NON-PROFIT ORG.Postage paid

Permit #9NEW CONCORD, OH

United Methodist ChurchNew Concord

20 East High Street New Concord, OH 43762 740-826-4617

Sunday Services8:30 Contemporary Worship Service

9:30 Sunday School10:30 Traditional Worship Service

Hours & StaffM/W - 8:30 a.m. - 12 noon

T/TH/F - 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.Rev. Karen Burtner Graham, Pastor

Ms. Aubrey Erbach, SecretaryMs. Loas Gerlach, Treasurer

*Please have articles in byFebruary 20

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for the next issue of The Pillars

Rev. Karen’s Office HoursMonday - Thursday 10:00 - 2:00Monday - Thursday afternoons/evenings:

Visiting, office appointments asneeded, meetings

Fridays - Day offSaturday - Working at home, available by

appointment

Contact Us740.826.4617

Fax - 740.826.2131email - ncumcoffice@frontier.com

Rev. Karen’s email - revkncumc@frontier.comwww.newconcordumc.org

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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Scout Sunday will be observed on February 7, at the

10:30 a.m. worship service. All Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts,

Girl Scouts, and Venture Crew members and all Leaders

are invited to participate. There will be a Scout

presentation and time of recognition during our service.

Special Note: Celebration of Holy Communion will

be moved this month to the second Sunday –

February 14.

All children ages 3 - 5 grade are invited to join our youthth

group to make valentines for our shut-ins and residents ofThe Beckett House. We will meet on February 7 from 2 - 4p.m. in the fellowship hall. A snack will be provided.

STAFF RETIREMENT:

On Sunday, January 3, we honored Ed and Alice

Payne for their 32 years of employment as our

church custodians. A monetary gift was presented

during worship, and then a lovely reception was held

in the parlor afterward. They worked here a very

long time, and we thank them for all they did during

their years of employment to clean and care for our

church building.

In the course of two days: Valentine’s Day and President’s Day.

In the course of one week at church: Scout Sunday, Grief Share starts up again,

children and youth make valentines for our church family, Lent begins with an Ash

Wednesday service, and Heart Baskets are collected and delivered to people in our

community.

Of all the above, I imagine Valentine’s Day will receive the most attention. But I

hope you’ll think about what’s going on at church, too. I’m glad we have activities

and opportunities available during this winter month. I’m grateful for everyone here

who helps make these activities happen. I feel blessed to serve a congregation with

so much talented leadership and so many faithful participants.

Often Lent is understood as a time to “give up” something. Well, don’t “give up”

church! Continue to take part – and use this time of Lent to deepen your

relationship with God and with your church family. Participate in the events and

activities I mentioned above. But there’s more, too: Join one of the Lenten studies

being offered. Visit homebound members. Give one of our choirs a chance and

sing or ring for a season! Volunteer with our youth ministry. Contribute food to the

food bank. Volunteer and/or support the Loads of Love Laundry ministry. Help out

in the office. Pray.

There’s an extra day this year in February. Isn’t that great! It means we have one

more day to praise God and to live out our Christian faith. It means we have one

more day to work together as a congregation to fufill our mission of making and

developing disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!

I say Amen to that. How about you?

Pastor Karen

Daily Bible Readings - February1. Deuteronomy 9:1-52. Galatians 1:1-123. Psalm 994. Exodus 34:29-355. 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:26. Luke 9: 28-367. Psalm 51: 1-178. Isaiah 58:1-129. 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:1010. Psalm 32

11. Deuteronomy 26:1-1112. Luke 4:1-1313. Luke 23:32-4314. Psalm 1715. Job 1:1-2216. Philippians 3:2-1217. Psalm 2718. Genesis 15:1-12,17-1819. I Thessalonians 5:9-2820. John 19: 16b-27

21. Psalm 63:1-822. Isaiah 55:1-923. 1 Corinthians 10:1-1324. Psalm 2225. Joshua 5:9-1226. 2 Corinthians 5:16-2127. Mark 15:21-3928. Psalm 12629. Isaiah 43:16-21

GriefShare is beginning a new session onSunday, February 7 at 2 p.m. The sessionsrun 13 weeks. If you or someone you knowhas lost a loved one and is having troubledealing with the grief, this support group maybe a great help! Contact Cathy Haynes at740-683-6115 for more information.

The United Methodist Women/Miriam Circle are starting 2016 on a new adventure! First, wehave combined groups and we will meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Our firstmeeting will be Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. in the church parlor. Clyta Young willbe in charge of the program, Mary Jo Moody will have devotions and Mission moment;Hostesses will be Carolin Parks and Pat Taylor.We will still be contributing to missions and continue the “Love Basket” for the local foodpantry.Future plans will be discussed ans reported in The Pillars.All women of the church are invited to join us on this new adventure. Our theme will beGrowing in Blessedness.Sylvia Bates, NCUMW/Circle President

STAFF POSITIONThe Staff-Parish Relations Committee is currently accepting applications for the custodialposition. A revised job description is available in the church office. Please contactCyndy Powers at 740-261-5212or Rev. Karen Graham if you or someone you know isinterested.. In the meantime, we thank Kenny LePage for filling in and doing this workfor us.

