OUR MISSION is to love and praise God, love and nurture our church family, and love

and serve our neighbors,

   through worship, prayer, fellowship, education, hands-on work, financial support

    and compassionate care,

     in order to follow Jesus and make known the Kingdom of Heaven.

OUR VISION is to be a grace-filled family of faith sharing Christ’s love with all.

OUR VALUES:

• Glorify God: Glorify and praise God through worship, discipling, sharing faith

and serving with love

• Show Compassion: Compassion expressed as care and concern for all
• Share Hospitality: Inclusive hospitality through welcome, acceptance and fellowship
• Nurture Relationships: Nurture relationships through respect, support and communication
• Steward God's Gifts: Faithful stewardship of all God's gifts

April 6, 2025

Walking Through Lent with Jesus,

Part 5: "Anticipating Death"

This Sunday we conclude our Series “Walking Through Lent with Jesus.” Jesus has made his way to the home of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus, whom Jesus has recently raised from the dead. At dinner, Mary performs an extraordinary act of devotion. She pours an entire jar of pure Nard on Jesus’ feet and then wipes them with her hair. What does this astounding act of loyalty and love mean? What might it suggest for you and me as we approach Holy week, the week of Jesus’ betrayal, passion, and resurrection? 

Come on Sunday and find out!

See you in church,

Don

Sermons in this Series:

Walking through Lent with Jesus

• March 9            Part 1: Passing the Test - Luke 4:1-13 [Satan tempts Jesus]
• March 16         Part 2: Resisting Fear - Luke 13:31-35

[Pharisees warn Jesus about Herod]

• March 23         Part 3: Producing Fruit - Luke 13:1-9 [Parable of the Fig Tree]
• March 30         Part 4: Reconciling Relationships - Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

[Parable of the forgiving father]

• April 6             Part 5: Anticipating Death - John 12:1-8 [Mary anoints Jesus’ feet]

9 AM Traditional Service

11 AM Gathering Service

Spring Work Day - Saturday, April 12, 8 am - Noon

The Buildings and Grounds Committee invites you to welcome Spring by pitching in and lending a hand or two (we'll even take a few feet) to help spruce up the church campus. Help is needed with all manner of yard work and even a little housework, including raking, weeding, pruning, and light cleaning in the buildings. No hands or feet will be idle and it's a great opportunity to get some practice in for those chores at home. 

We will have some light refreshments to help replace any calories you might lose. Please mark your calendars and plan to have some fun in the sun!

Fellowship Palm Sunday Reception

Your Fun-loving Fellowship Committee is hosting a Palm Sunday Reception in the Gathering Place on Sunday, April 13th, 10-11 am, between the two services. 

There will be a selection of finger foods and punch for you to enjoy, while you socialize. There is no upfront cost for this event, but donation baskets will be available. There is no sign-up for this social event, just come and enjoy.

LENTEN DEVOTIONS -

Wednesday Evenings in Lent:



• 6:00 pm, Wednesday, April 9 – “The Message of Jesus: Words that Changed the World” – click here for a video preview: https://adamhamilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Message-of-Jesus-Preview.mp4
• We begin with a short video followed by a discussion of the week’s theme. Together we will deepen our faith by taking a fresh look at six of the most important themes in Jesus's teachings, why they matter, and how they speak to us today. They include Jesus’s preaching on the Kingdom of God, the Sermon on the Mount, the parables, the “I am” sayings in John, and more. 

Sympathy

We extend our prayers and sympathy to Matt Wieseman and family upon the death of his father this past week. Please keep Matt, Tracy and Nathan in your thoughts and prayers.

Sympathy and prayer is also extended to Lois DeHart for the death of her beloved husband Scott DeHart. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd at 11 am in the Meeting House. Visitation will be at 10 am. Please keep Lois and their family in your prayers.

Women's Tea: April 5, 2025

Don't forget the Women's Tea on Saturday, April 5th at 11:00 am if you have already signed up. We will be collecting a free-will offering to benefit Peace Promise, a non-profit that works with women who have been exploited by the sex industry. Looking forward to a great time of fellowship!

