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REMINDERS!

Lent 2021
Don't forget about our Lenten Calendar available on the Google Drive.  If you are in need of a printed copy, please contact Sara in the Church Office. Additionally, Bishop Malone has invited clergy and laity in the East Ohio Annual Conference to join her in prayer and scripture with another Lenten Calendar.  That calendar is also available in the google drive and can be downloaded from the Annual Conference Website here. 

Google Drive Reminder
Rockport All Church Information and Financial Reports are accessible here.

Strategic Planning Update: 
We invite you to join us in daily prayer as we seek to discern God's direction for our future, setting a mission and vision that will help us live more fully into God's call.  Our 8:00 prayer appears below and we invite you to join us in daily prayer at 8am, 8pm, or both with our Rockport UMC 8:00 Discernment Prayer. More than that, we know that prayer is powerful, even more so when done in community.  Thanks to Lisa Kay, we will begin weekly prayer Thursdays at 7 via Zoom.  Please see the box below for Zoom information!

We can never have enough prayer, so we are also looking for additional weekly prayer group leaders, for both zoom and those who wish to gather outside in the parking lot (masked and socially distanced). If you are interested in leading a weekly prayer gathering, please reply to this email and let me know what your preferred method, time, and day of the week.  

Spaghetti Drive Thru Fundraiser
Check out the flyer below for information on the March 21, 2021 Spaghetti Drive Thru event and call to get your order in ASAP! DEADLINE TO ORDER IS FRIDAY, MARCH 19. We will again make deliveries to all homebound members. Those meals will be soup and bread this month. Each delivery and order will include a scripture, poem, and our prayers!

Zoom Worship
As of  March 7, 2021, we have made the difficult choice to discontinue worship by Zoom. Worship will continue to be available via YouTube, Facebook, and on our website, www.rockportumc.org. 

Parental Leave and Appointment Update
In worship today, our SPRC Chairperson, Dan Newman announced that Rev. Dr. Steve Bailey has asked Rev. Laurie Bruce to serve as Rockport's interim pastor, from April 1, 2021-July 1, 2021 during my parental leave. Rev. Bruce is excited to come and serve among you at Rockport and I look forward to her arrival!  Let us join our hearts in prayer for her and for Rockport as we anticipate this transition and welcome Rev. Bruce into our midst.  

The Radzik family continues to await Baby Radzik's arrival. Rev. Radzik will continue to be the primary contact for Pastoral Care and will continue to attend meetings, etc., via zoom until Baby Radzik arrives.  (Don't worry, we'll share the good news so you can celebrate with us!) Once Baby Radzik makes his appearance, I will remain on staff, but will officially be on parental leave through the remainder of my appointment at Rockport UMC (June 30). Plans for emergency pastoral care between now and Rev. Bruce's arrival on April 1 are available in the Church Office.  

At this time, Bishop Malone and the East Ohio Conference Cabinet has not yet made the appointment of Rockport's next appointed pastor. SPRC will be in consultation with Rev. Dr. Steven Bailey, our District Superintendent throughout this process and will continue to keep the congregation informed as move forward. In the meantime, I invite you to join me in prayer for my family, Rockport UMC, the UMC of Macedonia, Pastor Russ Ham, the New Leaf United Methodist Church, Rev. Laurie Bruce, Rockport's interim pastor, and Rockport's next pastor as we move through this season of transition.  

 

Calendar of Events:

Thursday, March 11, 2021
     7:00pm - Finance Committee Meeting
     7:00pm - Strategic Planning Prayer via Zoom

Sunday, March 14, 202-Daylight Saving Time Begins
     10:00am - Worship Online via YouTube, Facebook & website

Monday, March 15, 2021
     7:00pm - Strategic Planning Meeting via Zoom

Tuesday, March 16, 2021
     7:30pm - John Bible Study via Zoom

Thursday, March 18, 2021
     7:00pm - Strategic Planning Prayer via Zoom

Sunday, March 21, 2021
     10:00am - Worship Online via YouTube, Facebook & website

