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TODAY IN OUR CHURCH Liturgists: 8:00 Kathy Johnson 9:30 Pastor Lin George 11:00 Kathy Johnson

Flowers: The Brooks Family in Honor of Amanda’s Birthday

Roger & Dorothy Houck in Memory of Roy, Hazel & Richard Weaver

Food Basket: The Seybold Family in Memory of Linda’s Brother

Communion Steward: Carol Sitler

Communion Servers: Linda Seybold, Lilian Rubin, Patti Klotz, Frank Pulia,

Becky Aaker and Rachel Byerly

READ ALL ABOUT IT………

UMW Soup Sale……………..………………...page 2

Lenten Offering………………………..……....page 3

Food for Pets……………..……………….……page 4

Do you or your group have an announcement for the Weekly News and/or

anything to be ANNOUNCED on Sunday? The DEADLINE to notify the

office is WEDNESDAY AT NOON.

Guests and Grove Members: Stop by Fellowship Hall (the 2 doors on the main

hall) for beverages and light refreshments between services. Coffee and Fellowship

time is hosted today by United Methodist Women, a group that is open to ALL

women who seek dedication to mission, spiritual growth, and support.

Guests: Please visit us at the Welcome Center in the entry way so we may

greet you and welcome you to Grove!

Please notify the church office when you or a loved one goes into the hospital and

would desire a visit.

The office will be closed on Monday, February 19th. We will reopen on

Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.

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PLEASE NOTE – the Easter Sunrise Service was advertised as beginning

at 6am, but it will actually start at 6:15am.

Ministry Moment – Spanish Health Ministry: Today we welcome Dona

Sensenig, Director of the Spanish Health Ministry, which helps Spanish speaking

families identify health needs and obtain medical care for pregnant women,

newborns, and chronically ill babies and children in southern Chester County.

Brought to you by the Church and Society Team.

GROVE EVENTS AND MEETINGS Soup & Chili to Warm the Soul!! After a “souper” sellout

in January, UMW returns with 2 soup selections and a chili

today! We are NOT be taking pre-orders…it’s first come,

first served, so you can purchase freshly-made quarts of

Vegetable Beef, Ham and Bean Soups and Beef Chili…or all

3 offerings! At $7.00 per quart, these delicious meals-in-

minutes are sure to sell out fast, so look for our display in the hallway. And don’t

forget that every penny of the proceeds benefits the life-changing mission work of

United Methodist Women locally and globally. ***If you would like to return your

CLEAN mason jars or plastic containers from last month, drop them off in the

kitchen and we’ll sterilize them for our next batches.

United Methodist Women: All women of Grove are invited to attend the UMW

February meeting. Please join us on Monday, February 19th at 7:00 in Fellowship

Hall. After a brief business meeting we will be making sugar scrubs for ourselves,

and for the women at CYWA. A full body scrub during this winter weather helps

to exfoliate those dead cells and keep your skin soft, moisturized, and smelling

good. If you would like to participate, please bring a regular size bag of sugar (you

won't need the whole bag), a 1/2 cup measuring cup, mixing bowl and a rubber

spatula. Plastic containers with lids and labels will be provided but if you want to

bring your own container that is fine too (disposable or not). Used food containers

are fine. Hope to see you there.

Operation Christmas Child: For the month of February we are

requesting hair accessories, combs, brushes, and bandanas! Donations

can be placed in the Operation Christmas Child bin located on the

floor in the coatroom. We will be collecting 6 and 6 1/2 quart totes all

year long. And remember, we will take all donations no matter what

month it is! Thank you for your generosity. Questions contact Denny

Scheffler.

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Lenten Offering – Mpasa and Eye Care

Our Lenten offering this year will be in support of the Mpasa

clinic in the Congo and will go towards eye care. We have

handed out coin folders and invite you to insert a quarter

daily. At the end of Lent, bring the coin folder back and your $10 in quarters will

help to raise our commitment of support for Mpasa. The folders are designed for

quarters, however, if you prefer not to go in search of 40 quarters, please support

this eye care mission and offering by giving as you are able. Please remember to

take a moment each day to keep Mpasa, the Doctors , missionaries , and the people

of the Congo in our thoughts and prayers. The children of Grove will be collecting

money in Sunday School classes too, Please see an usher at the end of the service

for a coin folder if you haven’t received one already.

Overdose Prevention Presentation March 5th 7-8:30 p.m. in Fellowship

Hall The Chester County Overdose Prevention Task Force presentation will cover

the opioid epidemic in Chester County and how we got here, information on the

life-saving drug Naloxone, and how to access treatment services in Chester

County.

