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Category Archives: Posts of Interest

Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza!

Event: Pender UMC’s Egg-citing Easter Bash

Date: Saturday, April 12 Time: 1:00–3:00 PM Location: Pender UMC Parking Lot & Grounds

Event Highlights:

Moon Bounce Madness: Jump and hop like a bunny in our giant Pender/KUMC Bounce House!
Awesome Games: Show off your cornhole skills for a chance to win awesome prizes. Don’t miss the estimation table where you can guess and win—winner announcements every half hour!
Delicious Eats: Enjoy complimentary hot dogs and hamburgers, cooked fresh and served up with all the fixings!
Streaming Music: Groove to continuous streaming music to keep the festive vibes going!
Epic Easter Egg Hunt: Hunt for eggs loaded with surprises hidden both inside and outside. A thrilling adventure for all ages!

Special Note: Gather your little bunnies for a day filled with crafts, laughter, and hidden treasures. This family-friendly event is the perfect way to celebrate the Easter season.

Your RSVP to help us prepare accordingly.

Don’t miss this chance for fun and fellowship. Invite your friends and family and join us at Pender UMC for an unforgettable afternoon!

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Posted by MaryO on March 19, 2025 in Posts of Interest

Time with God

14 Mar

Take a midweek pause for quiet reflection and prayer during Lent. This in-person, drop-in opportunity provides:

Printed materials with Scripture, commentary, and prayer suggestions
A peaceful space for personal prayer and reflection
The opportunity to partake in the sacrament

Come as you are and spend intentional time with God in the sacred quiet of the sanctuary.

Time with God begins March 19, 2025

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Posted by MaryO on March 14, 2025 in Holidays, Lent, Pender UMC, Posts of Interest

Tags: Lent, Pastor Bruce, Pastor Bruce Johnson, prayer, reflection, sacraments, scripture, Time with God

Lent Quiz: How did the early church observe Lent?

13 Mar

In addition to being a time to remember the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus, the early church used Lent to prepare converts for baptism, and to offer opportunities for those who had been separated from the church to be reconciled.

Today Lent remains an ideal time to remember our baptism and to reconcile relationships with those we may have harmed. All of this signifies to us our sinfulness and the sacrifice of Jesus which makes our forgiveness possible.

Watch a video about baptism in the United Methodist church.

Learn more about ancient traditions that still influence Easter.

Check out all our resources for Lent and Easter.

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Posted by MaryO on March 13, 2025 in Easter, Holidays, Lent, Pender UMC, Posts of Interest

Tags: baptism, Easter, Jesus, Lent

Lent Quiz: True or False? Sundays are not counted in the 40 days of Lent

09 Mar

The correct answer is True.

Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter” and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.

Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, meaning “lengthen” and refers to the lengthening days of spring. The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.

Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by new converts and then became a time of penance by all Christians. Today, Christians focus on relationship with God, growing as disciples and extending ourselves, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of ourselves for others.

Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter.” This is why you will see the designation “Sunday in Lent” rather than “Sunday of Lent” in the naming of these Sundays. On each Lord’s Day in Lent, while Lenten fasts continue, the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.

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Posted by MaryO on March 9, 2025 in Easter, Holidays, Lent, Pender UMC, Posts of Interest

Tags: Lent, quiz, Sunday

Ash Wednesday 2025

05 Mar

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. It derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God.

And Chuck Knows Church says…

Ever seen a little smudge mark on someone’s forehead as they walk out of church? That’s a sign of the cross and it means it’s Ash Wednesday during Lent. Chuck tells you about this important worship service: