As we approach the first day of Spring, it’s never too early to be looking forward to SUMMER VACATION!

This year our free community kids program will be running the Kid’s Summer Program (VBS) from Sunday, June 21st – Thursday, June 25th from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at MVUMC. This year’s theme is “God in Everything” and we will be writing and then performing short plays for parents and family on Thursday, June 25th.

There is no better way to make a difference in a child’s life than to volunteer to play either a large or small part during that week. Lisa Wright will be contacting volunteers from the years before. Volunteers to prepare dinner, be teaching assistants, or be teachers for our toddler group would be greatly valued. If you would like to volunteer before Lisa reaches out to you, she can be reached by leaving a message on the church office phone (951-924-6990) or email at: morenovalleyumc@aol.com.

Pre K – 7th grade will be our play writers and actors, 8th grade – Senior will be our producers and directors – managing each age diversified play group. Ages 1 to Pre K will have a younger program and may serve as “extras” or actors.

*Volunteers from local school drama groups or college aged volunteers would also be highly valued!

Additional information: Volunteer training/orientation will be Sunday after service on the first day of VBS (June 21st) for an hour tops! Additional volunteers also needed simply to ask their friendly neighborhood business to post a flyer would be very helpful, Fresh and Easy? Dry cleaning? Coffee shop? Even if its not in Sunnymead Ranch or Moreno Valley (Riverside is okay also!).

I will have a volunteer sign up sheet this coming Sunday.
VBS is advertised in Press Enterprise online and KSGN online. Here’s the link: http://events.pe.com/moreno-valley-ca/events/show/87526331-playwriting-for-kids-vacation-bible-school-2009 Any help in getting this on our board outside as soon as we can with the word “Free”, or what the sign ordinance is if we could put up a sign would be helpful.

~Lisa

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Hello all, this is Jerry Casillas from CAP. I am starting a new project. Here is a little info:

The Moreno Valley Community Garden Project hereby known as (MVCG). MVCG is a division of Olive Branch Ministries. Olive Branch Ministries is a non-profit organization. MVCG is designed to allow each person or group to receive up to a 4 foot by 40 foot plot. The plot will be maintained by the person(s) or group it is assigned to. Plots are for growing fruits and veggies. The items grown are for personal use or can be donated to food pantries or church groups and are not to be sold. Items grown can be traded among other community members for food items only, but not to be traded to commercial vendors for their products. Registration is required. The registered representative(s) is responsible for their volunteers to maintain their plot. Maintaining the plot will require cultivating, planting & marking, weeding and harvesting only. Water is supplied and watering will be maintained by automatic sprinkler systems. There shall be no chemicals used in the soil or on the actual plants. MVCG will be available all year around with maintenance hours being from Monday thru Saturday 5am to 8:30 pm during Spring/Summer hours and 6:30am to 3:30pm during Fall/Winter hours. Plots are required to be visited by an authorized representative no less then once weekly, twice during harvest season. Please bring your own tools.

All registrants are required to submit a withdrawal notice in the event participating is no longer desired. Plots can be transferred to another party only after the new party has registered and has been approved by Olive Branch Ministries management.

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Several years ago, I began an exercise program three days per week. Before I started the program, my blood pressure was absolutely perfect. I huffed and puffed, walked and trotted, lifted and pressed. Well, it so happens that I needed to go see my doctor for another issue. So, there I am, sitting on the exam table and the nurse comes in and takes a routine blood pressure reading. IT HAD GONE UP!!! But then, my mother became ill, and I stopped my exercise program so I could spend more time with my mother. And, once again, I went to see my doctor about some other matter. So, there I sit on the exam table, and the nurse comes in and takes a routine blood pressure reading. No more exercise. And my blood pressure had gone BACK DOWN to perfect. So, I said to my doctor, “You see, like I’ve said all along. Exercise is bad for you.”

Well, we’d like to think that exercise is bad for us, because we’d all rather just sit around and do nothing. But of course we know that that isn’t really the case. (A fact which my doctor was quick to point out.) Our body’s need exercise. They need to be stretched and challenged, otherwise they cease to be healthy.

This is why we have Lent (that begins February 25). Lent S-T-R-E-T-C-H-E-S and challenges our spirit. It makes us climb the mountains of self-deception, and swim the rivers of
selfishness. It makes us re-examine lazy priorities, and toughens up our spiritual discipline. We’d like to get out of it, of course. Nobody likes to go through the pain of using muscles that have lain around getting soft and flabby. But to have a healthy soul, you have to exercise it. And that is what Lent does. It’s the once-a-year ‘Marine boot-camp’ that makes our soul’s solid, and strong.

So, join me this Lent. Maybe we can lean a little on each other when we ‘run out of breath’.

I’ll see you in church.

~Roy

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