The task force was formed in March 2015 to coordinate multidisciplinary overdose

death prevention efforts. The Task Force is led by the Chester County Department

of Drug and Alcohol Services, Chester County District Attorney’s Office, Chester

County Health Department, Chester County Human Services, and Good

Fellowship Ambulance and EMS Training Institute.

SAVE THE DATE for Patti Klotz’s Retirement Party! We

will be hosting a Retirement Party for Patti Klotz on

Sunday, March 11th from 12:30-2:30. Please save the

date!

Youth Choir Auction Baskets: Looking for individuals,

families, friends, and groups to donate baskets for the youth choir

auction. Putting together baskets is a fun way to donate to the

choir. The ideas are limitless and you don't even need to use a

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basket, any container will do! Come up with your own theme or use one we've had

before. Chocolate, coffee, sports, spa, exercise, candy, gardening, books, sports

teams, pet, beauty, nails, and we've even had great socks baskets! Let your

creativity run wild, or just check with us for ideas. Baskets need to be completed by

March 18th and need to have the value included. Thank you for your generosity.

Please contact Denny Scheffler with any questions or information.

GRIEF SHARE GROUP - It hurts to lose someone...get

help at GriefShare. The congregation and the wider

community are invited to GriefShare at Grove, an

educational support group for those (18 years or older) who

have lost a loved one due to death. Participants will find

encouragement and practical help in this program.

We meet on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Free child care is provided.

Registration is requested. The $25 fee covers the book and materials. Scholarships

are available. Please contact the church office at 610.696.2663 or email Pastor George

at pastor.lin.george@gmail.com to register.

CHURCH AND SOCIETY Circle of Giving In February, we will be collecting canned vegetables. During

January, donations of canned fruit amounted to 174 pounds of canned fruit! You

continue to amaze us with your dedicated giving! Donations are delivered to the

West Chester Food Cupboard, where Grove is recognized as a caring church. All

donations should be placed in the wooden box inside the church entrance. Please

consider being a once-a-month donator.

Food for pups - Please consider donating a small bag of

dry dog food on Sunday, February 25th to kick off this new

initiative. We are partnering with the CYWA to provide

much needed dog food for low income pet owners. This

program can help keep these dogs out of local shelters and

in their homes with their family. We will be collecting dry

dog food on the 4th Sunday of each month to be transported

to CYWA. Watch for the collection bins in the front

hallway. Please contact churchandsociety@grovechurch.org if you have any

questions or if you would be interested in helping with distribution.

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Service that makes a difference: You are invited to help with

the distribution of food at CYWA (Community Youth and Women's

Alliance) in Coatesville this Tuesday, February 20, 12:15 to

2:30. Carpooling from Grove can be arranged. Sign up in the

hallway near the church elevator or email

ChurchandSociety@grovechurch.org and more information will be

provided.

Grove Workdays for Good Works Ministry Needs You –

There are many low-income homeowners right in our county

who struggle to put food on the table, clothe their family, and

pay expenses. What hope have they of keeping up with costly

home repairs? The volunteers of this ministry make much-needed home repairs at

no cost to deserving low-income homeowners. If you’d like to help, please volunteer

on a workday or support us financially by placing a donation, marked for the Good

Works Fund, into the offering plate on Sunday. God bless you for your support.

YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES Appalachia Service Project: Grove will be heading to West Virginia July 14-21,

2018 and is looking for participants who have completed 9th grade or above. We are

still looking for adults too so please consider attending! An information session for

those who want more information or who are considering attending this year will be

held February 11, 2018 in Asbury Hall following the Arise! Worship Service.

Mission Blitz: Grove youth who have completed 6th-8th grades are invited to

participate in Mission Blitz July 30-August 2. Interested youth should contact Deacon

Diana to reserve a spot. Cost will vary based on participation in fundraisers.

Revelation Small Group: Join the youth (6th-12th grade) small group studying the

book of Revelation on Thursday evenings in the Library 6:30-8 p.m. Snacks provided.

Mission ConneXion Youth Service Project: SAVE THE DATE: March 11, times to

be determined (approx 3-8 p.m). As part of Deacon Marilyn's Mission ConneXion

Prison Ministry Pillow Project, youth from Grove are invited to join with other youth

in our Mission ConneXion to deliver pillows to a local nursing home. Following the

pillow delivery, youth from Grove and the UMC of West Chester will gather together

for dinner and games. Times are subject to change based on upcoming details. Please

let Deacon Diana know if you are interested in participating in this project so we can

make arrangements at the nursing home and for food.

