February 2012
Evergreen United Methodist Church
1120 Evergreen Court, Wahpeton, ND 58075
Church - 701-642-6202 Parsonage - 701-642-4439 Cell - 701-403-5926
Jenny Hallenbeck, Pastor - email: evergreenpastor@702com.net
Julie McGovern, Adm. Secretary - email: evergreenoffice@702com.net
Website: www.evergreenumc.com
Pastor Jenny's Ponderings: Valentine's Day & Questions of God's Will
Well, friends, it's that time of year again...the time when the greeting card sections of every
store fill with pinks and reds, hearts and cupids. Yes, of course, it's almost Valentine's Day – a
wonderful celebration of human love for many and a hated holiday for others. (If I'm being honest,
my opinion of February 14 falls somewhere in between those two perspectives!)
Leading up to Hallmark's favorite holiday,
the first two Sundays of February will be a
short sermon series called
Beyond Valentine's Day
during which we'll focus first on loving God
and then loving people. I'll be preaching on February 5, but, on February 12, we're going to listen
to a handful of folks from Evergreen share different ways in which they show love for God's people
through their work, home life, and beyond. As an added “bonus” of sorts, I'm going to sing one of
my new favorite songs during that worship service. (Some of you know that, while I love to sing, I
am no comfortable singing solos on the same Sunday I'm preaching...and, since I preach most
S
Sundays, I decided to take the opportunity to do a little singing on February 19!)
Then, as many of you may be aware, the church season of Lent begins
on February 22, Ash Wednesday. Lent is the 40-day season leading up to
Easter; for many Christians, it is a time of fasting and of seeking forgiveness
for sin. For us here at Evergreen, our first 4 weeks of Lent will be a time of
seeking answers to some of life's most difficult questions.
During those 4
weeks, my sermons will use Adam Hamilton's book
Why? Making Sense
of God's Will
to explore what the Bible says about some of these tough
questions.
Here is the schedule for sermons this next month-and-a-half:
February 5 & 12: “Beyond Valentine's Day: Loving God” and “Loving People”
February 19: United Methodist Women's Sunday with Lighting Dedication
February 22: Ash Wednesday worship at 7:00pm in our sanctuary (Lent begins!)
February 26:
Why?
Week 1: “Why Do the Innocent Suffer?”
March 4:
Why?
Week 2: “Why Do My Prayers Go Unanswered?”
March 11:
Why?
Week 3: “Why Can't I See God's Will for My Life?”
March 18:
Why?
Week 4: “Why God's Love Prevails”
I hope you'll join us for these important sermon series and worship services!
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Jenny Hallenbeck
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