Third Sunday of Lent

The weekly Newsletter of 
ALL SOULS ECC 
A Welcoming Family of Faith!
February 25, 2016
Lent is going by quickly. Making effort and  time for fasting, charity, and prayer?  We hope to see you Sunday as we encourage each other, worship, and hear God’s word to help us with our Lenten journey.
Please take the time to read the articles and information in this week’s “GOOD NEWS” including clicking on our prayer list and pray for the requests there. Feel free to forward this newsletter to a family member or friend, or share it on your facebook page or twitter by using the “like” and “share” icons at the top of the page.

This weeks readings and question of the week:

Take time to mediate on God’s word and prepare for worship this Sunday.  And as you meditate on them, consider the Question of the Week:

 How abundant is the growth of mercy’s fruit in my life?

Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15
Psalm 63:1-8
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
Luke 13:1-9
1 Corinthians 10:13
No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
The First Word of Encouragement
First, He tells us that there is no trial that we may go through but such as is “common to man.” There are times when we feel that no one can possibly understand what we are going through. We feel that we may not be able to make it, because we’re having to endure what no one else has had to endure.  God is saying, in essence, “I know that what you are going through is very hard. I know it may seem unbearable. But you need to realize that others have gone though very similar trials. I enabled them to get through it. I will get you through it too!”
The Second Word of Encouragement
Secondly, God assures us in this verse that He will not allow us to be tested “above what we are able.”
How often we feel that we have reached the end of our rope-when we really haven’t. How often we feel that we can endure no more-when we really can. You see, God is the One Who knows us better that anyone else possibly could. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how much we can bear. He knows exactly which “straw would break the camel’s back.” And He promises that He will never allow that much testing to come our way.
The Third Word of Encouragement
Finally He promises that He “will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
There are those times of trial when there seems to be absolutely no way out. It’s as if we had been pushed into a room with no windows and no doors. We can see no hope whatsoever of getting out. In those times, He says, “I will make a way to escape.” At just the right time, in just the right way, He will open the door.
It is not easy to remember how limited our vision is when we are staring horrible circumstances in the face. It is not easy to remember that we have a Father who is bigger than any horrible circumstance could ever be. It is during these times when we must force our gaze away from the circumstances and onto God. As Peter Lord has said so well, “Most of us tend to gaze at our circumstances and glance at God now and then. We need to reverse that. We need to gaze upon God and glance at our circumstances.”
It is during times like these when we must cling to His promises knowing that however bleak the circumstances might be, He will certainly see us through!
Steve Hall (edited for “GOOD NEWS”)

A Good Thyme for Life -Tuesday, March 1

A Good Thyme For Life is an annual dining out event to benefit Co-County Wellness Services. The event will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016.    Click below for more information

Saturday, March 12 – 6:00 pm – Pine Room
Everyone’s Irish! Well, maybe not – but we can have fun with our “POT LUCK OF THE IRISH” in celebration of St. Patty’s Day!
Bring your favorite Irish dish or desert – or just something green and delicious to share with your All Souls Family.
We hope you can join us!  Mark it in your calendar today!
Special Lenten Charity Offering

As mentioned in Henry’s “Lenten Pastoral Letter” – we will be collecting a special Lenten offering.  We encourage you to set your extra change aside during the 40 days of Lent.  We will collect the change at the end of Lent and use this for some of our special outreach missions like Opportunity House; Family First; etc.
We do have special plastic containers that you can use – just pick them up at this Sunday’s service if you did not get it last week or at the Ash Wednesday service.
A stone,
no feelings
no heart
no shame
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

NEW ROTAS – NEW VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  FINDING YOUR MINISTRY

At All Souls, we are ALL MINISTERS!  We welcome everyone to participate in the ministry of all Souls.  Besides our periodic outreach ministry opportunities – we also have ways you can be part of our ministry each week.If you can come early, we need help setting up each Sunday or clean up after the service.  Hospitality, reading scriptures, greeting, sharing musical talent, helping with children education, and even helping provide rides for individuals or families that need a ride to or from the church.  You don’t have to do these things every week – but even if you volunteer once or twice a week – that would be great!

We will also be doing a training course for those wanting to explore being a Lay Assistant later this spring.

You can click on the ROTA links to the left to see where we have current openings for various Sundays.  Or talk to Ben Renkus or any board member about how you can get more involved in the ministry of All Souls.

Reminder about Winter Weather:

Just a reminder that if service is cancelled this weekend or anytime this winter  – we do put a notice on WFMZ-TV / Channel 69.  We will also post on our All Souls Website and send out an email via Constant Contact.  Of course these only work if the electricity is on.  If you are still unsure, you can call the church phone @ 610-621-1738 – again, if we are able to, we will update the message if service is cancelled or not.

OF COURSE – ALWAYS USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT AND INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES TO DECIDE IF YOU FEEL SAFE TRAVELING.   Depending on where you live – you may have more snow or ice (or vice-versa).  We also take into account if Calvary has had time to shovel and/or plow the sidewalks and parking lots.   We will make this judgement call no later than 11 am on Sunday – earlier if possible.

How are you doing answering this  past week’s 
question of the week? 
 The apostles on the mountain were informed “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”  How well will I listen to God’s Chosen Son this week?