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Upcoming Grove Youth Ministries (GYM) Events February 18:

Middle School Sunday School: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Room 208

High School Sunday School: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Room 210

GYM 6-8 p.m. with dinner

February 25:

Middle School Sunday School: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Room 208

High School Sunday School: 9:30-10:30 a.m. Room 210

Youth Choir: 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.

GYM: 2:30 - 4 p.m.

THE GROVE YOUTH CHOIR will be heading south on their tour this June. We are

hoping to make stops in Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, and possibly other

nearby states. If you have any suggestions of churches that may be interested in

hosting us, please send the information to Kelly Yarnall at office@grovechurch.org.

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Ladies Bathroom Renovation - coming soon!

The first floor ladies bathroom is being renovated. The

shiny, new bathroom will be ready for Sunday, February

25.

Most work will be done throughout the weekend of

February 15-19 and late afternoon and evenings during

the week, February 20-23. All skill levels needed - from

pushing a broom, to cleaning up debris, to drywall,

plumbing and tiling work. Or maybe God has blessed you

with wonderful cooking skills and you could help provide a meal?

Please consider what God-given talents you can share to help us as we update and

beautify your Grove Church. Please contact the office if you are able to help or if

you have any questions.

Please use the Ladies Room on the 2nd Floor during the renovation.

Our Sunday Podcasts are a great way to stay in touch if you are unable to

attend. Our Podcasts from 2017 were viewed 1042 times! You can find them on

our website – www.grovechurch.org.

Thank you everyone! Our Souperbowl Sunday results are in……..

Patriots $861.25 EAGLES $882.23

Mpasa Clinic wins!! $1743.48

Mpasa Clinic/Congo/Puerto Rico The following article is talking about the MPASA Clinic, the Congo and Puerto

Rico which we have supported and continue to support with our Souperbowl

donations and our upcoming Lenten Offering.

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Conference teams visit DRC, Puerto Rico to explore mission needs By John W. Coleman A small, joint team of Eastern PA and Peninsula-Delaware Conference Cabinet members and church leaders will arrive Wednesday night, Feb. 14, in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) capital city. After a more than hour long drive east to Mpasa, they will begin a two-week visit to several places where the Bishop Peter D. Weaver Congo Partnership is hard at work helping to save and improve lives through healthcare, education and development. Meanwhile, another team of Cabinet members and church leaders from Eastern PA arrives in Puerto Rico today to visit Methodist churches where there is also much hard work being done and just as much need, if not more, for our conference's generous assistance. These simultaneous mission journeys have taken our full Cabinet--Bishop Peggy Johnson and her four district superintendents, the Revs. Dawn Taylor-Storm, Irving Cotto, Tracy Bass and Bumkoo Chung--out of the country, leaving the Rev. Anita Powell, Director of Connectional Ministries (and a former superintendent and Cabinet Dean) to stand in for them.

Congo Partnership support

The purpose of the DRC expedition, Feb. 14-26, is to strengthen the Congo Partnership through the team's visits and volunteer work at various mission venues there. They will tour: the Mpasa Medical and Nutrition Center; the Wembo Nyama Children's Ministry; the Cape Lodja Agricultural Project; and a secondary School and trade school, both in Diengenga. They will also teach local pastors school classes and join area clergy and laity in worship. Joining the Rev. Taylor-Storm, South District Superintendent and team leader, are Bishop Johnson;

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the Rev. Bob Wilt, pastor of Lima UMC; Anthony Barnett, Lima UMC's Administrative Council chairman; and Ann Jacob, another Lima UMC member who attends seminary at Boston University. She is studying in Germany and will meet the team in Kinshasa.

Lima UMC hosted a celebration of the Congo Partnership last November that featured visits by the UMC's new Central Congo episcopal leader, Bishop Daniel Onashuyaka Lunge, and Dr. Adolphe Yamba Yamba, lead physician and mission coordinator for the Congo Partnership, based in Mpasa. The South District has raised over $150,000 to help build and furnish Mpasa's new pediatric clinic. The North District has also raised and donated funds to support the Mpasa Medical Clinic & Nutrition Center. Also on the team are three clergy members serving in the Pen-Del Conference: the Rev. Joseph Archie, a superintendent; the Rev. Vicki Gordy-Stith, Director of Connectional Ministries, and the Rev. David Ryan, who is on-loan there from Eastern PA. Bishop Johnson will have to leave the team Feb. 23 and fly to Dallas, Texas, for a Council of Bishops meeting. Bishop Lunge and Dr. Yamba Yamba will spend time with the team. And the Rev. Jonathan Baker and Donna Baker, RN, a Global Ministries missionary couple assigned to the Congo Partnership, will host them during their visit. The Bakers have announced their retirement March 31, after three years of missionary service there.

