Three area Mennonite Churches received grants from Everence Financial (formerly Mennonite Mutual Aid) in 2011 to help provide needed financial assistance to help people facing financial challenges.
First Mennonite, Bluffton, received $2,890, Grace, Pandora, received $1,750, and St. John, Pandora, received $3,000.
In 2011, the Everence Sharing Fund gave more than $924,000 in matching grants to 2,049 families across the country.
The March church service schedule at Mennonite Memorial Home was released this week.
Sunday services at 9:30 a.m.
4th - Chaplain Bill Herr
11th - Rev. Charles Warren
18th - Chaplain Bill Herr
25th - Rev. Dennis Maurer
Tuesday services at 6:30 p.m.
6th - Bryant Miller, First United Methodist
13th - Dick Potter, Ebenezer Mennonite
20th - Dennis Schmidt, Grace Mennonite
27th - Gary Rummel, Harrod Christian
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Jenera, will hold a Lenten service on Wednesday, March 7, at 7 p.m. Rev. Kenneth Engdahl from Grace Lutheran Church, Kenton, will speak on "See His Cross! Surprising Words from our Savior's Passion - It's No Secret!" Special music will be by the Rausch Family, singing "Just as I Am."
Bluffton First United Methodist Church will hold its annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser Wednesday, March 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the First UMC Fellowship Hall (church basement).
Tickets cost $7 each and the meal includes baked spaghetti, salad, breadstick and a drink.
Tickets may be purchased from any First UMC middle or high school student or in the church office from now through Saturday, March 10.
Desserts will be available on a donation basis. A limited number of tickets will be for sale at the door, and carry-out will be available.
Several special music presentations are part of March worship services at Bluffton Presbyterian Church. Those follow:
On March 4, Julia and Jeremy Szabo will offer folk music arranged by Richard Cumming for mezzo-soprano and oboe. The pieces include "Lonesome Valley" (American Spiritual) and "As Dew in April" (14th century English). Jean Ann Szabo will accompany.
The choir will sing Ronn Huff's arrangement of "Sweet Hour of Prayer" on March 11. This is in conjunction with the last in a series of sermons by Rev. Zuehlke on How To Pray.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, during which he endured temptation by Satan.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting.
