NEWS FROM VIRTUAL PEWS Purple Theory: Week 6 Silence Eliot & St. Mark’s United Methodist Churches 3/30/21 Traditionally, Lent has been a season of repentance. For us, Lent can be a special time in our spiritual lives when we focus on our hu- manity and devote some time to real self-reflection, and practice turning toward Jesus. This Lent, we will be exploring spiritual disciplines, that can help us do these things as we seek to grab hold of the new life promised to us at Easter through Jesus. We pray for In the practice of gratitude – Each day walk around your house or health, heal- apartment and take in all you’ve been given or blessed with. Go on a ing and walk and notice the sun, the trees, the snow and the miracle of our peace for all world. Spend time with a loved one and ask them about their hopes and those dreams and enjoy listening. Read the daily scripture and reflect on how whose lives have forever been practicing gratitude brings you closer to God. changed by COVID-19, acci- dents, violence and natural dis- asters, tragedy in Atlanta against Asian community, for those with upcoming surgeries or procedures: Rick Kadle, Johnson, Brian Marshall,

ND Ed Claus, Eddie Walenta 3/31 Bill Gilbert and family on the loss of his 4/1 Annie & James Huebner wife, Pam Parker on the loss of 4/4 Jeanette Welch her dad, the family of Walter 4/5 Carol Claus Kunkel who returned to the 4/6 Jen Gregor Lord last Thursday, Illona’s 4/6 Charlene Ayotte brother John, Jon waiting for a 4/9 Louie Johnson kidney/pancreas transplant, 4/9 Donna Goodwin Kristen for healing from infec- 4/10 Jill Estes tion, Gerry, Alyson, Judd Kahl, 4/12 Sandra Johnson 4/13 Janis Sullivan Gil Shaw, Hudson, Tammy Jipson, Andrea, Doris Gionet, Shaun, Dick Luke, Tim Bran- To connect on social media nan, Edie Horn, Rev. Barbara, facebook.com/eliotumc Darlene Hudson, Barbara, Dan- iel, Ken Bryan, Kathy Landry, facebook.com/stmarksumc John Pridham, Table of Plenty Ministry, Salud Y Paz, and spir- instagram.com/eliotumc itual growth in 2021, that God will place in our path those who Eliot UMC Channel are in need of hope.

Easter Week Devotionals Sunday – Luke 24:1-12; 52-53 Monday – Psalm 118:1-6, 29 Tuesday – 2 Corinthians 1:14-16 Wednesday – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Good Friday Prayer Vigil Thursday – Psalm 103:1-5 April 2nd, 6AM-6PM

Friday – Philippians 4:4-6 Saturday – Philippians 4:12-13

We invite you to experience Good Friday with us. We hope everyone will take time on Friday to come by Eliot United Methodist Church or St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Kittery. Please make time to pray at our crosses. This year we are asking you to write your burden, prayer or concern on a bandaid (brought from home or cards from the basket at EUMC or the covered container at St. Mark’s both) and place it on the wooden cross at the front of the church in Eliot or the railing on either side of the front steps at St. Mark’s. Remember, Jesus died for us and our Lord is happy to take our burdens.

Holy Week Schedule and Activities You are invited take to wander through our Labyrinth. During this peri-

Wednesday, March 31st Lent Worship 7 pm– this will be the last in our od of lamentation, prayer and reflection please take time to write your virtual Lenten series featuring a monologue from Pontius Pilate. Thank thoughts on a laminated index card (basket with cards and sharpies at you to all laity who have participated by reading prayers, monologues, entrance). You may leave these in the Labyrinth or thumbtack them to and providing special music for these contemplative services. You can the wooden cross. find these services on Facebook and YouTube recorded and live at 7pm on Wednesdays find the link at www.eliotumc.org/lent. Twelve people or small groups are needed to volunteer to pray at the cross in hour shifts on Friday, April 2nd from 6am-6pm. We ask you to Thursday, April 1st Maundy Thursday Worship/Meal 6 pm – this will bring your own chair, bible or devotional this year. If the weather does be a virtual service on Zoom – find the link at www.eliotumc.org/ lent. Prepare a meal to share as we worship and zoom together for a not cooperate please pray from the comfort of your vehicle. Email special worship service with Eliot UMC, First UMC, and St. Mark’s [email protected] by March 31st if you would like to participate UMC. We will be sharing communion at the end of this worship. If you in this part of the Vigil in Eliot or [email protected] if you will be pray- would like communion cups and wafers delivered please contact Linda ing at St. Mark’s in Kittery. Lear at 207-752-2072 or Marcia Peverly at 207-337-0668 to make ar- rangements. May everyone experience the wonders of Holy week.

