SOUPER BOWL OF CARING: is this Sunday. Our youth will be collecting $1 bills in soup pots after worship this Sunday. The funds collected will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and Hope for the Future. The Sunday School will also be collecting one can of soup per child to be donated to St. Kilian's Food Pantry. Please support their efforts. Let's share and care!

VALENTINES FOR SOLDIERS: The Sunday School is making valentines for soldiers in Walter Reed Medical Center. If you would like to send a valentine as well, please place it in the basket in the So. Transept this Sunday.

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE 2/6/08: Prepare to walk with the Lord and renew your faith and join us in the Lenten Journey beginning with Ash Wednesday Services on February 6th at 12:00noon and 8:00pm. ALL ARE WELCOME!

NATURAL CHURCH DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
"WHAT ARE WE DOING?"
The NCD process is moving forward as our church's NCD Health Team (Dwight Andrews, Alan Beecher, Pat DiMassi, Shanna Wurth and Pastor Yim) guided by our NCD coach (Rev. Lee Gangaware, Pastor of Grace UMC at Lindenhurst) works to facilitate opportunities to strengthen our church's mission and ministry. The results of the surveys revealed that our minimum factor is "Passionate Spirituality," which calls for strengthening our prayer life both individually and as a church. The following are upcoming opportunities for strengthening our Prayer Life:

• 40-Day Lenten Prayer Commitment - Instead of "giving up" something for Lent this year, let us focus on "lifting up" in prayer our family, our church, our youth, our mission and our world as a daily discipline throughout the Lenten season. Prayer Guides are provided for our use. At the Ash Wednesday services, there will be an opportunity to express or renew our Lenten prayer commitment to the Lord at the Altar.
• Morning of Prayer - Sat. 2/16, 9:00am-12:00noon. ALL are invited to a concentrated time of prayer, praise, practice & devotion on prayer with refreshment & fellowship breaks. The Morning of Prayer will be an opportunity to practice the holy habit of prayer individually and as a community. It will be friendly both to first timers and those experienced in prayer. ALL ages are welcome!

• PRAYER NEEDED: The prayer of the entire Church community is essential and critical to the NCD process. Please join in prayer for the health & growth of our Church that through us the gospel of Christ is more effectively proclaimed and that there will be an outpouring of God's grace in our church to reach and do more for Christ in the community and in the world.
• District Training Event on Passionate Spirituality March 1st at 8:30am-3:00pm at the Dix Hills Bible Korean UMC. Everyone is urged to attend this key event! Rev. Ann Pearson will be the leader of the day.

UMM VALENTINE'S DINNER: The UMM will host a dinner for men and their significant others. The wives of former members are invited to attend at no cost. Date: Mon. Feb. 11th, 7:00pm in Fellowship Hall. Cost: $20 per couple ($10 for annual UMM dues, $10 for dinner for two). For reservations, please see Pete Campanella or Jeff James.

SECOND ANNUAL JC CAFÉ- HOME EDITION: CHURCH TALENT NIGHT is scheduled for Sat., March 8th, 7:00pm. All ages are welcome to participate through music, art, poetry, multimedia, drama, etc. Come & share your talents! Sign up sheet in the Fellowship Hall near the stage. Any questions please contact Pat DiMassi 516-796-1894. Join in, celebrate and enjoy our church's talents!

CHURCH SUMMER RETREAT: at Camp Quinipet July 18 -20th. Registration begins Sun. Feb. 10th. Deposit: Individual $50; family $100. Contact Rob Schozer or Jeff James for further details.

2007 ANNUAL REPORTS: All committees and ministries are asked to submit an annual report by February 18th. If you have already done so for the Charge Conference, please submit your most updated report. Thank you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! To Mabel Greenidge who celebrates her 103rd birthday on Feb. 4th, 2008. We wish her God's blessing on this milestone.

MESSENGER NOTE: The "Messenger" for the weeks of Feb. 17th & Feb. 24th will be combined. If you want to put an article in either of these issues, please submit it to the Church Office by Mon. Feb. 11th. Thank you.

IN NEED OF PRAYERS THIS WEEK: Ruth Burkhardt, Myrna Loudon, Praveen Misra, Charles Selock, Kyli Abbinanti, Emily Brown, Charles Ghose, Mabel Greenidge, Peggy Lopez, Ruth Mace, Carolyn Minn, Evelyn Occena, Vera Schefer, and our troops.
*If you know of someone in the hospital, or someone who wishes a pastoral visit, please call the Church Office.