Another Miracle at SSPC! Annual Easter Egg Hunt at SSPC

The Annual Easter Egg Hunt was held on Saturday, March 29th. It was overwhelming and the Holy Spirit was among us! We had approximately 175 children hunt over 850 eggs. Total attendance was nearly 300 and 90% of the attendees were not church members or preschool families, but from the surrounding community! It was a beautiful day, with the Easter Bunny, coffee and donuts and great fellowship as we were able to pray together and talk about our church!

Easter Lily Orders

Help us celebrate Christ's resurrection by ordering an Easter lily to decorate our beautiful church. Order forms can be found in the Gathering Place. Lilies are $15.00 (checks only please, made payable to SSPC). Please submit your order by Monday, April 14th. You can also click here for the order form.

Amazing, Breathtaking, Inspirational!

The reviews are in and due to popular demand, the SSPC Intergenerational Choir is making two return performances, not to be missed. The choir will perform on Palm Sunday and also on Mother's Day, in the Gathering Service. Come and watch, come and join in! This choir is a mix of our congregational members, grandparents, parents, youth and one dog!

Opening Video for the Gathering

This week's opening video features a video from contemporary Christian group, Christ for the Nations Worship, with singer Naomi Cantwell. The video talks about recovering from not just death, but the chains that bind us. Come at 10:55 and enjoy or stay for the encore after the Benediction.

eBay Mission Update and Work Session - Monday, April 7

There will be a two hour update and work session on Monday, April 7 to review the status of the eBay mission and the status of the February test. The first hour will be devoted to an update and instructions on eBay listings and shipping. The second hour will be a work session devoted to pricing and listing items for sale that have been contributed over the past two months. Feel free to come and listen and participate as much as you desire. New volunteers are welcome. Questions? Please contact Tony Kren.

Lunch Bunch Group - April 9th, 11:30 am

Join us for lunch on April 9 at Black N Bleu Restaurant, located at 6108 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg. Please sign up in the Gathering Place or contact Arnita Hawkins at (352) 630-5213. All are welcome!

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE

Palm Sunday - April 13th

Worship Services at 9 am and 11 am

Palm Sunday Reception at 10 am

The One Great Hour of Sharing Offering will be received.

Maundy Thursday - April 17th

Worship Service at 5:30 pm in the Gathering Place

Simple Supper and Communion

Good Friday - April 18th

Service of Tenebrae at 7:30 pm in the Meeting House

Join us for a moving reflection of Christ's death on the cross.

Easter Sunday - April 20th

Worship Services at 9 am and 11 am

Children's Easter Celebration at 10 am

Nursery for children 3 and under

One Great Hour of Sharing Offering to be received April 13

We began our observance of the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday with a reading of Isiah 58.   The prophet implores us to see those on the margins, the hungry and afflicted, as those for whom God holds great care. And so should we. Showing our love, sharing our love, is how we repair the breach in so many of our interactions in this world.

In this country and around the world, millions of people lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water, sanitation, education and opportunity. OGHS makes a difference through three programs: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People. These programs all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance works alongside communities as they recover and find hope after the devastation of natural or human-caused disasters.

Presbyterian Hunger Program takes action to alleviate hunger and the systemic causes of poverty so all may be fed.

Self-Development of People invests in communities responding to their experiences of racism, oppression, poverty and injustice and educates Presbyterians about the impact of these societal ills.

OGHS has been a catalyst for love for over 75 years. Your gifts help those who are fighting for basic needs and seeking to change the structures that perpetuate poverty, oppression and injustice. Your gifts bring a beacon of love and hope in our world and put the power of healing into the hands of those who need it most. Join us on April 13 and make the choice to implement love and justice, for they are the only currencies in God’s economy.

Adult Forum and Sunday School, Room 204

We return this week as we continue our Lenten Study, "He Choose the Nails" by Max Lucado. This week's lesson is titled "He Choose to Love Us Forever". This class is for all adults from 19 to 99! Come and join us to watch and to learn more about our faith. See you on Sunday!

