He is risen! Come rejoice with us at 7AM  Easter morning as we celebrate our Risen Lord.  Breakfast after the service in the social hall.

Where are the eggs? How many Eggs? Who gets the golden egg? All questions on the minds of some young hunters last Sunday as the children from our Church Family spread out across the Parsonage to hunt for eggs and prizes. Of course the old folks had a great time as well, offering encouragement and sometimes some surreptitious guidance. Lots of prizes for the golden eggs, and the person with the most eggs. Some eggs even had money in them. Of course all of this is in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord this Sunday. He is Risen.

The Holy Thursday Communion Service will be Thursday April 17th at 7PM.  All are welcome.

Lots and lots of Chicken and BBQ was served by the Providence VFD. This event is always very popular and is a major fundraiser for our F.D. Thanks to all who helped prepare the food, and brought desserts for the event. Looking forward to it next year.

As some of you may know, there was a problem 2 weeks ago with the drain system for the bathrooms at the church. Trustees consulted with local experts and came to the conclusion that both septic systems had failed and needed to be replaced. Starting Wednesday (April 9) this work has been accomplished by Crosby Backhoe Service. We now have new systems on both sides of the church that hopefully will last a really long time. The bonus is that there are now concrete sidewalks going to both side entrances to the Church, and that small first step has been eliminated. Here are some photos of the work in process.

Sunday, April 6th was our 9th annual team recognition day service.  Kenneth Shuler addressed the congregation with a brief descriptioin of the league, the history of the field, recognized alumni of past teams, and introduced the coaches for each team.  The coaches in turn introduced their players and gave them patches and stickers. After the service BBQ chicken and hot dogs were enjoyed by all.

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt is Sunday, April 13th at 3:00 P.M. Bring your baskets and get ready to find lots of eggs!

A great crowd at the church for the annual worship service to recognize the Providence Hurricanes as part of the Dixie Youth League. A large number of the 102 players in the league were present for recognition. After the service, there was a fabulous Chicken or Hot Dog lunch served by the Church. Thanks to all who helped put this event together, and to the cooks who prepared this amazing repast.

God often uses the trivial or discarded things of this world to bring bountiful blessings to others,   even things on which we do not put a great value. If someone gave you an old wooden pallet, would it make a difference in your life?

The rainy season has started unseasonably early in South Sudan and with it the flooding of fields, crops, and even roads.   Traditionally people move from their homes to cattle camps in the highlands and wait out the 4-6 month season of heavy rains,  an annual and cyclical inconvenience.    This season however, over 1 million people fled their homes during the severe fighting and dare not return or venture to the highlands in the midst of a war that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of innocent civilians.     Such people have been clustered into crowded camps and settlements to find refuge from the fighting … living in makeshift shelters with earthen floors.   With the torrential rains, the lives of the million women, children and men in cramped quarters have gone from harsh to horrible as water pours in where they sit, they eat, and they sleep.  Such is the predicament for the thousands of refugee IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) who are camped a short walk from our home here in Juba, the capital city of South Sudan.

                                          

                         The IDP (refugee) camps in Juba were flooded just after one heavy rain

Which brings us to the pallets.   Outside our storeroom, where we have received hundreds of boxes of medicine and relief supplies each month, sits a pile of 75 neglected wooden pallets collecting  dust.  “What are you intending on doing with these?” I asked Bill.     “Firewood”, he replied jokingly, thinking back to our native Maine (the temperature reached 108 degrees in South Sudan today).

Considering the predicament of the hundreds of families living in tents, we contacted a group working in the refugee camp and offered the pallets to those who needed them.  They were elated that we had such a practical solution to a pressing problem … and the pallets were taken away in short order.

 

The Bible often talks about small things: mustard seeds, five loaves of bread, a cup of cold water … God can use the minor and seemingly insignificant things in this world to bless His people!   He does it time and time again…..even through people like us.

Love in Christ,

Ann and Bill

Saturday, April 19 is the Annual Children’s Ministries Craft Fair and Bake Sale. The event runs from 10AM to 3 PM, and includes craft concessions. Homemade soup and cornbread will be available. Also that same day will be a Pet Care clinic at the church. So two great reasons to come out and support our Church Family. This is a major fund raiser for the Children’s Ministries, so looking forward to seeing all of you there.