eXchange

ANOTHER Berean Brothers Men’s Campout will be Fri-Sat May 30-31 at Prairie Creek Park (same location as last year). We will have a session devoted to journaling to encourage you to grow spiritually, tournaments for fun and a campfire for relaxation.. The cost is $20 and registration will be available each Sunday in May at the display in the Atrium. All men are welcome to join us.

Let’s Go to the Movie! You are invited to a special showing for Maryland Community Church folks of the Movie “The Chronicles of NARNIA - Prince Caspian”. Mark May 17 @ 10 a.m. (Showplace 12) on your calendars to enjoy this movie together. Questions contact Deb Lampton or Amber Gentry

The Terre Haute Children’s Choir will present its Spring Concert on Sunday, May 18, at 3:30 p.m., at Central Presbyterian Church. (125 N. 7th Street, Terre Haute.) This final concert of their 2007-08 season will feature the Treble Choir, Lyric Choir and Combined Choirs. Organist Gary Jenkins will also perform a piece which showcases the organ at Central Presbyterian. This free program is open to the public and will be enjoyable for all ages. The Terre Haute Children’s Choir is under the leadership of Anita Gambill, Artistic Director, and Kristina Waugh, Assistant Director.

Tracy’s Heart Cookbooks for sale:Have you been looking for a new recipe to try out? We are pre-ordering cookbooks for Tracy’s Heart. There will be a table in the foyer before and after both services (May 4th and May 11th). Each cookbook is $15. All proceeds go to Tracy’s Heart. Pick up an order form today! Deadline to pre-order is Sunday, May 11th.

ANOTHER Berean Brothers Men’s Campout will be Fri-Sat May 30-31 at Prairie Creek Park (same location as last year). We will have a session devoted to journaling to encourage you to grow spiritually, tournaments for fun and a campfire for relaxation.. The cost is $20 and registration will be available each Sunday in May at the display in the Atrium. All men are welcome to join us.

Porn and sexual addictions. If you are a guy and are interested in a small group addressing porn and other sexual addictions, email oldmanout@yahoo.com.

Celebrate Recovery meets at Mt Pleasant Church every Friday at 7PM. Celebrate Recovery is a recovery group for all addictions. For more information, call 232-4808

Let’s Go to the Movies! You are invited to a special showing for Maryland Community Church folks of the Movie “The Chronicles of NARNIA - Prince Caspian”. Mark May 17 @ 10 a.m. (Showplace 12) on your calendars to enjoy this movie together. Questions contact Deb Lampton or Amber Gentry

Get up to date on what’s up, right now!

Goodwill Drive. We will have a Goodwill truck at exchange on May 4. Bring your Goodwill donations. Simplify, declutter, and help a great cause.

NEW CHIX SMALL GROUP STARTING: on Wednesday, April 30th at 6:30 p.m. We’ll be studying spiritual gifts, our passions, and how God has uniquely created us to serve and minister. This “Ministry & Me” small group will run for 6 weeks. Contact Jody Elslager at jmelslager@aol.com for more information.

2008 Lighthouse Classic 1800 Golf Fund Raiser is June 6 at Idle Creek. They are looking for golfers and for sponsors. If you can help with either please contact:
Gary Schneider @ 920-819-6735 or garyabound@gmail.com

There are many simple ways to reduce the footprint you leave on the planet. Learn how to reduce your footprint in each consumption category–carbon, food, housing, and goods and services—but don’t stop there. Amplify your impact by encouraging others to follow your lead. Engage your friends and community with local and global movements for social change, or start your own movement!

Thanks to MyFootprint for the list!

Use cleaner transport

• Walk, bike, or take public transit whenever possible.
• Avoid allowing your car to idle. If you’ll be waiting for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine (except in traffic). And don’t take the drive-through—park the car and walk inside instead.
• Have your vehicle serviced regularly to keep the emission control systems operating at peak efficiency. Check your car’s air filter monthly, and keep the tires adequately inflated to maximize gas mileage.
• Avoid short airplane trips—take a bus or train instead.

Add energy-saving features to your home

• Install compact fluorescent bulbs in all your home light fixtures—but remember, compact fluorescents contain mercury, so look for low-mercury models and be sure to dispose of old bulbs safely through your local hazardous waste program.
• Weatherproof your home. Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated, and consider double-pane windows. Eliminate drafts with caulking, weather strips, and storm windows and doors.
• Insulate your water heater. Even better, switch to a tankless water heater, so your water will be heated only as you use it.
• Choose energy efficient appliances.

