Week of September 10, 2023

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest. 
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (NLT)

Matthew:  Our Sunday morning Bible study is back!  Starting this Sunday September 10, join us in Trumbull Hall at 9 am as we begin a chapter-by-chapter walk through the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew emphasizes Jesus' role as the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament and is filled with Jesus' sermons, parables, and teaching, as well as the story of His birth, ministry, death and resurrection.  
And of course our weekday Bible discussion meets at 10 am on Wednesday mornings  in Trumbull Hall at the Etna church.  The Wednesday discussions are based on the previous Sunday morning's sermon.  
We look forward to seeing you at one or both!  

Alpha starts Monday night:  Alpha is a night of eating and group discussion. We look at some of the big questions of life, the answers that the Christian faith gives to those questions, and then everyone is invited to share their own thoughts in a safe and judgement-free space. You're invited, no matter your background or beliefs. It's completely free  and there's no pressure to come back.  Church members and regular attenders are welcome, too.  We ask you to sign up either via the link below or there's a paper sign-up sheet available in Trumbull Hall. 

Mondays @ 6:30 pm
Trumbull Hall in Etna
Starting this coming Monday September 11, 2023
https://etnahanovercenterchurch.org/alpha

Livestreaming Sunday morning services:  Join us online for Sunday morning if you cannot join us in person!  We launched our new livestreaming platform last Sunday, and it promises to be a marked improvement in the audio and video quality that we're able to provide  you.  

• You can join church online right from our website from any device or from our new app for Android and Apple devices. 
• It's possible to watch the livestream completely anonymously, but if you're a church member or regular attender, or if you simply want to use the livestream's chat feature, you'll need to log on.  If you want to use chat, you'll need to create an account, which is easy!  Watch Pastor Chris's dandy video (see below) and/or click here for more information.
• All chatting will be text chat. You will not be able to turn your video camera or your microphone on. 
• We've put together a short video tutorial as well as more detailed written instructions. Use these if you have any trouble figuring things out.

We thank and praise God for the technology that allows our (His) church family's connections to extend beyond the physical boundaries of a building.   We look forward to your joining us live in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings, or livestreaming if attending in-person isn't an option for you.  

New Middle School / High School Youth Group:  Isaac Lambert is leading our new program for middle and high school youth, and we couldn't be more excited! They are meeting twice a month on Sunday mornings during the worship service and once a month on Wednesday nights for a fun night. The next Sunday morning meeting will be on September 17.  For more info, please send us an email.  We thank Isaac, and we thank and praise God for leading Issac to take up this essential part of our ministry to the church and the community.

LISTEN Updates:   ...I was hungry and you fed Me... when you fed the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing it for Me.  Matthew 25:35, 40

LISTEN dinner -- Our team is signed up for the dinner in WRJ on Tuesday, Sept. 12.  We could still use 1-2 more volunteers for the second shift that evening: 4:15-5:45.  These jobs enable interacting with the dinner guests, not just working in the kitchen.  We'll train you!  Contact Laurie Wadsworth for more information, for your questions, or of course to volunteer!

LISTEN is also looking for volunteers for their food pantry in Lebanon:Volunteers needed for the Food Pantry.  Volunteer slots available Monday – Friday between 9 am and 4:30 pm. A variety of time slots available for 2, 3 or 4 hours. We need help packing groceries, registering customers, sorting vegetables, stocking shelves, unloading trucks and cleaning.  See our calendar at https://listen.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/foodpantry
For more information, email LISTEN by clicking here

Fall Rummage Sale:  The Fall Etna Ladies Aid Rummage Sale will be Friday, September 29th, noon to 6 pm and Saturday, September 30th, 9 am to 1 pm in Trumbull Hall, Etna.

$5 a bag after 11 am on Saturday.

Donations of clean, seasonal clothing, jewelry, and small household items in good condition accepted at Trumbull Hall Tuesday to Thursday (September 26 - 28). Please, no books, CDs, electronics, or exercise equipment.

All the funds raised are used to serve the community.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Goings On at and Around Church:  Important Dates
Here's a list of important activities and dates that are on the horizon even now. As always, you can also check the church calendar for goings-on.

• Monday, September 11 @ 6:30 pm - Launch of “the Alpha Course” (see above)
• Fall Fest Saturday - October 14
• Vision Weekend - October 21-22
• Joyful Bells Christmas Concert - December 10 @ 1:30 pm