Monday, March 22, 2021
     7:00pm - Strategic Planning Meeting via Zoom

Tuesday, March 23, 2021
      7:30pm - John Bible Study via Zoom

Thursday, March 25, 2021
     7:00pm - Strategic Planning Prayer via Zoom

Sunday, March 28, 2021
     10:00am - Palm & Passion Sunday Worship Online

Tuesday, March 30, 2021
      7:30pm - John Bible Study via Zoom

Wednesday, March 31, 2021
      7:0pm - Book Club via Zoom
Prayer List: 

NEW THIS WEEK
Gail Stephan, health concerns
John Catavolos, shoulder replacement on March 16th

ONGOING PRAYERS
Drew Ferguson, 35-year-old member with three small children, passed into life eternal.  Son of Dave & Fran Ferguson
Holly Ann, passed away on February 18th. 20-year-o mom, niece of Dianne Hall’s daughter
Marian Banno’s Sister, passed into life eternal.
Cindy Smith, at Metro Hospital with health issues.  Sister of Randy Daley
Brad Adams, ICU with spinal infection and COVID.  Stepson of Elizabeth Claypool
Mary Mainwaring, health concerns.
Belinda St. Leger, health concerns.  Requested by Mary Mainwaring
Douglas MacMillan, member, prayers for recovery from a fall and surgery on his spine and his recuperation at home will be extensive.  Requested by his sister, Gail Stephan
Vicki Moenich, shoulder surgery and healing
Bill Bowers-Health concerns
Donny Nally, recovering from heart & kidney transplants.  Son of Diana Nally
Katie Patton, single mom of 3 with stage 4 liver cancer. Requested by the Wilkenson Family
Betty Jones, medical concerns
Erna Guia, prayers for healing
Dennis, healing and guidance.  Nephew of Elsie Gaewsky
Jan Tietje, medical concerns
 
MILITARY SERVING OUR COUNTRY
Jacob Gasiewski-Serving our country.  Grandson of Carole Heppner
Sarah Bungard-Serving our country, Chief Warrant Officer 2 USMC. Requested by the Kopko family
Mariah White-Pray for safety for her & her unit who are in Kuwait.  Friend of Dan Newman
Lt. Chandler Freeman-In Kuwait. Grandson of Marge Freeman

THANK YOU
Thank you for prayers for my brother, John Clyde. He is recuperating nicely from his ablation for his AFib. His heart has been in normal rhythm since the surgery, praise God! He is still recovering from congestive heart failure. - Julia Welsh

ROCKPORT HAPPENINGS!

BOOK CLUB 

Your Rockport Book Club would welcome any new readers to join us on Wednesday, March 31st at 7pm on Zoom.  We will be discussing the book "The Last House Guest" by Megan Miranda. The "Last House Guest" is about an idyllic town in Maine dealing with the suspicious death of one of their own - and her best friend who is trying to uncover the truth. If you enjoy a good mystery, you should enjoy reading and discussing this novel. Everyone is welcome and just let Sara in the church office know that you would like to receive the Zoom link.  Hope to see you on March 31st.
 

SAVE THE DATE! JULY 18

All Church Picnic on July 18th after our Worship service!  
Food & games on the back patio
so be sure to save the date!
 
 
 
As we engage in this time of discernment and strategic planning together at Rockport UMC, we invite you to participate in the process by joining us in daily prayer with our 8:00 Prayer. Join us in praying the prayer below at 8am, 8pm, or both, depending on how your schedule works. And if none of those times work, pick one that works for your schedule - the important thing is that we are joining together with one another as we pray for God's direction in our lives and our church.
 

Weekly Prayer:
Thursdays at 7

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88477165262?pwd=NXRvN2F4UnNzNFM1TkFvN0VnVnI2dz09

Or call this number: 
        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID: 884 7716 5262
Passcode: 2021
 
 
 
March Children and Youth Birthdays:
March 20    Isaac Paulson
March 30    Acadia Hover

March Wedding Anniversaries:
March 13    Pat & Jackie Ginley, 50 years
March 18    Bill & Kathe DiMatteo, 33 years
 
 

News from our Youth and Children's Ministries

Youth & UMKids!


