We Are All Just Donkeys!

Now Please don’t take this title as an insult. Just stay with me for a moment. When describing the events of Palm Sunday the Christian author Elizabeth Elliot once said “as the people cheered for Jesus, the donkey did not pause and accept the praise as his own. It was the rider who was being praised – NOT the donkey.”

Matthew 21:9 says, The crowds that went ahead of Jesus and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

This praise was NOT for the donkey. In the same way, as we carry Jesus to the world, we are reminded that all praise we receive belongs to Jesus. Apart from him we can do nothing. And apart from his word, we literally have nothing worthy to say.

We are ALL donkeys carrying Jesus to the world. At the end of the day, we should pray that it is Jesus that people see in you and me.

“So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow.” (I Corinthians 3:7) According to this verse, we are nothing – just simply planters and God is everything and as the missionary David Livingston once said “People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa … I never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of ‘sacrifice’ when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father’s Throne on high to give Himself for us.”

• No sacrifice is too great for Jesus.
• It is not a sacrifice to honor my spouse – it is my honor.
• It is not a sacrifice to care for my children – it is my honor.
• It is not a sacrifice to care for my home – it is my honor.
• And it is not a sacrifice to daily be the donkey – carrying Jesus – it is my honor.

We have heard the good news of Jesus Christ, and we are called to share this message. We are all just donkeys. I pray that you would find it an honor to carry Jesus to everyone who crosses your path inside and outside your home. “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:15b)

Grace & Peace,

Pastor Bob

Small Groups

Sunday School. Sunday mornings 9:00 AM. Open to all youth pre-k through high school. Please contact Robin Stolarcyk if you can help or would like more information.

Christian Fellowship Class. Sunday mornings 9:00 AM. Room B6.  Please join us. Leader: Shirley Prentice.

Pastor’s Study & Prayer Group: Sunday mornings 11:30 AM, Room B6. Everyone is welcome to join.  Questions contact Pastor Bob (910) 260-0551 or 648-4326.  No Class 4th Sunday’s, join us for Pot Luck Luncheon in fellowship hall.

Unity Circle: Ladies Group, 2nd Monday of every month 11:00 AM. All ladies are invited to join. Contact Bev Hamm at 723-2864 for more information. (Some dates the ladies have luncheons at 12:00 so please contact Bev if you are new to the group & don’t have a schedule.) No meetings in January, February, July & August.

Youth Group meets Monday evenings in the loft. All youth 5th – 12th Grade are invited to attend. Please join us in the loft at 6:30 PM. Leader: David Black.

Monday Evening Ladies Book Study Group: Monday evenings at 6:30 pm. In the Disciple Room (B4). Contact Karen MacKenzie for more information.

Rachel Circle: Ladies Group, 3rd Tuesday of every month 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM in the Frazer Room (B18). All ladies are invited to join. Contact Marita Root for more information.

Tuesday Women’s Group: Join us in Tuesday’s at 12:45, Disciple Room (B4).  A time of Bible Study, friendship, good food, & great conversation. Contact Carol Krizan or Pat Winters for more information.

Knitting for the Lord: Tuesday, evenings, 6:00 – 7:00 PM, Room B2. Contact Sue Alcott or Lynne Masland for more information.

Choir. Thursdays 4:00 – 5:00 PM.  Everyone is welcome to join. Contact Carla Fako for more information.

Please contact the church office, 648-4339 if you need contact information for the leaders or would like more information about the groups. 

WordGirls: Wednesdays, 9:15 – 11:15 a.m.  Questions contact Amy O’Brien. This group meets outside the church building but welcomes any ladies that would like to join. Please contact the church office for Amy’s contact information for locations of meetings.

April Mission: UMCOR Hygiene Kits: We are once again collecting for the hygiene kits. (See full list on flyers in back of the church or in the forms section of this website)

• April 7th – hand towel (15 x 25 inches to 17 x 27 inches) & wash cloth (no kitchen, cleaning or microfiber).
• April 14th – adult tooth brushes (Do not remove from original packaging. Personal advertising not acceptable.)
• April 21st – soap, (3 oz. and larger sizes only). No Ivory or Jergens.
• April 28th – Band Aids – 10 adhesive bandages (¾ by 3 inches) Common household bandages acceptable.

Mission Moment: Cleaning Buckets:  As flood season approaches, we would like to send some additional buckets to Conference.  In the Narthex are 4 partially completed red buckets, just waiting for some items to complete them.  There is a list in each bucket of missing items.  Would anyone consider taking a bucket for completion? Thank you. 

Help us decorate our Sanctuary for Easter – Order your Easter Tulips. $7.00 each in memory or in honor of a loved one. Deadline for tulip orders is April 15th. Get your order form from the order forms section on this website or contact the church office 648-4339 to get one by email. Thank you for your support! Have a Blessed & Wonderful Easter with your family & friends!!

Special Lenten Services: 

Sunday, April 14th—Palm Sunday Worship, Palms procession & Passion reading with elements.

April 18th, 7:00 PM – Maundy Thursday Worship Service here  at Chenango Bridge UMC. Please join us!

April 19th, 7:00 PM. Tenebrae/Good Friday Worship Service: North Fenton UMC, 5984 State Rd 79, Chenango Forks, NY 13746. Please join us!