Helping Puerto Rico Rise Again Meanwhile, a six-member team is visiting Puerto Rican Methodist churches and their communities

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Feb. 14-23 to learn about the destruction caused mostly by Hurricane Maria in September and the urgent needs that Eastern PA Conference churches can address there. They will visit churches in the San Juan area and in outer rural areas that continue to suffer most from a lack of electricity, food and other necessities six months after the historic storm struck the beleaguered island.

Joining superintendents Cotto, Bass and Chung are: the Rev. Nicolas Camacho, community outreach pastor at West Lawn UMC and lead organizer of the conference's new Helping Puerto Rico Rise Again campaign; the Rev. Herbert Coe, pastor of St. Daniel's UMC in Chester; and Andres Cotto, a musician and member of Casa del Pueblo UMC in Hatboro and Irving Cotto's son. Camacho must leave on Sunday, Feb. 18, to return home to his job at the Communities in Schools program in Reading. Team members will meet, pray, fellowship and worship with Bishop Hector Ortiz and pastors and members of some of the 96 Methodist churches, 33 of which were damaged. The team will also deliver monetary gifts to the church leaders, while gathering information and stories of struggle, survival and ministry to bring back and share with Eastern PA churches. The conference launched its Helping Puerto Rico Rise Again campaign in January to raise $100,000 by Annual Conference in June. The goal is to help the autonomous Methodist Church of Puerto Rico (MCPR) repair heavily damaged church facilities, support beleaguered pastors and fund recovery efforts in their communities, addressing some critical needs that may not be cared for by UMCOR (the UM Committee on Relief), FEMA or other sources of help.

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Bishop Johnson and Cabinet members ask that Eastern PA Conference churches, members and friends keep both teams and their hosts lifted in daily, faithful prayer for safe travel, good health and God's blessings on them and those they will meet, as they mutually share Christ's love and blessed assurance of hope. Read more information about these two mission expeditions on our conference website, in NEWSpirit newspaper and Digest and on our Facebook page. We also hope to have more photos to share on our Flickr page when the teams return.

Weekly Offering

1/28/2018 Attendance 294

Offering $ 7,622

Average Weekly 2018 $11,737

Offering 2017 $11,218

2/4/2018 Attendance 316

Offering $16,100

Average Weekly 2018 $11,865

Offering 2017 $11,221

2/11/2018 Attendance 274

Offering $ 8,575

Average Weekly 2018 $11,802

Offering 2017 $11,175

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Attendance

OPPORTUNITIES THIS WEEK AT GROVE Sunday, February 18

8:30 - UMW Soup Sale 6:00 GYM – Asbury/Fellowship/Kitchen/Hallways/208,210

6:30 OA - Library

Monday, February 19 PRESIDENTS DAY OFFICE CLOSED

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE

6:30 UMW – Fellowship Hall 7:00 OA Room 210

Tuesday, February 20

10:00 Preschool Chapel Time – 2 sessions 11:00 Preschool Lunch & Play – Fellowship Hall

7:00 Pieces of One Rehearsal – Asbury Hall 7:15 Staff/Parish Relations – Z Lounge

7:30 AA – Room 208

Wednesday, February 21

10:00 Preschool Chapel Time – 2 sessions 11:00 Preschool Lunch & Play – Fellowship Hall

11:30 Lenten Study – Z Lounge 7:00 Grief Share – Z Lounge

7:15 The Class Meeting – Room 204

Thursday, February 22

11:00 Preschool Lunch & Play – Fellowship Hall 6:15 Bell Choir rehearsal – Rooms 202, 206 and Sanctuary

6:15 Yoga – Asbury Hall 6:30 Youth Small Group - Library

7:30 Tabernacle Choir rehearsal – Choir Room / Sanctuary

Friday, February 23 Pastor Knerr’s Day Off

11:00 Preschool Lunch & Play – Room 210

Saturday, February 24

3:00 Brownie Troop 41919 - Fellowship Hall

Sunday, February 25

12:30 Youth Choir Rehearsal – Choir Room 2:30 GYM – Asbury/Fellowship/Kitchen/Hallways/208,210

6:30 OA - Library

Attendance

2/11/2018 2/4/2018

1/28/2018

1/21/2018

8:00 33 42 41 33

9:30 (includes Sunday

School) 146 154 155

164

11:00 95 120 98 106

Weekly Total 274 316 294 303