From the Pastor's Desk  

       Fall 2009 letter coming soon     

         Here it is, the end of March and the beginning of April, and once again we come to the most sacred time of the year for Christians.  The Easter Season is a very blessed time for it is during this time that we as Christians celebrate the marvelous gift God gave us in salvation.  Without the happenings of Holy Week, Christmas would be meaningless.  The events from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday put the message of John 3:16 into motion and provides the only means by which mankind can be saved.

    We must never forget that Christ willingly gave himself up for us on the cross and died in order that our sins could be paid for and forgiven, and then He rose up from the grave on Easter Sunday so that we might have life eternal.  I think there are times when too many of us take for granted all that Christ Jesus did for us.  Too often we skip over the importance and meaning of Holy Week.  We like to go to church on Palm Sunday and Easter and forget about all the rest of the happenings during the rest of that week.  Friends, the road to Easter goes through Maundy Thursday  and Good Friday.  Easter would not be possible without Good Friday, and Good Friday would be worthless without Easter Sunday.

     Here in the Eldred UMC we offer a full range of services during Holy Week.  On Maundy Thursday, April 9th, we will have a Seder Meal and service starting at 6 PM.  At noon on Good Friday, April 10th, there will be a Community Service at the Duke Center UMC, and at 7 PM we will host a Tenebrae Service here at our church.  On Easter Sunday there is a Sunrise service at 7 AM with a breakfast to follow, and our regular Easter Worship at 11:00 AM following Sunday School.

    I would strongly urge all of us to attend these services and see what a blessing it will make in our lives.  May God richly bless you and keep you safe.

 Your brother in Christ,

Pastor Dave