MISSION OPPORTUNITIES

Our Heart Basket ministry continues this year! We will randomly select

15-20 families from the list given by Anna’s angels, and

individuals/households/groups within the church will purchase the food on

the list of items provided. These groceries will be collected at the church

February 10-13, and will be delivered to the families on Sunday, February

14. We will also be giving $10 Riesbeck’s gift cards to the 58 household

units at Evergreen Village. Special donations will be received through February 7 . th

Our next turn at hosting the Loads of Love Ministry is Wednesday,

February 17 at the New Concord Laundromat from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Each

time we host, we provide the quarters for Food Pantry clients to use the

washing machines and dryers. The owner of the Laundromat reduces the

cost $1/per machine during these set hours. Started by the College Drive

Presbyterian Church last year, we have agreed to oversee the ministry on

the third Wednesday of each month. So far we have been spending $50-60

each time we host. It’s a wonderful outreach to folks in need. Thanks to

Joel Linnabary for coordinating our church’s involvement, and thanks to

Barbara and Wayne Caudill, Rhonda Forrestal, Debbie Linnabary, and Tammi DeMattio

for volunteering each month. If you want to see the ministry in operation, feel free to

stop by the Laundromat! And if you’d like to learn how to be a volunteer, please contact

Joel Linnabary at 740-826-4669.

LENT WORSHIP: Words from the Cross

During the Sundays of Lent, we will read and consider Jesus’ Seven Last Words. Collected

from the 4 Gospels, these words from a vivid portrayal of the crucifixion, and give us a powerful

glimpse into Jesus’ own mind and heart. Often used during a traditional Good Friday service,

where each “word” is read and preached over the course of an afternoon, we will spread them

word, focusing on them one week at a time. Here is an overview:

Feb 14 First Sunday in Lent - Holy Communion

Scripture: Psalm 32; Luke 23:32-43

Sermon: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” and

“Today you will be with me in Paradise”

Feb 21 Second Sunday in Lent

Scripture: John 19:16b-27; I Thessalonians 5:9-28

Sermon: “Woman, here is your son…Here is your mother”

Feb 28 Third Sunday in Lent

Scripture: Psalm 22; Mark 115:21-39

Sermon: “My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”

March 6 Fourth Sunday in Lent/ Holy Communion

Scripture: Psalm 69: 1-3, 13-2; John 19:28-29

Sermon: “I am Thirsty”

March 13 Fifth Sunday in Lent

Scripture: John 10:11-18; 15:”12-17; 17:1-4; 19:25-30

Sermon: “It is Finished”

March 20: Palm/Passion Sunday

Scripture: Luke 19:28-40; Psalm 31:1-5; Luke 23: 44-49

Sermon: “Father, Into Your Hands I Commend My Spirit”

In addition, there will be two special services during Lent. One is on Ash Wednesday,

February 10, at 7 p.m. This is the first day of Lent – and so we will gather to repent, to

receive the mark of ashes, and to commit ourselves to following Jesus to the cross. And then

near the end of Lent, we will gather on Holy Thursday, March 24 at 7 p.m. to recall Jesus’th

Last Supper with his disciples the night before his crucifixion.

Next Generation MinistriesWe are in charge of HeBrews for the month of February! See Aubrey tosign up to bring food and/or work!

Upcoming Events:Saturday, February 6 – meet from 2-4 p.m. to make sub

sandwiches for Super Bowl SundaySunday, February 7 – workers to hand out Super Bowl Sub orders

- meeting from 2-4 with children to makevalentine crafts for shut-ins

Sundays, February 21, 28 – normal meetings

14 of us went to Winter Jam 2016 on January 9 . We bought tickets atth

Thanksgiving time to be sure we got seats this year. We stood inline for an hour and a half before getting into the SchottensteinCenter at 3:30 p.m. We were able to get seats on the floor - 8 rowsfrom the stage. We enjoyed amazing bands, a heart-warming testimony,and some wonderful words from the guest speaker. We got back to NewConcord around 12:30 a.m. safe and sound! What a blessing toexperience so many people - of all ages - all praising God andgiving Him glory!

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2. James Adams, Ryan Armstrong, Melissa Cubbison, Larry Miller3. Matthew Bennett4. Trent Alten, Casey Miller, Levi Shegog5. Jean Garner6. Diane Wills7. Erin Garrison-Goolsby, Brendyn Haynes, Jimmy Ritchey10. Joe Garner, Fran Morland, Nathan Weber12. Shayla Hughes13. Dennis Butler, Florence Gerlach, Brandon Marling14. Carolyn Blackwood, Charles Garner, Jim Kornokovich, Marjorie Pickworth17. Cole Bennett, Rev. Bill Creasy19. Rebecca Geyer, Grant Slack20. Sue Kokovich, Stephen White21. Jodie Achauer, Dorothy Wells22. Joseph Green, John Heskett, Carol Shearer23. Shirley Scholl24. Halei Corp25. Marsha Graham, Carol Hallett, Jennifer Kurtz29. Cole Coulter

Greeters/10:30 Worship02/07 Jack & Sue Taylor02/14 Bob & Loreita Slack02/21 Mary Jo Moody02/28 Jeannine & Cliff Williams