We are half way through the Lent season and working hard to prepare for our Good Friday and Easter services at the end of April. But more importantly, we hope you have had some time to prepare your hearts for the momentous and sacred days ahead of us.
At our Ash Wednesday service, Pastor Ben gave out rocks to symbolize the weight of our sin. Even if you weren’t there, take some time in these coming weeks to consider the cost of our sin and the payment Jesus made on the cross for each one of us.
We will be laying our sins at the cross — both symbolically and in our hearts — during our Good Friday service, which is at 7 p.m. April 22 at Alpha Baptist Church. This service will be an awesome time to reflect on the sacrifice Christ made to bring salvation to those who believe.
Then, invite your friends and family to join us as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection at 10 a.m. Easter Sunday at Bolingbrook High School!
We have several other things coming up this month. Here are the details:
TEND THE GARDEN
Mark your calendars for another spring clean-up day the last Saturday in April. We will be cleaning up some local parks in Bolingbrook and loving our community while tending to God’s creation! We will meet at 9 a.m. April 30 for donuts and refreshments before heading out. Details and maps will be available next week at the Welcome Table.
SMALL GROUP SIGN-UP
Would you like to get connected at The Sanctuary and be challenged to go deeper in your walk with Christ? Joining a small group is a great way to do both! Our next small group session will begin the week of April 10. You can sign up at the Welcome Table this Sunday or April 10!
STAFFING ANNOUNCEMENT
The elders have unanimously agreed to bring Pastor Ben Wangler on staff full-time as Associate Lead Pastor. Members will be asked to vote on the proposal at a congregational meeting May 22, and we will have an informational meeting April 10 to answer any questions regarding this change. If you are a member, you should have received a letter about the proposal this week. If you missed the announcement, you can view the video on our blog.
MEN’S RETREAT
Men, please sign up at the Welcome Table if you are planning to attend the men’s retreat April 15-16. Dr. Bill Hamel, a senior pastor and district superintendent of the Evangelical Free Conference, will be the speaker. The theme is “Finding Freedom in a Demanding World.” The conference is at Timber-lee Conference Center in East Troy, Wisc. Many of the men also will be playing golf on Friday before they head to the conference. Please contact Tom Matt if you have any questions, . Click here to Register online.
DATES TO REMEMBER
April 3 and 10: Small group sign ups at the Welcome Table.
April 10: Informational Meeting, 3:30 p.m. at the church office, to get info prior to Congregational Meeting in May.
April 15-16: Win “D” City Men’s Retreat, Camp Timber-Lee, East Troy, Wisc. Sign up online: http://gld-efca.org/MensRetreat.aspx
April 22: Good Friday service, 7 p.m., Alpha Baptist Church, 240 S. Schmidt Road.
April 24: Easter Sunday.
May 22: Congregational Meeting, 6 p.m., Alpha Baptist Church, 240 S. Schmidt Road.
Pastor Ronn will continue the “What Good is God?” series on Sunday with a message on “God is More.” If you missed last week’s service, you can watch the sermon on our YouTube channel or download the podcast from our web site.