For those of you that stepped forward to house students, thank you so much! You will be receiving an email with details. The concert for the Maryville College Choir is March 6, Thursday evening at 7:00 pm. I hope that we can provide an excellent audience for them. For those of you that felt like you could not host at this time, there are other ways to help. They plan to arrive around 3:30 that afternoon. There are plans to provide a meal for them at 5:15 in the Britt Room. I will need help with set up and serving and clean up. Some kind people (thank you!) donated $ for the meal, so that will be ordered from Grandy’s. That’s another way to help. Anyone wanting to provide cookies for dessert (no nuts), please email me and let me know. We are feeding around 50 people. Thank you in advance for being the terrific hosts that we always are at SSPC! It has been a long while (at least 5 years) since we have hosted a touring choir, so I really appreciate our ability to do so!

Another thank you is in order for all those that supported yet another successful year of Island Concert Association’s February Festival. The board is especially grateful for the use of the sanctuary and building and quarterly support of this concert series. It is a very strong outreach to the community that has been around for over 40 years! Audiences were incredibly responsive, and we packed the house each week! Plans are underway for next year’s season which promises yet more world class performers. Our board is a hard-working group: Mark Lochstampfor, President; Ellen Smith, Recording Secretary; Anna Henry, Corresponding Secretary; Tom Haughney, Treasurer; Faith Hamilton-Trent; Ellen Kuehm; Sandy Gamble, Webmaster; Rhonda Hambright, Artistic Director; and Suzanne Morrison, Past President. If you are interested in being a part of this board, let me know. We have a good time together preparing for and hosting these concerts.

February was an active month! Rev. Jim Jackson preached an especially poignant sermon to end our homage to Black History Month. The response to the music was very positive – don’t worry – we have many more spirituals and spirit-filled anthems in the music library and you have the hardest working choir around! March 2 brings Holy Communion and Transfiguration Sunday. The Chancel Choir will sing a Shaker Tune – Followers of the Lamb arranged by Philip Dietterich. Rev. Matthew Rhodes will be preaching. We will sing the last “Alleluias” for a while on that Sunday.

On Wednesday, March 5, there will be drive thru ashes in the front of the church. Check elsewhere in the newsletter for times. That same day, don’t forget to come to the Lent Event at 5:00 with dinner at 6:00 pm. The service will be after dinner at 6:45 pm.

The following Sunday begins the Lenten season and is a favorite of many, Youth Sunday! Music will be on the contemporary mix side, with The Bell Squad (Chase Busby, Graham Holland, Liam Holland, and Ethan Tsai) accompanying Lindsay Holland playing the flute with handbells. Emmeline Griffith will play a trombone solo and we will hear preaching from our seniors Kate Head and Brayden Neill. The 8:30 and 10:30 services will be identical except for the creative things that will inevitably go on during a worship service.

There’s a lot going on – but that keeps us faithful, busy, and out of trouble (for the most part)!

Love & Gratitude,

Rhonda

WE ARE CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE ASSOCIATE PASTOR NOMINATING COMMITTEE, DEACONS, ELDERS, AND TRUSTEES.

One responsibility of membership in the church is the election of lay members to serve as church officers who are ordained to fulfill particular functions within the congregation. The existence of these offices in no way diminishes the importance of the commitment of all members to the total ministry of the church.

You can learn more about each of the church officer roles (deacons, elders, and trustees) by clicking the button below as well as submit a name(s) of individuals you believe the Nominating Committee should consider. Please note that nominating an individual does not mean that they will automatically become a church officer. Rather, the Nominating Committee will include all submitted names in their discernment process as they go about selecting the final slate of nominees who will be presented for congregational approval.

Chancel Flowers Calendar:

Please look for the new 2025 flower sign-up list on the bulletin boards outside of the Social Hall.

Sunday, March 2

8:30 am Early Worship - Sanctuary

9:00 am Confirmation Class - Youth Suite

9:30 am Sunday School - Various Locations

10:30 am Late Worship - Sanctuary

11:30 am Christian Education Meeting - Youth Suite

5:00 pm Youth Group - Youth Suite

Monday, March 3

9:00 am Manna House - 1408 G Street

6:30 pm Al-Anon Meeting - John Law

Tuesday, March 4

7:00 am Youth Devotions -Yellow Deli

9:30 am Staff Meeting - Upper Room

10:00 am PW Leadership Council - John Law

8:00 pm Codependents Anon - John Law

Wednesday, March 5

8:00 am Drive thru Ashes - Front Drive (ends at 1PM)

9:00 am Hands and Heart Quilting Ministry - Music Attic

10:00 am Grief Support Group - Parlor

10:00 am Men's Bible Study - Upper Room

11:00 am Early Music Ensemble - Rhonda's Office

3:00 pm Chancel Ensemble - Sanctuary

4:00 pm Kidz Crew - Veranda

5:00 pm Chancel Ringers - Sanctuary

5:00 pm Lent Event - Social Hall

6:00 pm Wednesday Night Supper - Social Hall

6:45 pm Ash Wednesday Worship - Sanctuary

7:30 pm Chancel Choir - Sanctuary

Thursday, March 6

10:00 am Women's Bible Study - Upper Room

4:00 pm Buildings and Grounds - John Law

7:00 pm Maryville College Choir - Sanctuary

Friday, March 7

5:30 pm TSN Dinner & Island Players - King City Kitchen

Saturday, March 8

9:00 am Youth Sunday Practice - Sanctuary (ends at 11am)