Pine Trees Know When It’s Easter

Pine trees start their growth in the weeks before Easter --- if you look at the tops of the Pine trees two weeks before, you will see the yellow shoots. As the days get closer to Easter Sunday, the tallest shoot will branch off and form a cross. By the time Easter Sunday comes around,

you will see that most of the Pinetrees will have small yellow crosses on all of the tallest shoots.”

Easter Sunrise Service @ White Chapel

7am-Pastor Jeff will be sharing the message

Easter Sunday Service @ Leesburg9:45 Sunday School11am Worship

60+ @ White ChapelThursday, April 6th @ 12pm

Old Timer’sMonday, April 24th @ 11:30am.

Pickle Harris

Tom & Dotty Lewis

April 9th & 23rd

7th Charlotte Yeager & Margaret Ifft14th Pat & Prugh Barger21st George & Betsy Horchler28th Gordon Hensel & Bob Frisk

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO HELP! Here is a list of volunteers for April…..

Date Liturgist Greeter Nursery Prayer Leader 2nd Amelia Weleler Jake Lowry Travis Weller

9th Nathan Collins Jack Riley M. Jaszemski Kathy Schepp16th Pete Grimm K. McConnell M. Jaszemski Maryann Collins23rd Sophia Martin K. Jaszemski Kevin Jaszemski30th Gabby Collins Rick Martin Tom Booth

Each of us now has the opportunity to find the answer to these questions.

The Worship Committee will create a Garden of Gethsemane setting within our church sanctuary for the ninth year in a row, and each of us will have the opportunity to pray in the garden between 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 13th until 8 p.m. Friday, April 14th. You may stop in any time, day or night. There will be security during the evening and night-time hours. The lights will be dimmed and there will be soft music. This is a quiet, private time for each participant so, while you may nod to one another in passing, this is not a visiting time.

We are asking for additional volunteers to sign up for one hour time frames so that we know that there will be someone ‘awake’ in the garden during the entire 24-hour period. Perhaps this could be a Lenten commitment for each of us. The sign-up sheet is on the podium beginning on March 26. We are also looking for security volunteers, and donations of plants to be used during this event. Please mark your plants with your name in some way and have them at the church by 5 p.m. on April 12th. You may pick them up to take home anytime during the week after Easter. We have invited the community churches to stop in to pray in our Garden.

Can you do as Jesus asked? Can you stay and pray a while with Him?

**If you have any plants or greenery that you would be willing to have placed in the Garden for the prayer time, please have them at the church by 5pm on April 12th.

EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY COMING TO LEESBURG’S CHURCH FAMILY

Each of the four gospel writers relay the events of the evening of what we now call Maundy Thursday – the night of the Last Supper, the night Jesus prayed in the garden at Gethsemane. (Matt26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:40-53; John 18:1-11). Jesus struggled in prayer. “Releasing” His burden to the Father’s will, he prayed “if possible, let this cup pass…yet not my will, but Thine be done.” The full text of Matt. 26:36-44 reads this way.

“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be ‘grieved and distressed’. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.’ And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt’ And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, thy will be done.’ And again, He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more….”

Have you ever thought about being in the garden near Jesus that night? Have you ever wondered what it would have been like? Could you have stayed awake? How would you have felt when Jesus found you asleep? Could you not have prayed for just one hour?

At our March 12th congregational meeting, the 2016 Audit was discussed, voted and passed. Thanks to the audit committee: James Schepp, Kathy McConnell & Stacey Booth.

2016 Statistical Report: January 1, 2017 Membership 179 2016 Gains 2 2016 Losses by Death, Letter of Transfer, Removal from roll 4 Statistical Report as of December 31, 2016 177

May dates of interest---2nd Mission Shaped Church Mtg @ 6:30pm3rd Ladies Bible Study @ 10am

Choir Practice @ 7pm4th 60+ @ LPC-Pastor Jeff & Kim to present8th-10th Pastor Jeff at conference9th Lions Club @ 6pm10th Ladies Bible Study @ 10am

Choir Practice @ 7pm11th Deacons Mtg @ 6pm16th Election Day-Downstairs reserved all day17th Ladies Bible Study @ 10am

Choir practice @ 7pm18th Coyote presentation 6-8:30pm22nd Old Timer’s @ 11:3023rd Lions Club @ 6pm24th Ladies Bible Study @ 10am

Choir Practice @ 7pm

25th Ladies Dinner 6pm @ EatNPark28th Children’s Church31st Ladies Bible Study @10am

Choir practice @ 7pmRemember these friends in prayer:

Jim McAllister Patty Brest Dee McAdam Norm Black Beth Hillmar Jim ScheppDale Robbins Anna Booth Family Jim FifeLiz Pearson Midge Minnick Bruce HostetlerJudy Poole Carol Smith Unborn Baby CarolineRandy Barnes Bob Rouse John Ashcroft

Charlene Gargasz Sonja Miller Julie Strouss’ Mom Shaw Rd Accident Victims

SPAGHETTI DINNERand Basket Raffle

sponsored by Volant Lion’s Club – Thursday, April 6th from 4 – 7 p.m.

at Leesburg Church.

