Scripture Reading:
John 19:1-16a

Community Outreach - Eggstravaganza
Please help out with the egg hunt for the pancake breakfast and egg hunt at Lenox Elementary School April 19. Please bring wrapped candy and put in the the basket provided in the entry by no later than April 13.


Faith Conversations resume this Sunday, April 6th, including...
HOT TOPICS, Then & Now:
From the Prophet Amos to Twenty-First Century AmericaIn these sessions participants have been exploring how one biblical prophet, Amos, sized up the religious, economic, and judicial systems of his day, and warned the people of Israel about how badly their systems reflected the character and core values of God. Steve Delamarter and Beth Habecker are  facilitating this discussion, further exploring how our own systems fare when it comes to expressing the character and core values of God. Make Adult Faith Conversations part of your ChristChurch experience!

Lenten Midweek Gatherings: Got Prayer?
Each Wednesday in the season of Lent between Ash Wednesday and Holy Week (March 12-April 9) we will gather at ChristChurch (in the Commons) to share a meal of soup and bread and explore a variety of prayer forms. We
will begin with supper at 6:30pm, have a brief introduction to the prayer style, engage in a time of prayer, and end by 7:30pm. If you would like to stay past 7:30 to spend more time practicing these forms of prayers you are certainly encouraged to do so. Everyone is welcome to be part of this time of prayer and fellowship. These evenings are designed to be family friendly, accessible and engaging for all ages.

Last week we learned about Walking Our Prayers - Labyrinth.
This week, April 9, we will learn a little about Embodying our Prayers. This will the last week of our got prayer series.  Next week will be Holy Week, see below.

If you were unable to join us the last four Wednesdays, or would simply like
to explore the themes further, click here to access our new Faith Formation web page that is in its early stages of development. Follow the links to learn more about our 'got prayer?' sessions.

Come join in our
Holy Week Worship Opportunities of ChristChurch...


Maundy Thursday - April 17th, 6:30pm
Dinner Church -- This will not be your typical potluck dinner!
Join with your friends and neighbors around a sacred meal, just as the first followers of Jesus did, eating, talking, exploring scripture, offering prayers, and singing together. This form of worship is rooted in the patterns of the Early Church. The meal will be potluck, served family style. Please arrive at 6:30pm with a dish to share. You will be invited to help set the table and make preparations for the meal. Just as early Christians did, we will incorporate Holy Communion into our meal.


Good Friday - April 18th, 7:00 pm
Jesus' Last Words on the Cross- A Service of Tenebrae and Taize
Come and gather around the cross to sing and pray and hear the seven last words of Jesus. The style of worsip, Taize, with its contemplative, chant-like songs, will help us focus our hearts and minds as we center ourselves in the story of the passion of our Lord.

The word "tenebrae" means "darkness" or "shadows." The tenebrae service dates back to the 4th century and the ancient Holy Week ceremony in which the lights in the church are extinguished one by one as the service proceeds. In this dramatic worship experience, the mental, spiritual and physical anguish of Jesus are proclaimed as he moved toward his death.
Attending both of these worship experiences is a wonderful way to prepare ourselves for the truly joyful experience of resurrection on Easter morning.



Resurrection Day - Easter Sunday, April 20th, 9:30 and 11:00 am
The Stone is Rolled Away - the Tomb is Broken Open!
Come celebrate God's resounding NO! and triumphant YES!
             NO! to the ways of sin, separation and death....
             YES! to the way of love, community and life!
God's amazing grace in Jesus breaks us open for the sake of love:
our minds, our hearts.., even the doors of our church!

Upcoming Portland Area Events
There are a couple of events coming up in the Portland area in the next two weeks that I plan to take advantage of and some of you may want to as well...

Saturday, April 5th, 6:00pm
@ Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Kempton Hall) in Portland:
"Turn and Face the Strange: A David Bowie Liturgy"
This will be a worship service using the music of rock superstar, David Bowie. I have no idea what this will be like, but being a Bowie fan, I'm thinking it will be very cool! If you decide to give it a try, let's grab a meal and beverage afterward and talk about it (venueTBD).

Wednesday, April 16th, 7:00pm
@ Milwaukie Lutheran Church in Milwaukie:
Rachel Kurtz in Concert
If you are a fan of the song "Make a Difference" that we sung in worship a few times over the past year, then you won't want to miss hanging out with Rachel for an evening of beautiful, soulful music. I am happy to make this a part of my Holy Week experience this year and I hope you will too! There is no charge for this concert but the organizers are suggesting a $5.00 donation to cover Rachel's costs.

Council Nominations for 2014-15
We are now receiving nominations to fill three seats on the 2014-2015 Church Council. There are forms in the Entry for you to nominate a person who you feel would be a good candidate. Just fill out the form, fold it in half and place it in the basket. The deadline for receiving nominations is Sunday, April 6th.


An Easy Way to Give
Do you use search engines like Google or Bing to search for things on the Internet? Do you shop online or dine out on occasion? Then why not try Goodsearch? Search online and benefit Community of ChristChurch at the same time! Click Here to learn more.

Barrel of the Month Club
The Service and Missions Team would like to thank the congregation for their generous support of the March Barrel of the Month Club. We collected 600 children's books to be given to Banks Elementary School!! These will give many children hours of reading fun. Thank you!!

We have chosen a Food Drive for the month of April. The Barrel of the Month will be a dropping off place for your Food Drive Donations or you can place it on the shelves in the Worship Center. Non-perishable foodstuff, diapers and toilet tissue will be welcome. Food must be within the sell date. All will be donated to the Hertel Center Food Bank in Hillsboro.Thank you so much for your continued support fo The Barrel of the Month program provided by The Service and Missions Team!