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S U N D A Y . M A R C H 1 4 . 2 0 2 1
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Join us for worship Sunday mornings at 10am. We are live streaming on YouTube. Click the YouTube icon to find the link.
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As Christians, we use Lent as a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church Lent was observed through periods of fasting and penance (confession of sins). While fasting and penance are still part of Lent, modern-day Christians focus on their personal relationship with God and stretching their spiritual lives as disciples. People often use Lent as a time to give up something or to give something of themselves to others.
We want to offer ways to participate in the tenets of Lent while keeping gatherings to a minimum. We invite our church and surrounding community to be part of several outreach opportunities as well as ways to practice disciplines that help us focus on God.
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"The Giving Tree" is a place to donate items like gloves, hats, coats and blankets. They are available to anyone who needs them; no strings attached. The Giving Tree is located at the front entrance beside our Shop & Share food pantry.
This ministry is sponsored by the Flock Preschool and Learning Center.
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Shop & Share began as a response to the pandemic last winter and continues to gain momentum. It is a place where folks can take the food they need, whenever they need it. Items are re-stocked daily and we rely on your kindness and donations to keep the shelves full.
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Stained Glass Prayers is an invitation to offer up prayers, penance, thanks and reflection. We'll have colored paper available at the front entrance. You're encouraged to write your prayers, thoughts, Lent reflections as often as you'd like. Leave your prayers in the prayer lantern located at the front entrance any time during Lent. We'll add them to our windows to create a stained glass window of our collective prayers.
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Pack the Pew is a call for massive food donations to fight food insecurity in our community. After the holidays food pantries typically see a lull in donations and giving. During Lent, we want to beef up those food pantry shelves and we need you to help us Pack the Pew! Come by with your donations and drop them inside our front entrance or just outside the entrance. We'll take it from there. We encourage multiple donations during Lent to help restock shelves in our community. Donations will be split among CCM and our Shop & Share food pantry.
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Providing Dinner at Night Shelter - Epworth has been assigned the week of Sunday, March 28 - Saturday, April 3 to provide evening meals to guests of the night shelter. This happens to be Holy Week and a wonderful opportunity to reach beyond ourselves. We have commitments for each night and appreciate those who are providing food.
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In addition to the above outreach initiatives, we also want to encourage time set aside each day to practice a discipline that helps you focus on God. The three groups focusing on different disciplines are:
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Moderated by Jen Hedrick
Our "40 Days" group is on the move - physically and spiritually. We reached our half-way point this week and look forward to finishing strong.
We have 48 members connected through our 40 Days Facebook page and we'd love for you to join us. We aren't climbing Mt. Everest or swimming the English Channel - "40 Days" is a collective effort to share our personal Lenten journey among friends.
Our Facebook link is below - hope to see you there!
If you have questions, contact Jen Hedrick at 704.932.9328
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Palm Sunday Worship
SUN . MARCH 28 . 10am
YouTube Livestream and
In-person at reduced capacity
Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week. It is the day we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem to shouts of Hosanna!
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Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Service
THURS . APRIL 1 . 7pm
YouTube Livestream
(in person to be determined)
Maundy Thursday is the day we remember Jesus celebrating Passover with his disciples. This would become the Last Supper and the origin of communion for Christians.
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Good Friday Service
(Pre-Recorded)
FRI . APRIL 2 . 7pm
Service will be available for viewing on:
YouTube & epworthnc.com
(led by Epworth's Youth Ministry)
Good Friday is the day we recognize the crucifixion; the day Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world.
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Easter Sunday Outdoor Worship
SUN . APRIL 4 . 10am
Join us for worship in the front parking lot! We'll continue to practice social distancing and other protocols.
HE IS RISEN!
Options for streaming/recording are being discussed. Stay tuned for updates.
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We'll be hosting an Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt on Saturday, April 3 from 11am-1pm. Easter Egg hunters will use clues to find lots of goody-filled eggs. This is a great event for families to experience together and leave with reminders of what Easter is all about. Sign up link is below. Let us know how many in your Egg Hunt Crew!
