February 27, 2002

After a month of weekly fellowship meals as a fun and wholesome way to help build Englewood's resources, guess what: it's time again for First Event, this Sunday, March 3, following the 10:45 service! Please plan to bring your own table settings and one of the following to share with others: ham or ham casserole entree, vegetable side item or salad, or a dessert.  Cluster 1 members will help in setting up the event and cleaning up afterwards.  This is not a fundraiser for the church, so leave your wallets tucked away, but come for good fellowship and conversation.

The Maundy Thursday service to be held March 28 is being planned. Volunteers are needed to be on various committees; sign up sheets will be on the table in the narthex this coming Sunday.

Maundy Thursday is the night Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper with his disciples. In this moving service we remember that time together in a meal and in the communion elements. This is a service open to all members; invite friends to join you.

Your help is needed to make this happen.

"Challenged to Reconcile" is the theme for this year’s World Day of Prayer sponsored by Church Women United. This Friday, March 1, the annual World Day of Prayer meeting will be at Westpark United Methodist Church at 10:00 a.m. Dionetta Hudzinski will be the guest speaker. Various congregations in the community from several denominations will be represented. You are invited to attend.

Kathy, David and Michael Helseth had a good visit with family this past weekend in Harrisburg, Oregon.

Jane Sautter, pastor of the White Swan United Methodist Church, lost her home and nearly all her belongings in a house fire last Thursday night.

C.J. Lance, infant son of Gardner and Annette, is still in the hospital. They hope to take him home soon.

The Youth participated in the Get a Clue game held at the Church. Over 25 youth representing three churches made their way through our building trying to solve the murder of Mr. Body. All enjoyed the game and the fun of fellowshipping. Afterwards, several of the Youth stayed behind and played an energy filled game of capture the flag.

Our group has been invited to attend the coffee house program conducted at Wesley United Methodist. This is a new program put on by the Youth of Wesley in an effort to give the Youth of Yakima a place to go on Sunday Nights. It would be nice to support our friends at Wesley.

Therefore all youth need to gather at the Church at 5:30 pm. That way we can have our own meeting and later travel together to Wesley. The event should end around 8:00 pm. Your parents can pick you up at Wesley unless other arrangements need to be made.

What are you going to do for the Investing Our Talents this Spring? Rev. Helseth has the seed money all ready to hand out. May 4 is the date.

It is a new day for Disciples Women. A workshop will be held April 27 in Richland for Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) women in this area. New resources are being introduced and workshops will be available to discover what all is happening in women’s ministry in the Christian Church.

Why not consider attending! Registration forms are in the church office.

During 2001 members of Englewood Christian Church gave to Church World Service’s "Tools of Hope and Blanket Program" a total of $867.00. Congratulations! The certificate is posted on the kiosk for all to see.

Dennis Klukan, director of the Yakima County Health District, will be the guest speaker this Sunday, March 3 in the Forum Class at 9:30 in Room #6. He will be talking about disaster preparedness as well as other topics of your interest. You are invited to attend.

"Music to Inspire the Spirit" is the title of the flute concert that will be held this Sunday, March 3 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Michael Episcopal Church. Dianne Kinney of the Yakima Symphony and Linda Doria of the Mid Columbia Symphony will join together for this presentation. You are invited to attend.

The painting party at Zephyr Lodge was a success. 38 people showed up. Painting was completed in 90% of the rooms in the old lodge. The week of March 11^th is scheduled for clean up of the grounds. Mark your calendars now so you can participate in this event.

So, what are you passionate about? What gets your energy going? What gets you stirred up?

Maybe it happens to be the Mariners Baseball team; or it could be concern about ecology and safe water and air. You may get passionate about agriculture in our valley and its future. Maybe your energy level goes up around the hungry and homeless in our community. Or it could be your talking about your family and your children and grandchildren. It could be a variety of things.

What we find ourselves being passionate about says a lot about us and our values and beliefs. That is where we will invest energy and resources.

Believing that most of you who read this column are Christians, in the name of Jesus Christ, where is your passion? What part of the message of Jesus Christ grabs you, gets you excited and urges you to do something or get involved? Jesus had a passion for people and longed that they be whole, made one with God. All the healing stories are about salvation in the sense of being made whole. The teachings of Jesus about the Reign of God had to do with people living in the fullness of God’s grace and love. The Apostle Paul talked about being reconciled to God in Christ.

So, what are you passionate about? What gets you excited? Does the Gospel message stir you to action? What is ECC passionate about? You can’t sit still when you are excited about God’s Good News.