Friday, April 2nd Good Friday – Prayer vigil will be held from 6am-6pm See details below. At 7 pm there will be a virtual worship service with Are you interested in being part of a sacred Eliot UMC, First UMC, and St. Mark’s UMC. Find the link dance choir? Is God calling you to worship at www.eliotumc.org/lent. through dance movements? No dance expe- rience is necessary. Janet Warfield is our

leader. She has been working with us at St. Our next rehearsal is Tuesday, April 6th from Mark's for several years. Our goal is to be 5:00-6:00 pm at EUMC. See you there! part of 1 maybe 2 of the summer services. Please contact Marcia Peverly at [email protected] or 337-0668. Looking to get your family outside in a safe environment while learning something new? Check out the orienteering course on the grounds of Eliot UMC available between now

and Easter Sunday. Orienteering is a map-navigating adventure where participants of all ages find points on the ground by reading a map. The sport of orienteer- ing began in Sweden in the late 1800s and found its way to the U.S. after WWII. For the current state of orienteering in the U.S. including perma- nent courses and orienteering competitions, check out 'orienteeringu- sa.org'. The Eliot UMC course will have 10 points called "control points", all on Dear Eliot United Methodist Church Parishioners, the EUMC property with an official orange-and-white orienteering flag that looks like a triangular box kite. The 10 points will be marked on the I’m writing to express my deepest thanks for your recent donation, in the map and participants must physically go to each point on the ground and amount of $700 to the Town of Eliot Fuel Fund. Generous grifts from mark the cue sheet with the crayon at each point to prove that they found donors like you, provide the financial and moral support, to Eliot resi- the correct point. An example "point 0" will be at the starting point which dents in need of fuel during cold winter months. is the side door of the church. You can download the map/cue sheet from the Eliot UMC website or This year, more Eliot residents reached out for fuel assistance due to the preprinted copies are available in the outside plastic box next to the side COVID-19 pandemic, with the loss of employment and or hours, we had door of the church. You must have the map/cue sheet to do the a surge in phone calls for fuel. We are extremely thankful to have this course. You might also bring a small backpack (or large pockets) for the fund this year because of the pandemic and with generous, caring peo- items you will collect at each point. This is free, open to all ages, and can be done at any time, although ple like you make it happen. daylight is best. Everyone who completes the course by finding all 10 There is no way to fully express my gratitude for your donation. The staff points and correctly marking the cue sheet will receive a special prize! at the Eliot Town Office are continually inspired by the dedication and generosity of donors like yourself who answer the call to give and give March Love Offering -The Great Recycle Challenge again. Our third mile Love Offering for March will be for Camp Mechuwana. Thank you! Please save your 5 cent returnable bottles and cans for Clynk. Melissa Albert, General Assistance Administrator Camp Mechuwana is eligible for a 10% bonus grant if they can bring in $1,000 from March 1-April 19 through the Clynk program. We are here to help them! There are totes by the office entrance at EUMC. You may drop off bottles/cans in the large tote. The smaller tote has bags and tags. You can also bring filled bags to your nearest Hannaford store. If you cannot drop them off at EUMC or a Maine Hannaford please call/text Jody at 207-451-8542 or email the church office at [email protected]. If you cannot get to EUMC I will make arrangements to get you bags/tags or pick up bottles/cans for you. Linda Lear handing out palms for Palm Sunday