Come celebrate Fat Tuesday with breakfast for dinner.  All proceeds support the fall Men's Retreat.    

2/22 Ash Wednesday services

• 11:30 am (Marvin) Communion and the imposition of ashes
• 7:30 pm  (Hughes UMC, 10700 Georgia Ave, Wheaton) A community service

Cover story: Back to Church, by Rev. Kirkland Reynolds

Join us as we head into a time to prepare, to be enlightened, and to use our gifts to benefit our learning and growth. No coupons needed.

Fall Highlights:

9/4 Labor in the Pulpits Sunday
A time to give thanks for fruitful labor and reflect on the importance of secure, dignifying work.

9/11 A Day of Memory and Hope
As we remember the events of September 11, 2001 and pray for God’s healing of our broken world. (pg 6)

10/2 World Communion Sunday
Commissioning our UMVIM team to serve in Virginia

10/9 “Change the World” Sunday
Celebrate our experiences of serving in the community and begin 4-week series on offering ourselves fully to God. (pg 8)

10/16 Children & Youth Sabbath Sunday (pg 13)

10/30 “Change the World” Stewardship Commitment Sunday (pg 17)

11/6 All Saints Sunday
Remembering the saints who have gone on before us as witnesses to God’s love and grace.

And much more! Download the Messenger to read it today!

We are still planning on having our hotdog cookout and potluck in the Woodside fellowship hall after Worship in the Park Sanctuary. Please bring your favorite side dish or dessert to share.

This first Cooperative Parish All-Church retreat will be an opportunity to celebrate our cooperative community and help us welcome summer! For information please contact Elaine Upton at uptonelaine@gmail.com.

To attend, please fill out this Registration Form for the Churchwide Retreat at West River June 3-5, 2011

See pg.14 of our Spring Messenger for more info.

April 17: Palm Sunday

Worship at 9:30 AM at Marvin UMC and 11:00 AM at Woodisde UMC

April 21: Maundy Thursday

Service 7:30 PM at Marvin UMC

April 22: Good Friday

Noon Crosswalk through downtown Silver Spring. Meet at Woodside UMC

Brahms' Requiem: Worship & Music at 7:30 PM at Woodside

The Chancel Choir together with Hughes UMC, Takoma Park Singers, and Christ Congregational Church UCC present: Brahms' German Requiem.  Nae Pearson, conducting. Natalie Barrens, soprano. Kenneth Webb, bass. Sterling Williams, bass. Chorus and Orchestra. Singers Representing: Hughes United Methodist Church, Takoma Park Singers, Christ Congregational Church, UCC, Silver Spring United Methodist Cooperative Parish (Woodside and Marvin Memorial).  FREE ADMISSION  

April 23: Community Easter Egg Hunt

10am-12pm Saturday at Woodside and Woodside Park in Silver Spring

Youth Event Easter Vigil and Lock-in 8:00pm at Woodside

April 24: Easter

Sunrise Service 6:30 AM in the garden at Woodside UMC. Light breakfast to follow.

Worship Service 9:30 AM at Marvin UMC

Worship Service 11:00 AM at Woodside UMC

Last day to order Easter flowers is 4/15

Revs. Rachel Cornwell and Kirkland Reynolds discuss the history and meaning of Lent, followed by the programs and opportunities available during the 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter at the Silver Spring United Methodist Cooperative Parish (Maryland) in 2011. Come join us for the journey!

• 2011 Visioning Process for the Cooperative Parish, page 1
• Pastor's Note by  Rev. Kirkland, page 2
• Music Notes, page 4
• The Sandwich makers, page 7
• Rock Retreat - notes and photos, pages 10-11
• All-Church Retreat news, page 14
• Birthdays & Announcements, page 18

Sign up and join others in study, conversation and prayer as we discern how God is calling us as a Cooperative Parish to serve others in the name of Christ. There are times offered at all points during the week, so we hope you'll be able to participate in this parish-wide conversation. 

