church and community members. For $10 (individual or family) for the ENTIRE YEAR, you will receive a compost bucket to keep under your kitchen sink and any produce that you can eat that is harvested during the hours you come out to the garden this season. Membership requires a minimum of 2 hours of work in the garden per month. Information about scheduled workdays, gardening for children, and community outreach is all available in the church office. Please encourage your friends and family in the community to come out and join us this season.

Mt Sylvan Responds to Haiti Earthquake


Please see the "Response to Haiti Earthquake" page under the News menu for detailed information.

Haiti Mission Opportunities

As you are aware, there is immediate relief needed in Haiti following the earthquake this week. We are responding to the need through the UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and HOM (Haiti Outreach Ministries/Pastor Leon). Make checks payable to Mt. Sylvan UMC and note them for Haiti Relief. On Friday, February 26, at 7 p.m., join us for heavy hors d’oeuvres and a live comedy performance by Dorothy Clark, "Seven Stages of Womenhood." All money received from ticket sales will go directly to Haiti mission needs (UMCOR, HOM, and Mt. Sylvan mission trip to Haiti). Tickets are available for a minimum donation of $25 person/$40 couple and will be on sale in the office and before and after worship services beginning next Sunday. If you are willing to help by providing food, helping with set up or cleanup, or ticket sales, please contact the church office (471-0032) or Cheryl Catlin ( Cherylcatlin@gmail.com).

Volunteer Greeters Needed

Volunteers are needed to greet this year for the 11:00 service. Someone is needed to fill the 2nd and 3rd Sunday or willing to be a substitute/serve for the 5th Sunday. If anyone is interested please e- mail Darlene Lumpkin at dclumpkin@aol.com.

Attention United Methodist Women

Attention United Methodist Women! We have a few changes to the program for the Monday night general meeting... Our speaker will be Linda Mitchell. She will be speaking about her recent experiences in Haiti during the earthquake. Also we will have Mary McLaurin speaking with us about the Mt. Sylvan Spiritual Retreat that is scheduled for March 12-13, 2010. We will have the presentation of the budget and officers will be installed. Our host for the evening will be the McKay Circle. Hope to see all of you there at 6pm!

Learn about the Psalms

Kathie Wilkinson is teaching a 6 session Bible study on the Psalms during the first 30 minutes of choir rehearsals, Sundays at 6:30 and Wednesday at 7:30. This Bible study is not limited to choir members, but is for anyone who is interested in exploring these songs and prayers of our Scriptures.

Leadership Workshops

The Durham District Leadership Workshops are set for Sunday, Jaunary 10, 2010 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. They will be held HERE at Mt. Sylvan UMC. The theme is “Thy Kingdom Come”: How can we reach out with the gospel to people who are different, and what will this mean for our ministries? 3:00 Worship and Proclamation with Stephanie Hixon 4:30-5:30 Workshops Nine workshops are planned, covering diverse topics from evangelism/witness to worship to stewardship to restorative justice to conflict management, as well training for key leaders. Our special guest for the workshops is Stephanie Hixon, co-director of the United Methodist reconciliation and mediation ministry JustPeace. Stephanie will speak during worship and lead a workshop on how churches can become communities that embrace diversity and work toward overcoming racial and economic barriers. Childcare will be provided

Planned Workshops and Leaders:
SPRC - Gray Southern : Lay Leaders - LaNella Smith : Dealing with Conflict in the Church - Dan Hester : Worship Ancient, Worship New - Kelly Lyn Logue : Finding Jesus on Facebook - Jay Locklear : Reconciliation Ministries - Marcia Owen : Thy Kin(g)dom Come - Stephanie Hixon : Radical Hospitality; Witness to Christ - Marty Cauley : Plus... - It Worked For Us: Stewardship Stories

Advent Devotionals

Devotionals for use along your Advent journey are available in the narthex along with change banks to collect an Advent offering for the Society of St. Andrew.

Eno Valley Elementary School needs assistance

As many of you know, Pastor Tom is doing a series of sermons on “community” and how we might reach out to others in need within our community. One community that could really use your help is Eno Valley Elementary School. Because of cutbacks in the school system’s budget, some of the teacher assistant jobs and part-time positions filled by retired teachers were eliminated at a time when the need for assistance within the classroom is great. The family of Mt. Sylvan has given so much to the school already with the Backpack Program and funds for emergency situations. However, if you have a couple of hours a week when you might be able to volunteer to read with a child or assist with simple math problems, you can make a huge difference in the life of a child who is struggling academically. If you are interested, please call Katy MacDonald at 479-3031 ( krazmacd@nc.rr.com) or Susan Taylor at 919-943-6014. Susan attends Mt. Sylvan and is a guidance counselor at Eno Valley Elementary School. You can also contact her at Susan.Taylor@dpsnc.net.

Food & Faith

Pleasant Green United Methodist Church will be sponsoring a series of eight weekly workshops entitled Food, Faith, and Sustainability: Health and Wholeness for Ourselves and Our World. Beginning Thursday January 7, 2010, the workshops will be each Thursday evening in January and February from 7 to 9 PM. Topics will cover scripture, health and the environment, lifestyle and health, our current food system, social justice, hospitality, and practical ideas about where we go from here. Facilitators include healthcare professionals in nutrition and nursing and organic farming and environmental specialists. For participants wanting support for health and lifestyle changes, there will be opportunities to team up for longer-term weight management and exercise groups.

Crossties will sing the 3rd Sunday of each month.

Crossties will sing the 3rd Sunday of each month.