Saturday, April 20th, 10 AM – 12 PM, Here at Chenango Bridge UMC – Stations of the Cross. Please join us!

Sunday, April 21st—Easter Worship, Sunday, – Christ Has Risen – Please join us to Celebrate!

Ogden Hillcrest UMC: A series of short and different Lenten worship services, Wednesday evenings 7 PM, March 13—April 10th (For more information see the flyer in the back of the Narthex or the bulletin board outside the church office). Each week we will celebrate communion. All are welcome! 1061 Chenango St, Binghamton 13901; 723-2637; ogdenadmin@ogdenhillcrestumc.org 

United Methodist Women: Greet/East and Meet. 150th Birthday Celebration; April 27, 2019 9 AM – Noon. Park Terrace UMC, 30 Glann Road, Apalachin, NY 13732. Celebrate the 150th Year of the United Methodist Women and Meet Women from other Churches. Mission: Bring feminine hygiene products, toiletries, bras and underwear (must be new) to be donated to the local Rise Shelter (formerly SOS Shelter). RSVP: Donna Tarsia: Tarsiad@gmail.com or 205-9051 or Tamara Nist: tenist61@gmail.com or 235-1102.

Church Women United: May Friendship Day, Sat., May 4, 11 AM – 1 PM, Choconut Center UMC. Lewis & Airport Roads, Binghamton, NY. Chairpersons: Beverly Emmett & Gloria Benedetto. Theme: The Time is Now—Agree to Differ”

FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE  ANNUAL PLANT SALE RETURNS! Saturday, May 11, 2019 9:00 am – 12 Noon Fellowship Hall. ORDER FORMS AVAILABLE IN THE BREEZEWAY or in the forms section of this website. Guarantee quantity, color, and price by pre-ordering.  Pre-orders due by Sunday, April 28, 2019. Please deposit orders and payments (by check)  in the Plant Orders box in the Breezeway. Annuals from Schaefer’s Gardens. Tomato and pepper plants from  Sticks and Stones Gardens. To donate perennials from your gardens, please contact Jean Howard (We can help you dig!) 

Welcome Sunday/Pot Luck, Volunteers needed to sign up to help out. This is the 4th Sunday of each month. There is a sign up sheet in fellowship hall for those of you that would like to help out. Thank you.

Annual Oneonta/Binghamton Lenten Communion and Breakfast. Saturday, April 13th with coffee hour starting at 7:15 at Central United Methodist Church, 17 Nanticoke Ave, Endicott, NY; State Highway 26 near The Cider Mill, off Exit 67 North from State Highway 17 or State Highway 26 coming south from Whitney Point. Worship and Communion will begin at 8:00 am. Breakfast & Meeting to follow. Please contact Knud Hansen if you are attending so they have enough food. (contact church office for Knud’s contact information). Deadline: April 10th. For other questions contact; David Barnes, Coordinator, contact church office for David’s contact information.

If you drop off items to the CRC room please leave your name & contact information for the ladies. Thank you for your help & assistance.

“LET’S GET READY TO RUMMAGE!!! We’re planning to have the sale around June 8th.  Anyone interested in being on the committee, please contact Jill Lyon at 204-0032.”

Pot Luck Luncheon Following the Worship Service the 4th Sunday of each month. Please bring a dish to pass & join us in fellowship hall for the luncheon!

Audio & Video Volunteers are Needed: Training will be provided. Please contact the church office; 648-4339 or Mike Howard (contact the church office for Mike’s contact information)  if you would be able to help. 

Coffee Hour: Volunteers Needed! Nothing fancy just light refreshments & coffee needed. Sign up sheet by the refreshments. Thank you in advance for your help.

Coupons to Care: Our program has helped many families, individuals & organizations. Please save your coupons. Put them in Sharon Quackenbush or Karen Hojsik’s mailbox. Help feed our neighbors through food banks and emergency requests. Shoppers are needed. For more information please contact Sharon Quackenbush, Karen Hojsik or Joyce Neumann.

Trustees Project Board in the back of the Narthex for those of you that may want to sign up for projects or may wish to contribute to a project. Please contact Hudda Aswad if you have any questions. Thank you.

Liturgists Needed: If you are thinking about it, but feel you can’t do a whole month, don’t let that get in the way. We can work around schedules. It is a nice way to participate in the service & serve both the Lord and the congregation. Everything you need is provided each week. Penny can email you the readings ahead of time, if you prefer. Talk to the other liturgists and get their perspective.  Please consider giving it a try!!  Thanks. Pam Wasley.

Wi-Fi Access at Church: If you would like access to wireless at the church please contact Mike Howard at: cbfumc@hotmail.com. Thank you

Reminder: 1st United Methodist Church of Chenango Bridge / Maines GiveBack Program: For every twenty (20) dollars spent, God’s church receives $1.00. Obtain your application of a Maines membership card from the church secretary Monday – Thursday 8 AM – 1 PM or you may request it by email from the church office as well at chenbridgeumc@outlook.com or you may get one from our forms & applications tab above. Our Maines account is “Chenango Bridge UMC” in order to receive the proper credit.

Fund Raiser for First United Methodist Church of Chenango Bridge.     Present this advertisement (below) and 10% of all work done will be donated to the church. For all questions and appointments please contact Quality Steam Cleaning. (You may also find this coupon in the back of the church or contact the church office.