New Adult Forum coming on June 1st! CE and Earth Care.

CE will be presenting a new Adult Forum on Sunday, June 1st, during the Sunday School hour. CE, along with the Earth Care team will present Reverend Kevin Long, of the Intertwined Ministry of Harrisburg. Rev. Long will present his ministry and the topic of Environmental Justice. This follows up on our topic last May as part of the local churches topic we presented on Environmental Justice. Seating will be limited so arrive early in Room 204 to get a spot!

Youth Church at 10:00 am, Room 112

Youth Church is our Sunday School program. We meet and sing, study our Bible, participate in arts and crafts, earth care, and much more. This class is for children from 6 to 18. Parents and grandparents are welcome and encouraged to attend and join in with our teachers, in our new home!

Preschool Sunday School, 10:00 am

Our Preschool program begins with singing together and will enjoy a lesson on Jesus and the Bible, crafts, earth care and storytelling. This class is for all children from 2 to 6. Parents and grandchildren are welcome to attend as well. Come and join us!

Wednesday Afternoon Adult Christian Education Book Class

For many years, a traditional Bible study has met on Wednesday afternoons and CE is continuing this long-standing tradition. We meet in the Parlor at 1:00 pm every Wednesday. We begin a new study by Max Lucado called "God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob's Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy, and God's Relentless Love" Come and learn, come and discuss. This class is for adults from 18 to 99.

Monday Bible Study - April 14th

All are invited to join this unique study. We meet 1 pm to 3 pm on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. We continue a new study of Revelations as we watch sessions by Rev. Gary Hambrick, from Leesburg, Virginia. Come and learn, come and discuss. This class is for adults from 18 to 99!

Young Adults Group, the Pathfinders!

New in 2025, CE and young leaders from SSPC have begun a new group for young adults over 18. For further information, contact Ty Headley or John Goff. This group is for young adults from 19 and older, single or married! This new effort is specifically for our young adults and they are leading this effort and charting their own course.

Young Families Christian Education Group

Also new in 2025, CE has begun a new effort for our young families. We are meeting one Sunday a month with young families for lunch and discussion. We are planning one or more events this summer featuring earth care, food, fun and fellowship built for our young families. All interested families can contact Scott Pepperman at puppytrainer52@aol.com or 717-389-5100 for more information.

Dining Out Group - April 29

Please join us for dinner at Fiddlers Bar & Grille at the Mayapple Golf Club on Tuesday, April 29th at 5:00 pm. You can sign up in the Gathering Place, or contact Jim Shoop at 717-761-7606. All are welcome!

Calling all those interested in Mahjongg! 

To further fulfill our mission of nurturing our church family through fellowship, we are starting a mahjong group for beginners and seasoned players. Mahjong is a game using tiles to match hands on a card. It’s a fun game that aids our cognitive function. Luck is involved so no worries about making mistakes. We will meet the second and fourth Tuesdays from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm in Rooms 202-203 beginning May 13th. May 13th, however, will be from 1:30-3:30.

If you are interested, please email me at wigginbarb@icloud.com. Please let me know if you are a beginner, a veteran, or a veteran with tiles. I might have to keep a waiting list as the numbers we can accommodate depend on the number of folks with tiles. We will also need card tables. I anticipate that the group will grow after folks learn the game. Questions? Please call me (Barb Wiggin) on my cell, 973-214-1394.

Vacation Bible School: June 22 - June 26, 2025

The CE Committee is very excited to announce plans for the SSPC 2025 Vacation Bible School. The dates are Sunday, June 22nd to Thursday, June 26th. VBS will be evenings only, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. It will include a light dinner, music, crafts, a Christian Education program, Earth Care and much more. The theme is "Jesus Rescues" and will include Jesus stories from the Bible where he rescues characters in the Bible. (Job, Daniel, Moses, etc., an idea from one of our Confirmation students, Jayme Whittle!) As always, many hands make for light work. If you are interested in helping in any way, contact Pastor Lisa or Scott Pepperman and Drew Crompton, co-chairs of CE. We will need help with food, decorations, crafts, music, and or course teaching! VBS-YES!

