February 24, 2019

A Note from Pastor Susan

Dear Ones,

You know, anxiety and fear were some of the topics of our recent bible study here at La Plata UMC. We learned so much about how we acquire these feelings of worry, anxiety, and fear as well as some great ways to quell the fears that threaten to strangle our

lives and steal our joy. Friends, if you were in the study, thank you for your engagement and our

discussions. I know I was blessed. If you were not in the study, I want to invite you today to think about some worry in your own life and then to put those fears on hold. I want to give you permission today to

put those things that trouble you, the things that worry you, the things that you give power to in your

mind - I invite you to put them in a box and place them on a shelf. You may take them back out again later, if you need to - but I believe we all need a few moments that free us from worry, fear, and anxiety.

The thing is: what will we do if we are not busy worrying? Friends, I hope you play with your pet, get a second cup of coffee, watch the birds outside, stare in the eyes of someone you love.

Take the moment today and do something nice for you. You deserve it! And don't forget to spend some time with the Lord, because

He deserves it most! In fact, the Lord ALONE deserves our prayer and praise! So keep calm.....and PRAY ON!

His...and Yours,

Pastor Susan

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Sunday School and Gathering for Young Adults– This Sunday Join us this Sunday, February 24 at 5:30 at the La Plata Panera to talk, share ideas

and help us understand your needs. La Plata UMC is trying to expand our support of

college students, young families and new professionals. Needs vary and all ideas are welcomed, but your input is needed! The Sunday School class that meets in the parlor

each Sunday at 9:45 AM is also geared toward this group. Corrie Roberts is overseeing these efforts, please talk with her about any

ideas or questions.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner– Yummy Food-Mark this down! On Tuesday March 5, the youth will be hosting our annual Pancake Dinner. Join us between 5 – 7 PM for

pancakes, eggs, tater tots, sausage, bacon, biscuits and more! This is the day to fill ourselves before abstinence during Lent. Invite your neighbors and join us for this time of fellowship and preparation. The

dinner is free, but donations to the youth ministry are welcomed. Donations will be put towards our

Manidokan retreat the following weekend.

Welcome back to La Plata UMC Dine-Outs– Please join us We will be having our first Dine-Out of the year at Outback Steakhouse. Nicole and her fine crew do a lot

for LPUMC every year, so please join us and support both Outback and our "Building Fund Reimbursement Program". Outback will give LPUMC 10% of all the money spent on food between 7-9 PM on Tuesday, March

12th at the La Plata Outback location (across from the Church). The servers will appreciate you having a

coupon or showing the image of our event flyer from the Church's Facebook page. This is the perfect way to have a night out and help the Church's building program in one step. Come on, you're gonna eat anyway,

3 Port Tobacco Road, La Plata, MD 20646 Office: 301-934-2288 Email: laplataumc@gmail.com

We are a vital congregation

join in!

UMW Women Upcoming Meeting– Fun Meeting The United Methodist Women will meet on March 19, at 7:00 PM in

Fellowship Hall 1. Amy Young from The Catherine Foundation will join

us to tell us about her work empowering women and men to make the best choices for their lives and the lives of their children. We will hold

a baby shower to help stock their shelves with needed items for the

community. They have requested the following items be donated: Diapers in sizes 2, 3, & 4, Onesies, Outfits for girls and boys in size 2 &

2T, baby lotion and shampoo, formula, crib sheets, and gifts cards to

Walmart, if you do not want to shop. They do not need blankets as those are donated on a regular basis.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE: Opportunity to Serve– A Great Way to Volunteer We currently have a dedicated team of Liturgists for both the Café and 11:00 services. However, we are few in number. Please

consider joining our team! Liturgists have the opportunity to assist with the church service by reading the scripture lesson prior to

Pastor Susan beginning the service. We schedule two Liturgists

each Sunday (one for the Café service at 8:30 and one for the 11:00 service). Please email Debra Bowling at talloak2@hotmail.com if

you would like to become a Liturgist.

HOUSEKEEPING NOTES AND PRAISES: FINDING OUR WAY FORWARD– Prayers Needed

On February 23-26 in St Louis, MO, the United Methodist denomination will convene a special

session of General Conference to discuss and

make decisions regarding a way forward in ministry with and for the LGBTQ community. As

so often is the case, sides have been chosen and unfortunately persons and words on both sides

of this issue have been hurtful to others. I believe that prayer is the most powerful of tools that Jesus gave us and at this point, prayer is the best way to intervene into the heart of all involved

in our denominations' scheduled meeting. To that end, The Prayer Partners have organized a

Prayer Vigil during the duration of the meeting. I give thanks for all those who have prioritized their days to include a purposeful time of prayer. You do not have to come to the church to pray.

You may pray wherever you are. All we ask is that you take the task of prayer seriously. God is ready to give us God's full attention when we pray. Let us pray faithfully to the Lord who knows

all...and yet still wants to know from us what is in our heart.

Our People: Prayer Requests: Prayers for Gayle Wilkerson as she continues to heal.

Sending prayers to Carl Greene as he awaits a new date for

his knee replacement surgery.

Karyl Beveridge is recuperating at home.

