Supper
Problema!
The Mexican Ethnic Supper
originally scheduled for Saturday, March 20, has been postponed
due to the condition of the church building. We plan to reschedule
the meal in April at another location. Watch for details.
At the meal, we will
have more information about the condition and repair of our building.
We will receive an offering for our Boiler/Building Fund so we
can restore heat to the building with a new heating system.
Boiling
Over
UPDATE!
The damage to our building
caused by the release of steam from our cracked boiler was more
extensive than we realized. The entire sanctuary ceiling must
be refinished, kitchen cabinets replaced, walls repaired and
repainted, and the entire building disinfected. The good news:
Our insurance will cover much of the costs for repairs and deep
cleaning!
The first step was to
remove moisture from the building to ensure that no additional
damage occurred. Wood, walls, carpets, etc were saturated with
moisture. For the past 10 days, temporary heating and drying
equipment has been slowly reducing the humidity in the building.
Once the moisture is removed, the building will be re-assessed
for damage.
Due to the extent of
the work that is required, we will not be able to use the building
for our services and ministries for at least 5 months! We are
currently arranging for a temporary location for worship within
walking distance of the church. Again, we are grateful that insurance
will cover the cost of renting temporary facilities. Watch for
information about our temporary meeting location.
The Official Board has
made the decision to install temporary heaters to get us through
the remaining cold weather. We will replace the boiler once we
have the needed funds and discern the best heating options for
our building.
We continue to raise
funds to replace our heating system. We still need just under
$5,000 to reach our goal of $18,000. If you have not yet made
a contribution to our Boiler Replacement Fund, NOW is a great
time to do it (or to make a second contribution if you feel so
led). Use the "Donate" link on the main
page if you want to make a contribution online.
Lenten Opportunities
Abound
Throughout the month
of March, the Lenten Book Club will continue to meet on Thursday
evenings. We also encourage you to share your Lenten
Compact experiences and reflections each Sunday following
the worship service. As we continue to move toward the week of
Jesus' passion and Easter Sunday, we encourage you to take time
to consider your discipleship.
Lent is also a time for
giving up AND giving. If you have not yet volunteered for our
shared meal at Humboldt Park Social Services, consider it this
month. Our meal will be prepared and served on Sunday, March
28 in the afternoon.
Annual
Congregational Meeting
Each year, the congregation
meets to hear reports from the previous year, elect officers
for the Official Board and make recommendations about the work
of the church in the coming year. All members are encouraged
to attend and everyone interested in the work of the church is
welcome. This year's Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, March
14, following the worship service.
Giving
for a Healthier World
In the light of our Lenten
Compact for Healing, we have decided to give 5% during the month
of March to help eradicate Guinea Worm Disease in Africa. The
Carter Center and Doctors Without Borders have been working throughout
the world to prevent the spread of Guinea worm larvae by training
people to filter their drinking water with a device that costs
a mere $5. In the last 10 years, cases of the disease have been
reduced drastically, but last year 3,000 people were still infected
and suffered greatly. More information about the disease and
the efforts to end it can be found online at the
Carter Center.