SSPC Name Badges

"At our Baptism, God called us by name!" How wonderful it is to be called by our name, especially on a Sunday morning in church! As we invite guests and new members into our church, it would be nice to have them know our names. If you have a name badge, I challenge you to wear it; if not, contact me and I will arrange to get you one. If you are a new member, let me know and I will get you one. Simply contact me, Scott Pepperman, at puppytrainer52@aol.com. The cost for each badge is $6. Once you receive your badge, simply give a check to the church office made out to "SSPC". If you lost your badge or magnet let me know and I will order a replacement.

Discount cards to support the SSPC youth

If you are interested in purchasing a Discount Card to help benefit our youth, please reach out to Scott Pepperman at puppytrainer52@aol.com or 717-389-5100 to request a card (each card is $15). The cards feature savings from 15 local businesses and restaurants. Checks can be made out to SSPC and given to the office or to Scott. For each card sold, the SSPC Christian Education program will make $10. We hope to sell 200 cards this year. The CE Youth appreciate your support and your prayers!

Tinner-Fehr Scholarship

Thanks to the Tinner/Fehr families, SSPC students have a wonderful opportunity. Applicants for this scholarship must be current, active members of SSPC and either a high school senior or college student committed to a career in human healthcare and/or a human healthcare-related field of study. To apply for the scholarship, they must write a short essay that includes, but is not limited to, listing of the colleges to which they are applying, chosen major, career goal, and explaining how SSPC has influenced their lives and future career choices. Please submit your essay to the Deacon Moderator (Shawn Marshall) or to the church office by May 15th.

Earth Care - Coming Soon:

The Gathering Place will soon have a bucket to collect used batteries. Watch for it. Batteries will be collected when the bucket is full and taken to Batteries Plus in Mechanicsburg.  

Guidelines for alkaline batteries: A, AA, C, D, and 9 volt:

Used batteries should be placed in sealable plastic bags. Up to 5 lbs are FREE, but larger quantities are $1.85 per pound.

Coming next week: additional guidelines for batteries other than alkaline batteries.

New Hope Ministries

Needs this month include: Pancake mix, pancake syrup, and dish detergent. Please place items in the bins located outside the Chapel. Thank you so much for your help to this local ministry!

CORE Youth Group

CORE will be meeting on Sunday, April 6th. We will be sharing a meal, doing a lesson and working on Lenten crosses for the Gathering Place and the Chapel. It will be a great time, learning some new skills and sharing fellowship.

CORE is from 6 pm to 8 pm in the CORE room, downstairs at the church in the Preschool on most Sundays. CORE is open to all youth from sixth to twelfth grade. CORE is about fellowship, service and Christian Education. Come and join us at our next meeting!

Confirmation Class this Sunday at 4:30 pm.

Prayers of healing and comfort:

Mike Evans, Nancy Kauhl, Forrest Adams, Nancy Thomas, Rich and Chris Sebring, Tom Gross, Pat Langdon, Margaret Glockner, Elizabeth Bentzel, Debbie Bitting, Betsy Eichelberger, Ron Kutz

Prayers of sympathy: Matt, Tracy and Nathan Wieseman; Lois DeHart and family; Carol Barstow and Susan Bruner on the death of Carol's sister

Prayers for our military members:

Olivia Chase, Justin Ledvina, Josiah Scandle, Wyatt La Pointe

Thank You

Thank you for all of the well-wishes and prayers during my recovery from knee surgery. I still have a lot of recovery ahead but am improving and looking forward to getting back to normal activities.

Nancy Kauhl

GIVING OF YOUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS ELECTRONICALLY:

1- Direct Link to our Website:

https://onrealm.org/silverspring/-/give/now



2- If you’d like the church to set up contributions for you, please complete and return the attached form by clicking here.

For questions, please email Diane Rabold, Business Manager, at dianer@silverspring.org.



Please Note:

To submit information for the weekly announcements, please email Priscilla in the church office by Thursday morning. Please note that we reserve the right to edit articles due to space and can only publish information directly related to church-sponsored events.