Infinite Grace Conference for Women of Faith

There will be an Infinite Grace Conference for Women of Faith at TD Banknorth Garden from July 25-26. People present include Sandi Patti and Sheila Walsh. They can be contacted at http://www.womenoffaith.com or at 888-49-FAITH.

Hymn Sing - June 15

COME TO THE HYMN SING after church June 15. Let's keep the music
going -- we remember the spirited singing of the choir from the Cameroon! This will be the grande finale to our Sunday School year. Adults and children welcome!

Companions in Christ Meeting

COMPANIONS IN CHRIST small group will next meet
Sunday, June 1, at 2:30 p.m. at the home of Lila
Hexner.

Items for week of April 27

Volunteers Needed: We need two or three people to review the church's financial records for the past year. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Japa Pallikkathayil (617-767-6523, pallikk@fas.harvard.edu).

Aaron and Holly Hicks are asking for prayer for a few items: flexibility in obtaining their visas for working in Spain. They are needing additional money for financial support, one factor being the declining value of the dollar compared to the euro. They are also praying with other church leaders re. planting an international church in Granada, with Aaron being the lead pastor.

Pray for peace in areas experiencing political upheaval, including Zimbabwe, Tibet, and Kenya. Pray for a peaceful resolution to conflicts in Afghanistan, Darfur and Iraq.

COMPANIONS IN CHRIST small group will next meet Tuesday, May 6 at the Trembly's.

PLEASE GIVE TO THE DEACONS FUND - this fund enables the Deacons to provide for those church members who unexpectedly find themselves in need of financial assistance, to pay for child care during services, and to buy flowers for Christmas and Easter services. Please put your donation in a green pew envelope and include it in the collection of tithes and offerings.

ASCENSION/PENTECOST HYMN SING: Our Easter morning hymn sing was such a joyful opportunity to worship the Lord that we are now planning another! Please join us on May 4^th after church, to celebrate Ascension and Pentecost!

MOTHERS DAY DIAPER DRIVE: From now until Mother's Day, 5/11, the Deacons will be collecting baby products such as diapers, baby powder, and wipes for the YWCA Family Shelter here in Cambridge. Please leave your donations in the side room.

PASTOR SEEKS APARTMENT IN BOSTON AREA: Euksu Kim is the pastor of the Korean congregation meeting in our church on Sunday afternoons. He is looking for a one- or two-bedroom apartment in the area. Please call Pastor Kim at 978-578-6987.

YOUTH DELEGATE NEEDED: We need a Youth Advisory Delegate (YAD), aged 17-23 and active in the church, to represent us at the 218th General Assembly. in San Jose, CA, June 21-28, 2008.The expenses for the trip will be covered by the church.
Please contact a Session member if you are interested, or if you would like to nominate a young person for this exciting and challenging position!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Mission at the Eastward (MATE) is looking for volunteers for a week this summer July 27-Aug 1. If you are looking for refreshing, purposeful volunteer work to support rural churches in Maine, please contact Alex Wei.

Puddle photo is from Flickr.

Pray for the Hicks in Spain

Aaron and Holly Hicks are asking for prayer for a few items: flexibility in obtaining their visas for working in Spain. They are needing additional money for financial support, one factor being the declining value of the dollar compared to the euro. They are also praying with other church leaders re. planting an international church in Granada, with Aaron being the lead pastor.

Upcoming Presbytery Events

Safe Child Policy Event

Still not have a Safe Child Policy? Or wonder if it is up to date? Or need help implementing it? After a flurry of requests for help after the Trustees requested a copy of
each church's Safe Child Policy, we have scheduled a Saturday morning workshop to help you. This is for: Pastors, Christian Ed folk, Elders, Youth leaders and Trustees.

At this workshop there will be a major presentation by a trained representative of Guide One (the Presbytery's insurance company). There will be sample Safe Child Policies for you to examine and discuss. And there will be time to ask questions of the Trustees of the Presbytery about the need and implementation of this policy.

When? Saturday, April 19.
Where? Needham Presbyterian Church
Time? 9 AM until 12:30 PM
Cost? None
Registration: Let Sally Newhall know (so we know how many to expect) at 508 853 5439 or revnewhall@aol.com

Spirituality and Stewardship Event
Has your church got a team of folks coming to the foremost stewardship event in the continental US? It will be right in our neck of the woods in Worcester. This is an ecumenical event which we have had a big hand in planning. The date is coming up fast (April 4-5) and only a few of you have signed up. The registration deadline has been extended so it's not too late! You can sign up for either Saturday or Friday or both! East Boston Fund Leadership and Education Scholarships are available. For more information and registration: go online to www.umfne.org and click on the link for the Spirituality & Stewardship Event. If you can't get online easily (or even if you can and just want to talk
to a person) call Sally Newhall at 508 853 5439 for more information.

Gospel Fest 2008!

Greetings. My name is Cyrus-Charles Weaver and I am the Event Chair for Gospel Fest 2008, a greater Boston multi-college gospel music concert.

On Saturday April 5th, 2008, nine local college gospel groups will come together in concert for the first time in Boston's history. I would like to share some information about the event with you and discuss with you how we can potentially inform your church community about this event.

This first Gospel Fest will be held on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. One of our major goals is to share the soulful sounds and inspirational message of gospel music with members of the greater Boston community. We hope to share this event with a diverse audience consisting of people of various ages and backgrounds.

Gospel Fest will be a wonderful event for the whole family and would be great for your youth or young adult ministries. In the times that we are living in, it's not every day that almost 300 students from nine different colleges come together to do something positive for the Lord and the community. Gospel Fest will inspire many, from your college-bound high school students, to your older members who may sometimes wonder if college students have anything positive to offer. Gospel music enthusiast and those that love the inspirational and uplifting message of gospel music will be equally touched by this concert.

Thank you very much for your time in reading this letter and considering how we can form your church community about Gospel Fest 2008. If there is a specific person from your church that I should contact about this matter, please let me know how I can reach him or her. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me via email at ccweaver@mit.edu or via phone at (914) 557-5203.