Donations of nut-free candy and trinkets are needed for our Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt. We'll fill plastic eggs with things like candy, stickers, erasers, bracelets, etc. Oriental Trading and the Dollar Tree are great places for small, inexpensive favors. Financial support is also welcomed. Contact Teresa Gray for info!
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The SMILE Project has been incredibly successful and continues to grow. Our card makers are from the Flock preschool, the Learning Center and one of our church families. We have 45 recipients on our list and are happy to take on more. Make-at-Home card kits have everything you need to make and mail cards. Kits will be available for pick up beginning Friday, March 12 throughout the week. You can also drop by on Sunday, March 14 between 9:30am-11:30am. Please use the link below to sign up for a kit and indicate the number of cards you'd like to make.
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March Messy Church asks "Who is Jesus?" We'll use our hands-on, messy activities to learn about Lent and who Jesus was. Here's a few hints about how you'll get messy - boats, beads, yeast and FIRE! (with adult supervision of course).
Our younger Messy Churchers will read a wonderful rhyming book titled "Who is Jesus?" by Kathleen Long Bostrom and have some activities tailored just for them.
To help us with our supply list, please sign up by Sunday, March 14. Messy Church in a Bag will be available for pick up on Friday, March 19. Bags can also be picked up Sunday, March 21 between 9:30am-11:30am.
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With fingers crossed, we have scheduled a week for day camp at Mount Shepherd - June 14-18. As long as everything is safe by June, we'll move forward with our planning. This week is for students K-6th grade (we've added 6th graders for those who missed out last summer). Day campers will meet at Epworth daily at 7am, head to Mount Shepherd on the church bus and return by 4pm each afternoon.
Cost is $150 for the week and includes all meals. Donations to cover fuel costs are much-appreciated.
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Plans for Camp Epworth 2021 are in the works! We will offer 9 weeks of day camp for pre-school aged children and 8 weeks of camp for elementary children. Download overview and registration forms below.
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Recording Sessions for
Good Friday Worship Service
We'll be recording segments for the Good Friday service rather than doing a live service. It will air on YouTube at 7pm Friday, April 2.
This is a scripted Stations of the Cross service. Students are strongly encouraged to sign up for a session or two so we are able to create a service that honors and glorifies God.
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Location Change for
CCC Home Repair
Update from Carolina Cross Connection ... they are unable to run home repair camps from their coastal location this summer. The school being used as a camp location will need their facilities to accommodate summer school students (yes, Covid related).
Our camp week is the same (June 20 - 26) but we will be hunkering down at Camp Dogwood in Sherrill's Ford. Sherril's Ford is on the other side of Lake Norman in Catawba County.
If this change is a deal breaker for you let me know ASAP. There are three spots wide open so if you want to go just let me know.
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Providing Dinner at
Salvation Army Night Shelter
We've committed to provide dinner on Sunday, March 28 at the Night Shelter. If you feel comfortable or are willing to serve in-person (with protocols in place), please contact Jen at 704.932.9328. If we are unable to secure 4-5 servers, we'll drop the meal off.
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Backyard Mission Camp 2021
Sun. July 18 - Fri. July 23
Make plans now to be all hot and sweaty and sleep outside for a week this summer. If you're lucky you may almost get run over every morning! Backyard Mission Camp is geared for students who are 6th-12th grade and ready to do some work for our neighbors. Strong-willed, good natured adults are needed to be project managers and mentors.
Registration opens in May
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Special thanks to Scott Randolph for passing along a few stories about encounters he's had with folks who have stopped by Epworth's Shop & Share. We'll share them with you on a weekly basis.
One of the families that frequents Shop & Sha re has been taking masks from the cabinet, decorating them and bringing them back to put on the Giving Tree. This is the family with the little girl who told me that Shop & Share giving people food makes her happy!
