Gateway Cluster

Newsletter

Calvary
Centenary
Centre Street
Fairview Avenue
Holy Cross
Melvin
Zion
United Methodist Churches

We, the Gateway Cluster of the United Methodist
Church, have been called by God to minister to the
needs of our community through cooperation, mutual
support and sharing resources to accomplish the goal
of serving God and winning new disciples for Jesus Christ

Note From Our Cluster Leader

Dear Friends in Christ,

The grace and peace of Jesus be with you.

The Lenten season is already here. What happened to winter and epiphany!?! God was with us then and is with us as we go into this Lenten season together. I pray that we will draw closer to Jesus as we journey with him in this time of self-examination, repentance, and prayer. And as we draw closer to Jesus we will draw closer to one another.

That is one of the purposes of our weekly lunches and services on Thursdays during Lent. Let us take time to participate in our weekly Lenten cluster services. As we do, may we find ourselves drawing closer to Jesus and one another.

Let us continue to keep one another in prayer in this holy season. Let us seek to lift up Jesus in our lives and churches. As we do, God's Spirit will begin to draw people to him. Have a good Lent! 

            Yours In Jesus' Name,

            Pastor Lloyd McCanna

Cluster News

We plan to have a person from the Conference Center to come to our area to lead a workshop on the Discipleship Adventure. It would be open to all United Methodist Churches in the area. Many clergy and laity are still not aware of this vision and its full implications for our local churches. Date and location TBA.

  
We approved sending $250 to support a mission trip for Connie Kesner. She is planning on a trip in June to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Samoa. Connie is the Program Director at New Covenant UMC and is the niece of Rev. Gary Trail who is heading up the mission trip to Samoa under the auspices of Signs & Wonders Gospel Ministries.
  

A thank you from Tonya Wharton whom we supported last fall for her mission work to youth overseas:
"Dear Gateway Cluster of United Methodist Churches,

Centre Street UM Church Events

Mar 1 — Ash Wednesday services, 12 Noon, and 7 PM.
Mar 8 thru Apr 5 — Midweek community Lenten services,
              Wednesdays at 12 noon, followed by luncheon in the
              fellowship hall at a nominal cost.
Apr 13 — Holy Thursday services, 12 Noon and 7 PM.
Apr 14 — Good Friday Cross Walk, starting at 10 AM at the
              Kingsley/Grace Mission Center at 133 Virginia Ave
              and concludes with a worship service at 12 noon at
              Centre Street UMC.

  
Holy Cross UM Church Events

Melvin UM Church Events

  
Mar 1 — Ash Wednesday Service at 7 PM.

Apr 13 — Maundy Thursday Service at 7 PM.
Apr 14 — Good Friday Service at 7 PM.
Apr 16 — Sunrise Service followed by breakfast
                  at 7 AM.
Apr 16 — Easter Morning Worship at 11 AM.
  

Calvary UM Church Events

2006 Cluster Meeting Schedule
(Third Mondays at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted)

Date                        Host Church             Opening Devotion

January 16                  Calvary                        Tom Dols

February 20               Centre Street              Judy Sathoff

March 20                    Zion

April 17                        No Meeting (Easter Monday)

May 15                        Centenary

June 19                        Fairview Avenue         Dan Taylor

No meeting in July or August

September 18             Holy Cross                    Sid Evans

October 16                  Melvin                           Shirley Buchanan

November 20             No Meeting    (Thanksgiving Week)

December 18              Centre Street               Christmas Caroling

Gateway Cluster Newsletter
  

Published by the Churches of the Gateway Cluster
Editor Dan Taylor
Mail address: PO Box 688, Fort Ashby, WV 26719

Gateway Cluster Lenten Services
(Thursdays at 11:45 a.m.)

Date          Host Church           Lay Speaker

March 2   Centre Street   Doris Cook(Ellerslie UMC)
March 9   Holy Cross        Jim Dolly (New Covenant
                                                           UMC)
March 16  Zion                   Billie Johnson-Smith
                                                           (Calvary UMC)
March 23  Calvary             Bob Dunn (Melvin UMC)
March 30  Centenary        Marge Uphold (LaVale
                                                           UMC)
April 6       Melvin               Vicki Cubbage (Centre
                                                           Street UMC)
April 13  (Holy Thursday) – Snow date for any of the above services.
  

The schedule for each Lenten service is as follows:
11:45 a.m. Welcome, Singing, Announcements, &
        Prayer.
12 noon Lunch served by Host Church (Donation
        baskets passed)

12:25 p.m. Lay Speaker (Prayer, Scripture, &
        Message).
12:50 p.m. Closing Prayer, Next Service, Song,
        Benediction.

12:55 p.m. Dismissal and cleanup.

  
The entire service (lunch and message by the Lay Speaker) takes place in the Host Church's fellowship hall. The cleanup of tables takes place after the service ends. Free will offering is received during the meal to help Host Church defray any expenses. The above time schedule is approximate. We must conclude by 12:55 p.m. in order to allow those attending on their lunch hour time to get back to work.

All cluster churches and the community are invited. This is a good way for our people to have fellowship together and to mark the season of Lent with weekly worship as we journey toward Holy Week and Easter.