Diana Church as she recuperates from a bout with pneumonia

Worship

Attendance

Feb. 3 297

Feb. 10 362 Feb. 17 293

This Past Week

8:30 116 11:00 145 Facebook Views 196

Others 32

Feb. 17 293

Church Income

Feb. 3 $ 9,974 Feb. 10 $ 12,028

Feb. 17 $ 7,295 Need/wk. $ 12,911

Our Sunday Schedule at

La Plata UMC 8:30-Café Worship 11:00-Traditional

Worship

Birthdays and Anniversaries

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue!

No, this isn’t a wedding announcement, and it does not require you to provide a gift. Actually, it’s our

gift to you in the form of our newly redesigned website (www.laplataumc.org). It’s the same OLD church with a brand NEW look and feel (mobile friendly too), with your favorite features

BORROWED, and sporting a bright BLUE theme. You’ll find links to the most recent issues of the “Grapevine” and Bulletin right at the top of each page, and scroll a little further down on the home page

to find a link for online giving. We hope you will enjoy it and find it useful to keep up to date on the latest happenings at your church. Know someone who is looking for a church home? Point them to our

GUESTS page. Take a minute, visit and let the webmaster (Dan Brennan) know what you think. Suggestions are always welcome. Just visit the CONTACT US page and use the WEBSITE ISSUES form to send your thoughts. Thanks!

DRIVE-THRU ASHES -NEW!

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent in the Church Year. This year, Ash Wednesday is on March 6th. We

begin the season of Lent with a reminder of our mortality and our need for a Savior. Traditionally, a symbol of those reminders come in the form of ashes, in the shape of a cross, on our

foreheads. It is a symbol of a mighty truth and in wearing our ashes, we become a living witness to that truth and to our faith.

However, there are many who cannot attend our evening worship service to receive ashes. There are

also many more who wish to be that living witness to all they encounter during the day. Unfortunately ashes are mainly imposed during evening services. Therefore, this Ash Wednesday, La Plata will be

engaging in what is known as “Drive-Thru Ashes”. From 5:30 am until 9:15 am, Pastor Susan will be imposing Ashes for all those who would come. Some volunteers have already come forward but more

are needed to hold signage to direct folks to the church. Many thanks to our youth group for making these signs for us. I hope you will spread the word and come out yourself to be a witness to our mortal lives and the Savior who came to make us new.

Thursday, February 21 Carmen Zygmunt

Friday, February 22 Mason Hebner-14 Steve King Saturday, February 23 Anna Skinner

David Pulhasky-21 Sunday, February 24 Jessica Tompkins Olivia Skinner-13 Ellen Verdiglione

Monday, February 25 Gary Davis Susanne Wills Ashley Barber Tuesday, February 26

James Beaston Tammy Gausman Wednesday, February 27 James Risley Dan Turner Thursday, February 28

Doris Ager

Kelly Boyce Friday, March 1 Saturday, March 2 Mark Stancliff

Sunday, March 3 Julie Davis

CALLING THE CREATIVE! - NEW

La Plata Church is looking for someone to be the new Editor for The Grapevine, our online newsletter. It MIGHT be you! If you like working with computer graphics, if you like using pictures and words to spread the

news about the wonderful ministries of our church, if you like communication and think the more people know the better we can be, then call the church office or let Pastor Susan know. THIS could be a way to use your gifts

for HIS service. Thanks!

A CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE 2019 - NEW

You are encouraged and requested to pray this prayer during General Conference 2019. This prayer is especially requested for Sunday, February 24, 2019. At La Plata UMC, we

will join United Methodist Churches ALL OVER THE WORLD who will be praying this same prayer in their worship services on Sunday. Please make prayer a priority. A

conversation with God is the most important conversation you will ever have.

Congregational Prayer for The United Methodist Church

Gracious and loving God, who leads, teaches and guides, You who offer compassion,

grace and mercy, be with us now.

We passionately seek Your presence during challenging times and circumstances and we

trust that you are moving in and around our lives.

We, as one part of your Body, the Church, go into the days and weeks ahead seeking to discern Your deep desire for us as The United Methodist Church. Give us courage as we continue to live and respond to Your invitation to be Your hands, feet and voice. We ask for

a fresh wind of Your Spirit and guidance for each of us as individuals, for the faithful congregations, and for this global community of United Methodists.

We ask for Your wisdom and presence for those among us who have been called to serve as delegates as the Special Session of General Conference gathers today. Grant them clarity and a discerning spirit as they seek to listen for You in their midst. Reveal to them Your

deep desire for our future as a church.

Give them and us the faith to lay aside our personal wants and needs so that we can be truly present to You, sit with You in reverence and awe, and listen deeply for the still small voice that woos us, comforts us, and invites us to that place where we can live fully and wholly

into the Kingdom life that You desire for us.

We lay all this before You as the deep desire of our hearts and minds in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen

As General Conference is about to begin, I would like to thank The Pastor’s Prayer Partners for taking the lead on making this

Prayer Vigil for General Conference a reality. I would like to thank Carol Sorenson for the wonderful display, pictured above, and I would like to thank all of you who signed up for the Vigil and those who will pray even without their commitment on the Board. I

am honored to serve you. You bless me by your faithfulness and your willingness to be used of God. ~ Pastor Susan

laplataumc.org