Adopt energy-saving habits

• Keep thermostat relatively low in winter and ease up on the air conditioning in summer. Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended to keep the A/C operating at peak efficiency.
• Unplug your electronics when not in use. To make it easier, use a power strip. Even when turned off, items like your television, computer, and cellphone charger still sip power.
• Dry your clothes outside whenever possible.
• Make minimal use of power equipment when landscaping.
• Defrost your refrigerator and freezer regularly.
• Choose green electricity. Many utilities give you the option to purchase electricity generated by wind and solar power for a small rate surcharge.
• Purchase carbon offsets to make up for the energy use you can’t eliminate.

Reduce your Food Footprint

• Eat more local, organic, in-season foods.
• Plant a garden—it doesn’t get more local than that.
• Shop at your local farmer’s market or natural foods store. Look for local, in-season foods that haven’t traveled long distances to reach you.
• Choose foods with less packaging to reduce waste.
• Eat lower on the food chain—going meatless for just one meal a week can make a difference. Globally, it has been estimated that 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions are associated with meat consumption.

Reduce your Housing Footprint

• Explore green design features for your building, like passive solar heating, a rainwater catchment or grey water recycling system, and recycled materials.
• Choose efficient appliances, including low flow shower heads, faucets, and toilets.
• Choose furnishings that are second-hand, recycled, or sustainably produced.
• Plant drought tolerant plants in your garden and yard.
• Use biodegradable, non-toxic cleaning products.
• Choose sustainable building materials, furnishings, and cleaning products.

Adopt water-saving habits

• Take shorter, less frequent showers—this not only saves water, but the energy necessary to heat it.
• Don’t use the garbage disposal. Compost instead.
• Run the dishwasher and the laundry machine only when full.
• Wash cars rarely, or better yet, take them to a carwash. Commercial carwashes use less water per wash than home washers, and they are also required to drain used water into the sewage system, rather than storm drains, which protects aquatic life.
• Avoid hosing down or power-washing your deck, walkways, or driveway.
• Regularly look for and fix leaks.

Reduce your Goods and Services Footprint

• Buy less! Replace items only when you really need to.
• Recycle all your paper, glass, aluminum, and plastic. Don’t forget electronics!
• Compost food waste for the garden. Garbage that is not contaminated with degradable (biological) waste can be more easily recycled and sorted, and doesn’t produce methane gases (a significant greenhouse gas contributor) when stored in a landfill.
• Buy recycled products, particularly those labeled “post-consumer waste.”

Because I know someone will ask, the haps = going on, the happenings, what’s happening. Let’s go!

Goodwill Drive. We will have a Goodwill truck at exchange on May 4. Bring your Goodwill donations. Simplify, declutter, and help a great cause.

NEW CHIX SMALL GROUP STARTING: on Wednesday, April 30th at 6:30 p.m. We’ll be studying spiritual gifts, our passions, and how God has uniquely created us to serve and minister. This “Ministry & Me” small group will run for 6 weeks. Contact Jody Elslager at jmelslager@aol.com for more information.

CHIX FLIX: Women of MCC! Join us for a night of community, food, games, activities, door prizes and several “chick flicks” on Friday, April 25th from 7 – 10 p.m. in the Atrium. Sign up starting April 13 at the CHIX table in the Atrium to bring food and reserve your space!

Men – mark your calendars: Berean Brothers campout, Fri-Sat May 30-31. Details coming soon!

APRIL conneXion EVENT: The young adults from conneXion will team up with the college group as we head to the ISU FIELD CAMPUS in Brazil on Sunday, April 27th from 1-5pm for a day of outdoor fun, including volleyball, canoeing, yard games, trails, etc. Want to carpool? Meet at the church at 12:30. Need directions or have questions? E-mail Stephanie Bachelor at stephanie925@gmail.com or call at 812-243-4462.

New Orleans Crash – NEW TRIP – July 7-12.
We have a few spots left on the July trip to rebuild homes in New Orleans. Cost for the trip is $100 and includes housing and food once in New Orleans. We also have need of borrowing some vans for the trip. If your van would be available, let us know! To reserve your spot, contact Jeanette Sounder at vjsouder@yahoo.com or (812) 239-1431.

Youth Embracing Service is working on a project we’re calling Let’s Stop Litter (LSL).
We are asking individuals and groups in our community to help us pick up the trash on Saturday, April 19th. We’re are meeting at 9am in the K-mart parking lot near US 41 and Old National Bank. Our rain date will be Saturday, April 26. We’re providing the garbage bags and will have some trash grabbers for the older folks who don’t want to bend over Please email Donna Mansard at YouthEmbracingService@gmail.com for more information.

To figure out your ecological footprint, check out http://www.myfootprint.org

WERE YOU BORN TO BE WILD? Whether you have a Harley or a Honda join us in front of the cross on the south side of the church at 6 p.m. a few Friday evenings and we’ll ride as a group to the following places and grab a bite to eat: APRIL 18 Paris, IL Monicals Pizza; APRIL 25 Plainfield, IN (TBA); MAY 2 Sullivan Bobes Trattoria Italiano; *MAY 3 is the first year for the Motorcycle Blessing MCC at 11 a.m. Questions? Contact Carl Royer at croyer@mccth.org or 240-0102. re info!

