The Weekly Visitor -- Online Edition

From the Minister's Desk

This week is Holy Week when we move from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday with Good Friday following and then Easter Sunday. In the life of the Church, this is the busiest time of the year. It’s a time that we look forward to and at the same time we breathe a little relief when it is over. This past Sunday we had a wonderful service with seven of our children coming forward to make their confessions of faith. You will see them baptized Easter Sunday. This is my fourth Easter with DTCC and it seems that every year it gets better and better.

This Thursday will be very special as we eat together and then go into the sanctuary for a worship service. The choir has practiced several numbers for us to hear and there will be scripture readings and prayers followed by communion. It is a service that you will not want to miss.

Easter Sunday is packed full of great music. The handbell choir will begin the service with a duet by our own Eddie Byrd and Michelle Brown. The children will be baptized by Rev. Bob Williams who had the Pastor’s Class this year. We will have congregational singing along with the choir and a solo by Laura Huff. To top this off, during the communion meditation Melody and Natasha Ramsey will be playing a horn duet. Can you imagine anything more wonderful than this worship service?

Let us give God the praise for such good people who are willing to give so much of their time and talents to make the worship service meaningful to our lives. I look forward to seeing you and hope that you will also bring a friend or family members with you.

Your Pastor

We welcomed seven new members Sunday by confession of faith: Mairi Stockton, Brandon Knaebel, Emilie Poston, Brittany Duke, Kalie Pilon, Bryce Western. These young people just completed the Pastor’s Class and will be baptized Easter Sunday.

We extend our sympathy to the family of Billie Hawkins. Mrs. Hawkins, 99, was the aunt of Ray Stevens and the great-aunt of Kenny Vaughan. Services are scheduled for Tuesday noon at Memorial Park.

There will be no Children’s Church Easter Sunday but the nursery will be available.

We welcomed the following visitors: Jeani Grinalde, Pat Gish, Gary Gish, Stacey Payne, Andrea Sleeper, Michael Sampson, Brandon Gatewood, Don and Barbara Angle, Amanda Halford, Susan, Adam, and Erica Abernathy, Ann and Aimee McAlister, Sandy Jarvis, Emily Graham, Anna Horner, Billy Jones, Janet White

Have you made your reservations for Wednesday, April 18? If not, be sure to do so Sunday – we need a fairly accurate count to prepare the meal.

The CWF will sponsor this Refill Your Cup Dinner at 6 p.m. followed by the program at 6:30. Sheila Tankersley, director of Loving Arms, will be our guest speaker. We will have a "Personal Care Items Shower" for Loving Arms. Please bring one of the following items: paper towels, Kleenex, toothpaste, Suave shampoo, deodorant (roll on or solid) – please no aerosol deodorant sprays.

Cost for the dinners this year are as follows: $5 per adult, $3 per child ages 5-12 and children 4 and under free.

The CYF will be selling flats of bedding plants on Saturday, April 21 at 8:30 a.m. Be sure to wait to buy your plants from us! All money raised will go towards our summer mission trip.

The Elders meeting scheduled for April 19 has been changed to Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the Disciples classroom.

Our nursery has grown to the point that we need to hire an additional person for our Sunday Child Care. If you are interested or if you know of someone who would be interested in this position, please contact Ron Srygley or Ada at the church office.

A Bridal Shower honoring Melanie Lewter Doberenz will be held in the Activity Building on April 29 immediately after church. Lunch type food will be served. Melanie and Mark are registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target and Dilliards. They were married December 30, 2000 in Texas and this is our first opportunity to honor them here at Decatur.

Melanie will be in town to speak at the CWF Tea on April 28. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend both events. If you would like to assist with the shower, please contact Judy or Courtney Sandlin (after 8 p.m.)

Join us Thursday, April 12, at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary for our Maundy Thursday Service presented by the Chancel Choir and the Worship Department.

Easter Sunday begins at Decatur-Trinity with our Resurrection Service at 7 a.m. The Christian Youth Fellowship is presenting this service in the Sanctuary. A free Continental Breakfast will be provided by the Bridge Team in the Christian Family Center following the service.

The Easter Special Day Offering can be brought this Sunday if you did not turn it in last week. We usually have two Sundays set up for these special offerings.