Folks are always asking what they can get for the food shelves and I usually give a generic list but I got to realizing there are certain items I buy every week no matter if folks donate some of that item. My every week items are:
- Cereal at least 15 boxes (the healthy stuff does not go fast, sweet flies off the shelf. I try to mix it up with honey nut cheerios and crunchy honey oat along with fruit loops, cinnamon crunch like Cereal)
- Canned fruit at least 12 cans (fruit cocktail and mandarin oranges are favorites, I try to avoid the heavy suryp. this is actually one of the more expensive things in the pantry)
- Canned pasta 12+ cans of any variety. (this is one thing that folks donate but I still buy every week)
- Soup 12 cans of either tomato or chicken noodle (seems like I get one or the other every week) really any soup is great.
- Canned chili 6 with beans, 6 no beans
- Peanut butter 10 mostly creamy
- Jelly 6-10 grape
I get all these items at Aldi or Walmart brands for the best prices. Items I don't buy but that are extremely popular when I have them are:
- snacks of any kind
- cookies
- Pop Tarts
- pudding cups
- fruit cups
- chips
- snack bars
With a lot of food coming in for the Lent food drive these items will still be in demand after it is done.
Thanks to everyone for there support for both Shop & Share and Pack the Pew.
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 COOPERATIVE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
FOOD PANTRY UPDATE
I’m looking out on a sunny day at our drive-through pantry for the first time in about a week! Praise the Lord! We also are praising the Lord for a marvelous response to the annual Scouting for Food drive earlier this month. I know many of your congregations sponsor Boy Scout troops. So far they have collected and brought in a record-smashing 14,000 lbs.! And it’s still coming in. Much of that already has been shared with our satellite pantries scattered around the county.
Our current big needs continue to be:
Our current big needs are:
- Cereal
- Peanut Butter
- Soup
- Canned carrots, peas, potatoes and mixed veggies
- Canned fruit
- Any dried beans
- Pasta Sauce
- Toilet Paper
As always, we especially seek low sodium items, no-added-sugar items, and whole grain items.
Right now, we have plenty of the following:
- Canned chicken and tuna
- Canned green beans and corn
- Canned Pinto Beans
- Spaghetti noodles
- Macaroni & Cheese
Thank you for the continued support from our church partners. Our Crisis Center at 246 Country Club Drive NE in Concord serves as the warehouse for most of the food.
- We will gladly accept all donations at that site from 10am - 1pm Monday through Friday.
- Bethel Baptist Helping Hands Food Pantry, located at 1209 1/4 Opal Street in Kannapolis, will gladly accept donations from 9 am to 1 pm on Monday and Thursday.
- The food pantry located at Westford UMC on Highway 49 and the Kannapolis Food Pantry at West Point Baptist Church can accept donations on Saturday morning from 8:30 am to 11:30 am.
- The Feeding Our Souls Food Pantry at Bethel UMC in Midland, and North Kannapolis Baptist Church Food Pantry will accept donations by calling the church in advance.
- The pantry at New Life Baptist Church is temporarily closed.