Adults-$8.00 under 12-$4.00 Come out and support

the great work our local Lion’s provide.

Dinner Theater – reservations need to be made with Stacey Booth 724-533-4288 Adults $19

Ages 5-10 - $10 Age 4 & under - $4

Dates: April 21, 22, 28, & 29 Dinner Served - 6:30 p.m.

The Cub Scouts completed their “cap” project. It is now hanging on the slide in the playground area. Thank you to everyone who helped with this project and by saving your

bottle caps. Special thanks to the Schepp family for hanging it.

The following was found when the library was dismantled.

It was in a scrapbook that Dorothy Bishop kept.Even though Dorothy & Nell have left us to receive their reward, the statement is true “prayer does change things!” Have a prayer need, contact Missy Davies.

2nd Jennalee Vaughn 22nd Ruth Curfman 3rd Connie Lowry 24th Nicole Barr

Brandi Lowry 26th Lane Dess 10th TJ Schepp Sophia Martin 11th Zachary Riemer 29th Bill Turner15th Aaron Shawgo Nicole Patterson20th Pat Woods 30th David Gomola

Allyson Rynd31st Anna Ifft

9th Brad & Phyllis Smith 1983 11th Tom & Stacey Booth 1987 13th Rick & Kathy Dillaman 1985

Our third annual Touch A Truck event will be held here on Saturday, June 24, a few days following VBS. We are excited about the planning and are expecting both better weather and a larger crowd! The time

has been established as 10-2 for the public, and 8:30-9:30 for setup. If you know of anyone who would enjoy

sharing an interesting vehicle with kids of all ages, please let Dick Welton or Phyllis Smith know. More info to follow, but it is not too early to start praying for this unique opportunity to establish relationships in our community.

SAVE THE DATES!!!! June 17-22 Leesburg will be hosting VBS. 6:00-8:30pm each night.

Mark your calendars!!!

Our condolences are extended to the family of Anna Booth on her passing on March 26th.

SAMARITAN SHOEBOX DONATIONS

THANK YOU for your continued support of donations. This month, April, we are asking for your

donations of COLORING BOOKS AND CRAYONS. The following items will continue to be accepted: Stuffed Animals, Toothbrushes, Washcloths & “BAR” Soap…….“The more we get, the more shoeboxes we can fill” We can NO LONGER accept toothpaste or candy, sorry!

       Men’s Walk #101 October 12-15 and      Women’s Walk #102, October 19-22. 

Family Resource Center, Cranberry Twp., PA See Missy Davies, Agnes Curfman or Sandy Yarian for more details

Mark your calendar and plan to bring your children, grandchildren, neighbor children, etc. to our Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 15th, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. For children up to 5th gradePizza and chips are planned

for lunch.

We need your donations of WRAPPED candy, gum, stickers, & trinkets that will fit in the plastic eggs. They can be dropped off in the box in the church office.

The Deacons are reorganizing their list of volunteers for funerals and baking cakes. Are you on the list and would you be willing to stay on the list? If you are not on the list, would you be willing to be added and receive a call

when help is needed? Please let the office know or contact one of the Deacons.

Leesburg Jr. & Sr Christian Endeavor

April 2-8John, Lisa, JR & Wiley Schepp 1236 Mercer-New Wilmington Rd, NW 16142Josh, Amanda & Carter Schepp 1266 Franklin Rd., Jackson Center 16133

April 9-15John Setzer, 222 W. Poplar St, GC 16127Martha Shaw, 1778 Perry Hwy, Volant 16156

April 16-22Leesburg Lighthouse “Murder’s in the Heir” castBrad & Phyllis Smith, 105 Poplar Forest Dr. Slippery Rock 16057

April 23-29Marc & Brenda Smoker, 711 Leesburg Station Rd, Volant 16156Debbie Sonntag, 27 Leesburg Rd., Volant 16156

April 30-May 4Judy Steele, 2902 Leesburg Volant Rd., Volant 16156Jon & Karen Stewart, 208 Woodland Ave., GC 16127

Sunday, February 12th was

Compassion Sunday. Do you sponsor a child? If so, would you share their picture and information to be shared on a Sunday in April or May? Please contact the church office if you’re interested in sharing your sponsored child’s information.