Here’s your friendly church updates for this week. Enjoy!

APRIL conneXion EVENT: The young adults from conneXion will team up with the college group as we head to the ISU FIELD CAMPUS in Brazil on Sunday, April 27th from 1-5pm for a day of outdoor fun, including volleyball, canoeing, yard games, trails, etc. Want to carpool? Meet at the church at 12:30. Need directions or have questions? E-mail Stephanie Bachelor at stephanie925@gmail.com or call at 812-243-4462.

Goodwill Drive. We will have a Goodwill truck at exchange on May 4. Bring your Goodwill donations. Simplify, declutter, and help a great cause.

NEW CHIX SMALL GROUP STARTING: on Wednesday, April 30th at 6:30 p.m. We’ll be studying spiritual gifts, our passions, and how God has uniquely created us to serve and minister. This “Ministry & Me” small group will run for 6 weeks. Contact Jody Elslager at jmelslager@aol.com for more information.

CHIX FLIX: Women of MCC! Join us for a night of community, food, games, activities, door prizes and several “chick flicks” on Friday, April 25th from 7 – 10 p.m. in the Atrium. Sign up starting April 13 at the CHIX table in the Atrium to bring food and reserve your space!

Men – mark your calendars: Berean Brothers campout, Fri-Sat May 30-31. Details coming soon!

“RETURN TO THE SHEPHERD”(A CREATIVE STUDY OF PSALM 23)
WHEN: EVERY OTHER FRIDAY EVENING 6:30-8:00PM FOR 7 SESSIONS,BEGINNING APRIL 18TH.
WHERE: THE ART REACH STUDIO: 683 WABASH AVENUE SUITE 208.5, DOWNTOWN T.H
WHAT: A CREATIVE STUDY OF PSALM 23
TEXT: A SHEPHERD LOOKS AT PSALM 23 BY PHILLIP KELLER (1970) ZONDERVAN PRESS, ISBN 0-310-21435-1 $4.99 OR LESS
ART SUPPLIES WILL BE PROVIDED BY ART REACH. DONATIONS WELCOME.
WE WILL STUDY ONE VERSE OF PSALM 23 EACH TIME WE MEET BY CREATIVELY EXPRESSING OUR PERSONAL REFLECTIONS. For more info,contact: kgotshall@smwc.edu

PUPPET SHOW IN THE WEE VILLAGE: Our puppet friends, Noah and Jonah will join the children during Chapel and teach about OBEDIENCE on April 13 & 20!

THE CHATTER BOX: Be sure and pick up The Wee Village 2008 Family Handbook. Stop by The Wee Village Lobby Desk and pick yours up TODAY!

MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL: 30 Hour Famine on April 25th & 26th. Contact Rob Ball at 234-7100 ext 202 or rball@mccth.org.

New Orleans Crash – NEW TRIP – July 7-12.
We have a few spots left on the July trip to rebuild homes in New Orleans. Cost for the trip is $100 and includes housing and food once in New Orleans. We also have need of borrowing some vans for the trip. If your van would be available, let us know! To reserve your spot, contact Jeanette Sounder at vjsouder@yahoo.com or (812) 239-1431.

Did you know we have a blog set up just for the Guatemala 2008 team? That’s right, we do! If you want to check it out you can do so by clicking right here (or clicking Guatemala 2008 near the bottom right of any page on this site).

They’ll be striving to update the blog daily but sometimes internet connectivity can be spotty there so if they don’t update, don’t be alarmed.

Be sure to head over there, read what’s been posted so far and leave a comment of encouragement. We can’t wait to see how God moves in Guatemala!

We’re a little light on the news this Friday but both items are important. Read on and we’ll see you Sunday night!

ConneXion CRASH: That’s right! For our next conneXion event, we’ll CRASH Shady Oaks Village on Saturday, March 22, 9am-noon. Residents from this retirement community are requesting cleaning jobs in their apartments & are so excited to have some extra hands to help! It should be a great time to serve others, show Christ’s love, and have fun with fellow eXchangers. Meet at the Information Center at 9am to break off into groups, located at 1101 Shady Oak Ct, near the south branch of Wal-Mart. Afterward, we’ll meet up at IHOP for lunch. Any young adult is welcome. Questions? Email stephanie925@gmail.com

eXchange needs your electric leaf blowers! – "Remember how I said that Easter is gonna be off the hook? Well, we need your help in getting there. This might sound like a crazy request, but… We need to borrow 20 electric leaf blowers. We don’t want donations, we just need to borrow them. You’ll get them back after Easter and we won’t harm them. Honest. When you see how we use them for Easter, you’ll be soooo glad you let us use them. Maybe you have more than one electric leaf blower? Bring ‘em. Bring ‘em all! If you’re willing to let us borrow your electric leaf blower (we can’t use gas leaf blowers, sorry), bring it with you to eXchange and drop it off at the welcome center. Be sure to put your name on the leaf blower somehow and, again, you’ll get your leaf blower back after Easter. Thanks for your help. Easter’s gonna be great! -Scot"

Get ready for this week’s edition of (read this next part in a booming announcer’s voice) What’s Up At MCC!