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Contact Sis Mills with your prayer requests and be sure to let her know how prayers have been answered along the way. Sis can be reached at epworthnurse@epworthnc.com
FOR OUR MILITARY MEMBERS:
Mary Elise Capron
Will Capron
Zachary Capron
Ben Carruth
Brandon Carson
Brandon Cook
Caleb Odom
Ryan Tennis
OUR BELOVED MEMBERS:
Prayers for health concerns
Joyce Baucom
Mike Bodenheimer
Judy Bonkowski
Rose Emerson
Linda Widenhouse Fink
Nancy Fisher
Noah Goertzen
Carol Goodrich
Becky Holshouser
Hannah Hughes
Sarah Hughes
Georgianne Jenkins
Martha Kimes
Bob Lentz
Jake McClamrock
Debby Myers
Shirley Nichols
Ed Nimmo
Neva Jo Roberts
Elizabeth Schavillie
Charlie Sehorn
Joanne Shepherd
Betty Towell
Betty Wagner
John Watson
Carolyn Williams
OUR BELOVED MEMBERS:
Prayers for continued recovering
Wanda Bodenheimer
Peggy Caton
FOR OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES:
Prayers for health concerns
Pam & Doug Adams ......... Daughter/son-in-law of Marylyn Smith
Rob & Mae Aldrons .......... Friends of Epworth Hot Dog Ministry
Grace Alexander: …………. friend of Jane Hinson
Ed Anderson ..................Cousin of Wayne Reid
Morris Anderson ............. Friend of Betsy Graham
Alex Barnhardt .............. Cousin of Wayne Reid
Sandy Barnhardt ............ Aunt of Wayne Reid
Lisa Blackburn................Teacher at Flock Preschool
Wendy Blake .................Friend of Betsy Graham
Michael Breamer .…………. friend of Kathy Taylor
Kenny & Douglas Buckwell ....Friends of Carol Blackwelder
Jo Anne Bullins .............. Mother of Patty Randolph
Gary Burris ....................Brother of Carolyn Williams
Ricky Clatterbuck ............Friend of Tiffany Carter
Kyle Cooper ...................Husband of Carolyn Williams niece, Susan
Brenda Craven ................Friend of Jane Hinson
Elizabeth .......................Co-worker of Bob Carruth
Friend ...........................Kathy Taylor
Friend ...........................Connie Williams (Betty Wagner’s daughter)
Dave Goff ......................Father of son-in-law - Gaye Seifel
Anderson Heathington..……. Son of Gabby Silk & Jameison Heathington
Karen Hopson ................. Niece of Betty Wagner
Chris Hopson .................. Great nephew of Betty Wagner
Dee Hutcherson ...............Friend of Nancy Fisher
Bill Jackson .................... Uncle of Kathy Taylor
Vicky Jackson.................. Aunt of Kathy Taylor (caretaker of Bill Jackson)
Charlotte Kiefer ...............Friend of Jane Hinson
Arden Lewis ................... Friend of Jenny Bodenheimer
Nancy Matthews .............. Husband Jake is employed by IKE'S Construction
Emily McGuire .................Cousin of Betsy Graham
Charlie Mullis ..................Brother of Carol Blackwelder
Shantelle Muntiah ............Great niece of Jean Lamb
MaryAnn Neilson ..............Former Epworth secretary
Mike Nimmo ....................Son of Ed and Bonnie Nimmo
Karen Rowland ................Friend of Betsy Graham
Edna Shefield ..................Friend of Jane Hinson
Debbie Sides ..................Friend of Betsy Graham
Robby Tucker .................Brother of Rick Tucker
Sherry Turner...................Mother of Bethany Bostic
Wayne Wagoner ..............Friend of Betsy Graham
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FOR THOSE ON THE FRONTLINES ...
OUR PRAYERS AND GRATITUDE
Ashley Bornstein MOA
Stephanie Canipe DNP
Jenna Carson MOA
Will Carter LINEMAN
Jessica Christy POLICE
Dr. Clifford Compton DENTIST
Teresa Compton DENTAL ASST.
Dr. Amanda Cook MD
Linda Cranford PHARM TECH
Karen Elledge RN
Jim Emerson EMS
Dr. Kayla Garcia MD
Dennis Gray SHERIFF DEPT
Dr. Tony Hinson MD
Tim Hoagland RN
Eli Kaser-Odor TREE LINEMAN
Rev. Karen Kaser-Odor HOSPICE CHAPLAIN
Carlos Kelly LINEMAN
Dr. Kristina Kelly MD
Dr. Patrick Kelly MD
Beth Lott RN
Rhonda Milward PHYSICAL THERAPIST
Joanne Neubauer RN
Robert Neubauer LPN
Rick Odor RN
Dr. Geoffrey Rackoff MD
Judy Talley NURSING HOME WORKER
Julie Tennis RN
Patrick Tennis HEART CATH TECH
Bruce Wall HOSPITAL IT SUPPORT
Sandra Wall RN
Angela Watson RN
Dr. James Wheless MD
Mail carriers and workers in transportation industry who deliver products to stock our stores.
Teachers, students, school administrators and parents.
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