We will be watching a new Family-Friendly movie each month.

This is a FREE FAMILY EVENT at CCOV. Popcorn, movie candy and bottled water will be provided. And if your kids haven’t worn you out, come back the next day…we’ll meet at McDonalds’ (92nd and Shea) following worship for more family-friendly fun and fellowship!

Membership is NOT required…ALL ARE WELCOME! Bring your friends and neighbors of all ages!

The committee is working now to establish a pre-screening process based on a set of disqualifiers we identified and to begin to pre-screen the candidates.  We will continue to receive applications for several more weeks and then we will begin in earnest to narrow the selection down.  We will continue to give updates to the congregation on Sundays during the worship service and in this newsletter.

 Bob Simington

Pastoral Search Committee

Watching these exhibits and the folks on stage made some of us think how fortunate we were to have such a diversity of talents in our little congregation, but more than that, made some of us think how fortunate we were to have such a large number of people able to entertain us with such skill! And then the idea presented itself – that those talents, both the abilities of those who create something, and those who use themselves to present singing or playing an instrument, presenting a beautiful or humorous reading of some sort, all of us, no matter what our talent, receive that talent from God. Another gift for our lives from God! And we think, those of us who have some sort of gift, are blessed, and if we do not try to develop that gift, and use it, we are literally wasting what God has given us. So when a child or a grandchild seems to have a special ability, and we fail to help that child develop it, we are guilty of contributing to the waste of a precious gift from above.

We had a special guest at these performances. A gentleman with a warm and wonderful voice who sang for us and who had been and still is, a singer. At one time he had sung with a group, and now one of his roles in our society was to chauffeur the ladies from one of those Helpful Homes were a person may go to receive one on one care if needed. He brought the ladies to this presentation and they were obviously enjoying it and applauding vigorously! Ruth Kronbach stood to introduce their friend and driver, and let us know that he also had a group of folks under his care who needed help with mental deficiency.

So God gives not only talents of entertaining but of love and caring for others. Let us look within ourselves to see what gifts God has given US to use to help make our world more congenial, more loving for all of us! Do you know someone who has a talent and does not use it? This event at CCOV makes us think that we should try to change that with God’s help!

We thank all of those who shared their talents with us, made us think about this gift from God and realize what was within in us, and others, and in some cases, still waiting to be developed. Let us use what God has given us!

“Who Do You Say That I Am?

Man of Sorrows, King of Glory, Lord of Life!”

 By Lloyd Larson

We have a rather heavy schedule to accommodate the learning. We begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday mornings, and practice for approximately one and a half hours — and will also practice for three Saturdays. While we practice on the three Sundays before Palm Sunday we will add a morning’s practice on each of those Saturdays.

 If this writing makes it sound like too much work, please know that instead it is a wonderful way to get into the spirit of Easter and what it means – and every minute is a joy – but especially when our director gives a sign that we have done it correctly. Mistakes are erased as we practice. “How was that again?” “What do we need to do to improve it?” We strive to develop a sense of what is really meant here; we pay attention to timing so that the finished product is cohesive; to avoid singing off key;        to pay attention to the words and their meanings so that the sound of our souls singing duplicates what the composer intended and our sense of what Easter means. It is a deeply religious experience each time we sing with the poignancy that was intended by the composer, emphasizing the meaning of Easter in our lives. Truly, singing in the choir is a religious experience!

 We think ahead and try to avoid a rote sounding presentation but rather concentrate on the meaning of Easter as the Bible presents it to us. Our souls absorb the meanings, and we are glad to be able to feel the sense of love of God and Jesus as we sing. Those of us with ordinary voices are exhilarated to be singing with those who are experts in singing, as they support the group with their beautiful sounds.

 What a joy to be a part of such a group and our thanks go out to our director, Roy Blomquist for his work in bringing us together, teaching and guiding us to come closer and closer to what will spread glow of Easter over the whole congregation. We thank God for the experience and are glad to be a part of it. For those of you in the congregation who have come for a season of visiting Arizona, who have a voice just ready to sing out for Easter, come and be a part of our choir. We will enjoy each other and feel more deeply about the Easter Season in the voices God gave us. 

 By Margaret Bixby