Easter Help Needed. If you would be willing to serve as an usher for the Easter Celebrations (March 23, 9AM and 11 AM), send an email to Danna Hampton (dannarae@mccth.org).  As an usher you will help pass communion and the offering plates.  Easter is our largest event of the year and we need you to help make it a memorable day.  Let Danna know if you can help at the 9AM or 11AM service.  Thanks!!!

New Orleans Crash! We’re looking for a team of 15 people to head back down to New Orleans for Hurricane Relief June 8-14, 2008. Cost is $50 per person for the week. Contact Jeanette Souder at vjsouder@yahoo.com for more information.

Guatemala Crash Donations: If you are interested in donating medical and other supplies for the mission trip in March, there will be a suitcase for collection in the atrium. Needed items include: aspirin, ibuprofen, toothbrush, toothpaste, children’s tylenol, antibiotic ointment, watercolor paints, bubbles, frisbees, hard candy, and much more. Contact Amy Switzer at amyjswitzer@gmail.com with questions.

Exchange goes to Moscow.  Scot and Stephanie Longyear will be in Moscow Feb 28 - March 10.  They will be joining Pat and Kathy Black and their family.  Scot will be leading worship and teaching at Hickson Christian Academy and Russian American Christian University.  Hmm.  Does that mean we have to call him “Professor?”  To keep up with the travel experience, check out Scot’s blog at www.reson8.org.

Tracy’s Heart Fundraiser:
We are collecting recipes for a cookbook.  If you are interested in donating a recipe, please log onto www.typensave.com and select the "Login" option.  You will need to enter the following information:  the Contributor is you (enter your name as you want it to appear in cookbook); the Group login is tracysheart; and the Password is 45amh.  Select the "Add Recipe" option and enter your recipe.  The deadline to enter your recipe is Friday, March 14th.  Please contact Jennifer Casterline (phone: 317-733-8501 or email: Jennifer_1124@yahoo.com) with any questions, or if you do not have computer access and want to add a recipe

THOSE PESKY MIRRORS:  Ladies of all ages are invited to join us for another “Sisters In Faith” event on Saturday, March 15th at 11:00 a.m. in the Atrium ! This is a carry-in so please bring your favorite dish to share with others. Table service and drinks will be provided. For more information please contact Marilyn Byers at 232-1605.  Sign up TODAY in the Atrium!

ROCKIN’ PRESCHOOLERS (3’s-K’s): On Saturday, March 15th at 2:00 p.m. the Rockin’ Preschoolers will be singing songs and playing “Animal Bingo” with the residents at the Southwood Nursing Home. Please bring a stuffed animal for a gift and plan to get ice cream at Dairy Queen after the visit! QUESTIONS? Please contact Sherri Cotner at 234-1581 or Jan Stapp at 234-7100 ext 212 or jstapp@mccth.org.

FREE TAX PREPARATION:  Andrew Stadler of Stadler & Co, Accounting & Tax Services is offering FREE tax preparation on March 19th and March 20th to all low income families. If you would like to take advantage of this special offer please call Stadler & Company at 812-478-2800 to schedule an appointment.

CLUB ROCK GIRLS NIGHT: On Friday, March 14th from 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. @ Lori Fox’s House (7600 S Monticello St in Terre Haute).  For a night of fun with Pizza, Games, Devotions, and Movie.  It’s a night just for the Girl’s!! Contact Amber Gentry at 234-7100 ext 208 or amberg@mccth.org.

EASTER EGG HUNT VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers are still needed for March 22nd at the Vigo County 4-H fairgrounds for the Easter Egg Hunt. Candy and egg donations are also being accepted and can be placed in boxes located in the Atrium around the Welcome Center, Church Office, or Club Rock. For more information please Contact Amber Gentry at 234-7100 ext 208 or amberg@mccth.org. EGG DONATION UPDATE: We currently have 1,024 empty Easter Eggs and 453 filled Easter Eggs…thank you!! We will still need 7,000 eggs total.

EASTER INVITE CARDS:  Do you have family, friends or enemies you would like to invite this Easter to MCC?  Invitations are available at the Welcome Center.

OFFICE CLOSED:  The church office will be closed on Friday, March 21st in celebration of Good Friday. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, March 24th.

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