Please see review these times and locations to see what works best for you, then sign up this Sunday! Questions? Contact Rev. Kirkland at (301)587-1215 or email info@silverspringumcp.org

Lenten 5-Week Small Group Schedule:     

• Tuesdays

  7:30-8:30pm Jenni Byers & Brandon Corbin's home. Contact Jenni Byers and Francis Thompson

• Wednesdays

  11am-12pm at the Marvin Prayer Fellowship. Contact Marilyn Parr and Rev. Kirkland

  7-8pm at Beth and Aaron Siirila's home. Contact Beth Siirila and Delores Pinkney

• Thursdays

  12-12:45pm at the Woodside Thrift Shop. Contact Margaret Madert and Marie Matthews

  7-8pm at Jeanne Ferber's home. Contact Jeanne Ferber and Matt Eidson  

• Saturdays

  9:30-11:30am Yoga & Study at Woodside (with childcare).Contact Sarah Park and Rev. Rachel

• Sundays

  9:30-10:30am Woodside Adult Sunday School. Contact Rev. Katherine Brown

  9:30-10:30am Youth Sunday School Class. Contact Marie Matthews and Joey Heath 

  6-7pm in the Marvin Library. Contact Rev. Katherine Brown  

In addition to the weekly groups above we'll have:     

• DC lunch group -- will meet on March 22 and April 19 from 12pm-1pm (location TBD). Contact Randy Roberson and Rev. Kirkland. 

• The youth group  -- will also participate in this study at 9:30am on Sundays during Lent in the Youth Room at Woodside. Contact Marie Matthews. 

• Brahms’ Requiem Study -- In preparation for the Choral presentation of Brahms’ Requiem on Good Friday, we will be offering a small group study during Lent called “Sowing Tears, Reaping Joy: The Bible and Brahms’ Requiem.” We will listen to movements of the Requiem and study Biblical passages that go along with it. Study leaders will include Revs. Rachel and Kirkland, Rev. Ken Hawes from Hughes UMC, and Mary Ann Willow. We’ll meet Tuesdays 7-8 pm March 15, 22, and 29 (at Hughes) and April 5 and 12 (at Woodside). 

Our Cooperative Parish is preparing to enter a season of spiritual engagement to discern the future of our ministry and mission. Through a five-week Bible study series called “Does Your Church Have a Prayer?”In Mission toward the Promised Land (and the answer is yes!) you are invited to gather in small groups to share in fellowship, study the Bible, and allow your voice to be heard. Through this parish-wide season of sharing and study, we hope to further discern how we may live into the reality of Jesus’ prayer for our cooperative parish. Based on the understanding that Jesus’ prayer for his disciples in John 17 includes us as well, we will consider how we can live into the reality of Jesus’ prayer for our parish.

You are invited to allow your voice to be heard as you travel this Lenten journey of faith with others in our parish through prayer, participation in small group study, worship, and mission and outreach opportunities. In particular, small groups will be offered at various times and locations throughout Lent. We invite you to commit yourself in this season to gather with others in the parish, through prayer, study and fellowship, and be a part of our discerning how we may see our own mission and ministry as a movement into God’s promises for us. 

These Lenten small groups will meet for five weeks, beginning on Sunday, March 12. We invite you to consider joining one of our groups.

Church activities are canceled today, including tonight's Adult Bible Study on "Five Practices of Fruitful Living." Please join us next week!

The church office follows the Federal Government's inclement weather policy and will be open today from 11am-3pm.

Highlight include:

• Claiming Hope Amid Change: Bishop Schol preached and prayed at both churches of our Cooperative Parish
• What makes a house a home: The dedication of the Interfaith House
• Mobile Food Pantry: 2nd Tuesdays at Marvin Memorial
• Children's Outreach: New this fall, the Kids With Purpose program
• Volunteers in Mission: Nicaragua Trip
• Mens' and Womens' Retreats
• And so much more!

Don't forget: Entries for the Spring Messenger, due by February 10th (to cover March, April, May). Email entries to: communications@silverspringumcp.org

Mark your calendars for our Cooperative Parish Advent Celebration after the worship service at Woodside. All are invited to kick off the holiday season with food, fun and fellowship!  Please bring a pot luck dish to share.

We will make Christmas cards, box Christmas cookies for the care packages for our sick and shut-ins, sing Christmas carols and make Christmas crafts. This year there will be a Secret Santa Shop for children in Room 22. Children can shop for Christmas gifts for siblings, parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends. There will also be a section for adults to purchase gifts. All gifts purchased will be wrapped.

If you choose to contribute online, online giving cards that acknowledge your gift are available in the pews for you to place in the offering plate, or you may use the offertory time to pray in thanksgiving to God and recommit yourself to God's mission.