IT’S YOUTH MISSION TRIP LUNCHEON AND AUCTION TIME!

THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 1 AFTER THE 11:00 SERVICE! The luncheon includes rigatoni, meatballs, salad, bread, drink, and dessert. The cost is $10/person with a $25 family maximum.

Following lunch, plan to stay for an auction of many items. Child care will be provided by the youth with games, movies, and crafts during the auction. All proceeds will go to supporting our youth mission trip to Kentucky for Adventure Serve Mystery Trip. If you can’t stay for the auction, please at least join us for lunch!

Donations for the Auction We are looking for items or services for the auction. Items could include but are not limited to tickets to events, baked good, gift certificates, baskets, or professional services. We are not having a silent auction due to the meal, so please no small trinkets or rummage. We really need your help this year. Items can be dropped off at the church office this week. Thank you for your support. This is a great way to help our youth and support missions.

Questions? See Bob Myers!

Get Connected with The God We Can Know… Class begins Sunday, February 22

The God We Can Know:  Exploring the “I AM” Sayings of Jesus

 February 22 through April 12 (No Session on Easter), Sundays at 9:45 AM (Fireside Room)

 John’s Gospel records a collection of self-revealing statements by Jesus known as the “I AM” sayings.  These statements, rich in imagery and steeped in historical meaning, provide powerful insights into the heart of God and God’s desire to know and be known.

Travel to the Holy Land with Pastor Rob Fuquay (St. Luke’s UMC, Indianapolis) and see the places where Jesus stood as He made these profound disclosures, using vivid language to capture our imagination, revealing more about His identity and purpose.

Feb. 22         Introduction: Knowing the Great I AM

Mar. 1           “I AM the Bread of Life”: Knowing God’s Satisfaction

Mar. 8           “I AM the light of the World”: Knowing God’s Guidance

Mar. 15        “I AM the Good Shepherd”: Knowing God’s Care

Mar. 22        “I AM the True Vine”: Knowing God’s Power

Mar. 29        “I AM the Way, The Truth, The Life”: Knowing God’s Way

Apr. 12         “I AM the Resurrection and the Life”: Knowing God’s Possibilities

Please contact Kim Berger with questions or to order a book for the study.  E-mail:   Call/text: 440-724-5614

Connect with The Cleveland Food Bank

The Cleveland Food Bank is a beautiful facility located at 15500 South Waterloo Road in Cleveland.    Our church has committed to helping the food bank fight hunger on the third Tuesday of each month from 6 – 8 p.m. through May.  The Food Bank supplies food to more than 750 agencies in Northeast Ohio and made possible 45 million meals last year.  It’s an amazing undertaking to be a part of, and the feeling of accomplishment is well worth the drive and time.

January’s volunteers checked expiration dates and appearance of donated nonperishable food items and placed them on a conveyor belt.  Additional volunteers removed and sorted the items into large bins marked beverages, sauces, starch, proteins, breakfast, baking, soups, snacks, and condiments.  A forklift (driven by a Food Bank employee) appears, takes away full bins, and replaces them with empty bins.

Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age unaccompanied by an adult, 12 years of age with an adult, and wear closed toed shoes. Please arrange your own transportation or carpools.  If you sign up on the bulletin board in the lobby, we can give the food bank an accurate count of how many to expect from our church and they can plan work accordingly.   See or contact Leslie McKnight () for more information or with questions.  Our next date is Tuesday, February 17.

Giant Eagle Gift Card Fundraiser Program Update!

We are working to make this fundraiser as convenient as possible for everyone! We now have Giant Eagle gift cards available in the following denominations: $50, $100 and $200 cards. No more deadlines, no more waiting for your cards to arrive!

If you would like gift cards, please call the church office at 440-247-5848 or email us at info@chagrinfallsumc.org and let us know what you need… we will have it ready for you when you wish to pick them up. The gift cards can be used at any Giant Eagle or Get Go – and you’ll earn Fuel Perks! Help support the church when you shop at Giant Eagle by planning a bit ahead. The gift cards can even be used to purchase other gift cards!

