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From the Pastor's Desk - Impending Snowstorm Edition

Friends in Christ,

Because of the impending storm that’s set to hit Blair County tomorrow, we will be canceling Saturday evening worship at Newry. Also, because of our early gathering time for Sunday morning worship and uncertainty whether the parking lot will be plowed, Sunday morning in-person worship at Newry is also cancelled.

Geeseytown will be gathering for worship at 10:15am (pending safe travel conditions following the storm), so please worship with us in person or join us online for worship on Facebook Live. And remember to “Spring Ahead” Sunday morning so that you arrive at worship on time J

- You can access the FB Live service at https://www.facebook.com/GNLutheran

- The worship video will also be posted to YouTube following the service, which you may find at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClx29iH1mXXz1XhsK5zqJCQ

Please be safe if you have to travel anywhere tomorrow!

+ In the Lenten Season we stand in the shadow of the cross. As we gather to worship may we remember the sacrifice of love our Lord Jesus pours out for us.

+ The mid-week Lenten service will be at Geeseytown this Wednesday at noon. A light lunch will be provided.

+ If you are looking for some resources for your personal journey throughout this Lenten season, the following resources have been provided by the ELCA:

Lenten Devotions from Luther Seminary “My Song is Love Unknown” Lenten Devotions

Luther Seminary invites you to use their 2022 Lenten devotional, My Song is Love Unknown“. The devotions are written by faculty members and alumni of the seminary; they may be downloaded at https://www.luthersem.edu/godpause/lenten-devotional/

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) Devotions LSTC invites you to contemplate 40 Days of Climate Justice: A Lenten Devotional . This is a celebration of the creativity and passion of the communities and people connected to the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving

You are invited you to study, pray, reflect and give with us during ELCA World Hunger’s 40 Days of Giving for our families, our neighbors and communities around the world.

+ There were 299 items collected for the Community Action Agency Homeless Personal Care Project sponsored by WELCA. Thanks to all who contributed to this project – we appreciate your generosity!

+ Marlene Smith’s (homebound member at Newry) birthday is next Monday, March 21. If you would like to send her a card, her address is 141 Holliday Hills Dr - Unit 3, Hollidaysburg PA 16648. Also, please update your church directories to reflect that she now lives in Unit 3.

+ We need readers for the Good Friday services. A sign up sheet for the noon service at Newry is on the bulletin board and a sign up sheet for the 7:00 pm service at Geeseytown will be posted soon. If you would like to read at one of the services and don’t have access to the sign-up sheets, please let me know.

+ As you know, the conflict in Ukraine has put millions of people in danger. As Ukrainians shelter from bomb blasts or flee their homes, many need medical attention, food, water, and basic sanitation. Nelsonville Lutheran Church in Wisconsin will double all gifts from congregations – up to $100,000 – for our neighbors suffering in the Ukraine crisis to be donated to Lutheran World Relief. Right now, Lutheran World Relief teams are working with partners in and around Ukraine. Our congregation’s gift will deliver urgent support and care, like: food, shelter and other critically needed items; Mission Quilts and Kits for families who fled their homes; and medicine and supplies for clinics. Gifts will be matched through March 15. If you would like to participate in the gift match program, you can give online at www.lwr.org/match or by mailing a check to LWR, PO Box 17061, Baltimore, MD 21297-1061. Please write “Ukraine Match” in the memo line. We will also be collecting donations through the church through the end of March -- you may give by using your regular envelope and indicating “Ukraine” on the front, or in a separate envelope, and donations will be sent to LWR but will not part of the gift match. Lutheran Disaster Response is also accompanying our companions in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, as well as such ecumenical partners as Lutheran World Federation and Church World Service, in their humanitarian responses to the crisis. For information or to make a gift through LDR, please visit https://community.elca.org/eastern-europe-crisis-response. Thank you for helping our neighbors in need!

+ I'll be sending a brief survey to members and friends with active email addresses in the next week, asking for your interest and input regarding some activities and programs that will be planning soon. This will be sent through Survey Monkey since it will be easier to complete and return that way, so we ask you to please share your feedback.

This Week

Tues - Ladies of the Cloth - 9:00 am at Newry

Wed - Mid-week Lenten Service at Geeseytown - Noon

Craft Class - 1:00 pm at Newry


May God continue to walk beside you during this reflective Lenten season.

Peace,

Pastor MJ

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