SUNDAYS, FEB 28th through March 28th! 
Lenten Study & Discussion! (ON ZOOM)

We will meet every Sunday at 3 p.m. (around 35 min)

You will need:
Your Bibles or Bible App! 
Paper and pencil just in case
Snacks or drinks if you want!

SEE YOU GUYS AT 3!
 

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 *PALM SUNDAY - CALLING ALL KIDS AND YOUTH:

I AM ASKING YOU, PARENTS, to please have your kids and youth color or just print out (or make) a palm leaf and cut it out -  I need you to grab your smart phone and record them for 10 to 30 seconds waving it and yelling “HOSANNA!” Or “HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!” And send it to me so that Scott and string them together and put it into our Palm Sunday Worship… if you have more than one kid or youth, they can do it together- no need at ALL to do separate ones! 

I have the Palm Leaves file available if you need it, please let me know and I can email it out to anyone who needs it! Some of you received it in an email… IF you need to be Added to our email chain, PLEASE let me know!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider doing this - to be able to have the kids in the worship service in some capacity for a Palm Sunday “parade” makes my heart sing and I think MORE THAN EVER this year it’s needed for the whole church family to see their beautiful faces. 

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! 

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WE NEED YOU for a BUNNY MISSION!

An email was sent out with details, but if you have not received one, let me know so I can send you the details for this SURPRISE MISSION! WOO!

 
IMPORTANT * IMPORTANT * IMPORTANT
UMKids’ Club and Youth (5th through 12th Graders)


WE NEED for Sunrise Worship:  

Readers for Scriptures, Prayers, (easter and the Lord’s Prayers, People’s Prayer, Creed…) sermon reader (and writer if you like) anyone wants to play something musical for a feature…  

It looks like the numbers continue to go down, and if it stays that way, we WILL record AT the church in the outdoor chapel. We have the luxury to have a snow date planned in case the weather is horrid… we will do it sometime over a weekend and I will plan on having the “snow date” another weekend to see if the weather is better… it should be under an hour, really, and not take a million years. 


IF you are not comfortable with being in person, or you are not able to be there to record, then we can have you record your part and send it - WE STILL WANT YOU!

 Social Distancing protocol for recording worship will be EVERYONE masked at all times, coming into the building, using hand sanitizer, getting their temp taken… going out to the outdoor chapel… everyone sitting in their OWN pew. (They will be labeled) when it is your turn, you will come up to the mic, and stand in front of it, read your part (the parts will be on a music stand) and then sitting back down. I am hoping to do a selfie with everyone in their spots - I will go up to the lectern and take it from up there to get everyone in… 

 This year I will take 5th graders through 12th graders… it’s an unusual year and I am happy to take the younger crowd! Hoping you are excited to join us!

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 PLEASE do not forget that our Lenten Mission is to remind everyone that we have the Take-What-You-Need Cabinet… I know that YOU guys remember that it is our forever Mission… but we want to remind our Church Family that it’s out there and in need of Donations. 

When it’s snowing, we need to have volunteers to shovel a path at least once… when it’s empty we will need help to put things out there. Maybe even take a turn once a month. MUST have a parent or adult with you for this!

We know we’re reaching AT LEASE 50 people with the cabinet who are in need. HOWEVER we think it really could be 75+ people and we want to make sure we’re there to serve God and to show his people the compassion, love, and outreach that we all are so good at!

I don’t expect you guys to go door to door in a pandemic. But reach out to friends and family… even one things dropped off from the dollar store is wonderful! 

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FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH:


Hello Rockport Family! The kids and Youth are concentrating on the Take What You Need Cabinet for their Lenten Mission. Since the Cabinet is here FOREVER, We want to make sure we remind everyone that it is still out there! During the Pandemic, it has been serving a LARGE community of people - we’re conservatively saying around 50, but we think it’s a much larger number. But we are running into problems keeping up with items to put into the cabinet. 

Please see the List enclosed in the Cabinet Graphic for suggestions! While the pandemic is on, we’re also taking non perishable foods as well. Winter hats/gloves/scarves/ and also coats if they’re in great condition - kids and adults THANK YOU SO MUCH!