Giant Eagle offers more than 150 different gift cards. So pick up your gift cards now and support the church as you shop!

Contact Patrice Hendricks, Treasurer, if you have any questions. (440-708-4627)

Thank you!

A special thank you to all who had their pictures taken for the new Church Directory.  If you have submitted a photo or are using one from the previous directory, there is a $10.00 charge which should be made payable to the church with a note that it is for the directory.  I would also like to thank Connie, our church secretary for her help with appointments and communication with the Lifetouch Directory folks.  Bob Myers and Justin Schultz will be working on the extra pages for the directory and I am grateful for their computer expertise!  Shirley Ashby and I will be also working to see that it is submitted in three weeks so that we may see our new directories early in the New Year.                                         – Karen Johns

An Invitation to Prayer Breakfast

We’d like to encourage anyone in the congregation to attend our weekly prayer breakfast.  We meet on Tuesday mornings in the Sanctuary at 7:30 a.m. for a time of meditation.  This is followed by a delicious breakfast prepared by Chef Stan Bowe for only $2.00.  We are usually cleaned up and out by 8:45 a.m., filled with the Spirit of the Lord and Stan’s delicious breakfast.

We’d love to have you give it a try.  Just give Stan a call so he can prepare accordingly.

UMCOR Disaster Response to Wildfires Burning out West

There are currently 31 large wildfires burning in the Western part of our nation with 23 of those uncontained and 155 new smaller ones. Join UMCOR in praying for firefighters as they face the immense task of responding during a time of high temperatures and extreme drought. Pray for residents as they face the loss of their homes and landscape and for the wildlife as the animals attempt to escape the flames and find refuge.

UMCOR has issued an emergency grant to the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference to aid in relief and recovery efforts as soon as the situation allows.

Contributions may be made to UMCOR at www.umcor.org, US Disaster Response, Advance #901670. Or, checks payable to UMCCF with Advance #901670 in the memo line may be left in the offering plate.

North Broadway Mobile Food Pantry Update

The Bay UMC and Chagrin Falls UMC partnership was able again to manage a successful Mobile Food Pantry on North Broadway in Cleveland on Friday, May 16. The weather was cool but clear and the amount of food provided by the Cleveland Food Bank was quite manageable. We were also pleased to accept 2000 fresh plastic grocery bags from Ann Rich, donated by Dan Cannon, manager at the Rocky River Heinen’s. We were able to register about 112 family units and the food they obtained will benefit 300-400 people.

Participants from Bay UMC were Maynard Bauer, Betty Bauer, Chris Funkhouser, Nancy Davis, Ron Smith, Dick Anderson, Dan Hurst, Nancy Hill, and Andy Lihani. From Chagrin Falls UMC we had our co-coordinator Kris Dubois, Mark Wakefield, and their son Ross. We are always glad to see and work with our volunteers from the North Broadway neighborhood: Pat Vinston, Truman Vinston, Nicole Scott, Zoey Scott, and Gloria Harris.

We look forward to our next Mobile Food Pantry on Friday, June 20.

A Request from The Geauga Hunger Task Force

Dear Church Members,
Just as spring prepares for the coming year, the Geauga Hunger Task Force is again preparing for a year of feeding Geauga’s own families. Facing a $39,000 challenge (shortfall) due to loss of funding and increase need, we are approaching the community early in March to ask for your support of the Geauga Hunger Task Force. Since 2007, the Hunger Task Force has seen the number of people right here in Geauga County needing your help more than double. Thanks to your food drives, generous donations, and your support of special events like the Messiah Concert and the CROP Walk, we fed over 3,075 Geauga children last year and approximately 1,400 senior citizens. Please consider a donation to feed Geauga’s families this spring by making a check payable to the Geauga Hunger Task Force. Our address is 209 Center St. # H, Chardon, Ohio 44024. Thank you for considering this special request.

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