February 20, 2025

Church News

Feb 24^th RISE Board meeting
March 4^thSarah Circle - Asbury Room
March 4^th Shrove Tuesday Supper - Rodda Hall 5:30 pm
March 5^th Ash Wednesday Service 7:30 pm
March 13^th Interfaith Iftar Dinner - Rodda Hall 6:30 pm
March 22^nd Masterwork Chorus Concert - Sanctuary
March 30^th UMCOR Sunday
April 1^stSarah Circle - Asbury Room
April 27^th Flutes and Friends CUMC Benefit Concert - Sanctuary
May 11^th Brunch Church / Mother's Day

Prayers Lifted on

Sunday Feb 16th

Of healing, for the family of Brian Taylor.
For God's peace and comfort to all who are grieving the death of Brian Taylor.
For Dolly M. who is in hospice care with cancer. Surround her and her family. Ron
For Kris Z. who is in hospice care.
For those who wake up with worry in the middle of the night.
For Ukraine and for Dr. Igor and his staff in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
For all who are seeking employment.
Of gratitude for all who are caring for pets in animal shelters.
Of gratitude for the continuing ceasefire in Gaza.

Sunday’s 10:00 am service on February 23rd will feature The Ukulele Orchestra performing My Sisters and Brothers by Charles Johnson and Take Me To The River by Thelma Costolo and Alex Yurkiv. Join us!

The next program hosted by the Suburban Music Study Club taking place in the CUMC sanctuary will be the Grace Gimbel Scholarship Competition on Sunday, March 16th from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm All are invited to hear six amazing, young classical musicians perform and compete for scholarships!

April’s morning of classical music hosted by the SMSC will be Classical Does Broadway on Thursday, April 10th at 10:30 am with Lauryn Byrne, Timmie Cole, and Ronald Campbell, vocalists, with Peter Hill, piano. The three performers of classical training will perform pieces of musical theatre both old and new! All are invited to this free recital.

Click Here to Sign Up

Adult Discussion Group

“If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.”

There’s a wonderful scene in the film “Les Misérables” in which Jean Valjean is caught by the police for stealing silverware from a priest. He’s brought back to the priest, who tells the police that the silverware was a gift to Jean. He dismisses the police, who leave Jean Valjean in the priest’s custody. Before running away again, Jean Valjean is given two brass candlesticks and a blessing by the priest. “Do not withhold your shirt….”

Has something like this ever happened to you? Come join our discussion in the Asbury room after worship on Sunday.

Questions? Contact Ronald Yarger at ryarger@optonline.net

You're Invited!

Lenten Small Groups

Begin Sunday March 9th

Wherever you may be on your faith journey, we welcome you to connect with fellow pilgrims for conversation, reflection, prayer, and community during the six-week season of Lent. Each group meeting lasts approximately one hour, and participants are welcome to attend one, some, or all sessions. Our guide and companion through the season will be the daily devotional Living Well Through Lent 2025: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit In Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind. It offers a holistic approach to receiving and sharing God’s transformative love. Print copies are available in the church office, and it is offered in various electronic formats. Groups will meet in “hybrid” format – in person in the Asbury Room and via Zoom on:

Sundays (3/9 – 4/13) at 11:15 am (Ron Yarger, facilitator)

Mondays (3/10 – 4/14) at 7:00 pm (Pastor Sharon Yarger, facilitator)

For further information or to receive the Zoom invitations contact

Associate Pastor Sharon Yarger at scyarger@optonline.net

Library News

CUMC Happenings

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

March 4th at 5:30 PM

Come and enjoy conversation and fellowship over a delicious meal of

pancakes and more!

We’ll have pancake races, singing,

and a ritual with

last year’s palms,

which will become the ashes for Ash Wednesday on March 5th.

Free will offering will be taken for RISE Mission Trip 2025.

Ash Wednesday Service

March 5th at 7:30 PM

Ash Wednesday worship service and the distribution of ashes

will be held in the Sanctuary on

March 5th at 7:30 PM

Looking Ahead

Easter Lilly Dedication Forms

Coming Soon!!

Our church has been invited once again to host an Iftar Dinner which ends the fast of each day in the season of Ramadan for observant Muslim believers.

The Iftar Dinner begins after the sun goes down - on March 13th that will be at 7:02 PM. Before we eat we’ll have a brief program and prayer starting at 6:30 PM that will explain some of the history of Ramadan, as well as some time for interfaith Q+A.

We hope you will join us for what promises to be a very enjoyable evening of delicious food and great company. We are limited to the first 100 people to RSVP.

To sign up, click here and fill out the form. Thank you!

Thank you!

Community Events

Faith Formation at CUMC

Sunday Morning Faith Formation

Whirl Kids (4^th grade and younger) meets the second and fourth Sundays of each month during part of the 10:00 am worship service. Children leave the worship service after the scripture reading and are led down the hallway to Classroom 6. Parents and other adults from our congregation lead the group in singing, Bible reading, a fun video and activities related to the day’s scripture reading. Parents/caregivers pick their children up at the conclusion of the worship service.

Middle School (grades 5-8) meets each Sunday at 11:15 am in the Library. Under the leadership of Matthew Beland, this group explores the day’s scripture reading through conversation and activities designed for growing together in our faith

High School (grades 9-12) meets each Sunday at 11:15 am in the Wesley Room. Under the leadership of Pastor Sharon Yarger, the group gathers for conversation around the day’s scripture reading and current event topics, as we seek to grow together in our faith

Questions? Interested in getting involved? Contact Pastor Sharon Yarger at scyarger@optonine.net or at the church office.

To support the community and ministries here at Chatham UMC.

Feel free to keep writing checks, or giving through our website, or now through Zelle!

Thank you for your generous support of our community and ministries here at Chatham UMC!

With Gratitude, The CUMC Finance Team

Food Distribution

Many thanks to the Madison Elks Lodge for collecting and dropping off canned food to the CUMC Community Food Pantry this morning. The Madison Elks are regular donors who contribute monthly. Also to the ECLC School in Chatham who held a Superbowl collection drive in aid of the food pantry. Our community taking care of each other.