Dear Friends,

I hope you are doing well and continuing to bask in the Good News of our Lord’s resurrection. In the days since we celebrated Easter, you have built a house in Mexico, made 300 sandwiches for MUST and committed to collect 1500 pounds of food for the Community Assistance Center while also participating in their summer lunch drive. These acts of service are a testimony to your trust in the news of resurrection as together we are living it out. 

We are in the middle of our Hunger Challenge as partners with Congregation Or Hadash. You are encouraged to bring your bags of food that you received on Easter or pick up a grocery bag this Sunday if you do not have one. See the list below of items to bring to church. Our goal is collect 1,500 pounds of food to give to Community Assistance Center for the summer, which is a great time of need. We need all food back by April 26. One of our members, Janet Lochery, took a SNAP challenge and shares her thoughts here http://sandyspringscc.org/pdfs/Janet’s%20story.pdf

Sunday is our 20th Mexico Celebration Sunday, an all church worship time led by the Mexico Mission team. Worship will be at 10 AM this Sunday and many describe this as one of the most moving worship experiences they have all year. I can share that this year’s trip was an incredible experience that will not soon be forgotten.

We begin a new sermon series on April 26  entitled “Living in the Light” based on the book of 1 John. The book of 1 John brings forth the idea that the two most difficult things to get right in life are love and God. Part of the reason they are difficult is that we fail to notice that God and love and organically linked with another. Over the four week series we will examine this link with 1 John as our guide.

Finally, I want to say thank you for allowing me to have time away to go to both Mexico and participate on the General Board and Administrative Committee of our denomination. Some exciting things are coming for our denomination, including a new way of being church at the denominational level entitled Mission First! and the decision to keep the 2017 General Assembly in Indianapolis. It was a few days of busy but important ministry.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday and I hope you will invite someone to seek, serve, and grow with you.

Grace and peace,

Danny