Lanse Link :: March 2, 2025

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Church Family News

Communion Sunday
Today we will be passing communion plates for those partaking in the auditorium. There are pre-packaged communion elements for anyone, inside or outside, who would prefer to use them as we worship together at the Lord’s Table. We have a gluten free option for those with special dietary needs.

Baby Bottle Blessings
We need all empty and filled bottles returned ASAP. Please place the bottles inside the church office. There are still 15 bottles that need returned.

Bible Explorers Handbell Practices
Our KBC Bible Explorers Class will be presenting a Handbell rendition of Amazing Grace during the Easter Sunday Worship Service on April 20^th. Practices will take place each Sunday morning, beginning today, March 2^nd, during the first few minutes of Kids Bible Class. ALL kids in grades 1-3 are encouraged to participate!

Egg Hunt
The Family Ministries team is once again having an Egg Hunt this year on April 19^th, the day before Easter. The hunt is at 10:00am with registration beginning at 9:30am. We are seeking volunteers to help with the hunt, as well as donations of individually wrapped candy to fill the eggs and prizes. A list of prize ideas can be found in the foyer. Donations can also be placed under the table in the foyer. Please see Jordyn Skacel for more information!

Spring Forward
Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead by one hour on Saturday night so that you arrive at church on time next Sunday morning.

Kentucky Missions Team
If you missed the team meeting on February 9^th, Curtis has the packet of information he distributed. The paperwork and deposits for those committing to join the team are due back by March 16^th. See Curtis Quick if you have any questions.

Summer Camp At Miracle Mountain Ranch
Don’t forget to register for camp at Miracle Mountain Ranch! Camps are available starting at age 6. See Marilynn Kristofits to get registered for a discount, with questions, or for more information!

Costumes for KBC
Are you gifted in sewing and crafting? Our Kids Bible Classes are looking for volunteers to help create costumes for the kids to use in various performances. Please see Vicky Albert for more information!

Winter Jam ‘25
Are you headed to Winter Jam this year? Want to go as a group? Several people from the church are going to meet at the College Buffet at 1631 North Atherton in State College for dinner from 4pm-5pm and then leave as a group to arrive at the BJC together and sit together. Do you need a ride? Would you want to offer a ride? There is a sign-up sheet in foyer to help make connections. There is also a flyer in the foyer with information about the concert. Contact Jenni English or Cody & Holly Crumrine with any questions.

Directory Final Update
We have a lot of missing families for the directory! Please check out the big, printed directory and place a checkmark if your information is accurate before we go to print. If you are not in the directory and would like to be, please fill out a form and give to Pastor Matt or Jenni English.

Pictures for the Directory
We want your family’s picture in the church directory, there are still a lot of families that we don’t have a picture of. Help your brothers and sisters to know who everybody is. Please email all photos to [email protected] or see Jenni to get your picture taken!

Lenten Worship Services
Each year the ministers of the West Branch Churches plan Lenten Services on Sundays throughout our area. A schedule of this location and speakers for these services is located on the community bulletin board in the foyer.

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Growing Together

Youth Group
The youth group meets on Sunday evenings from 7:00-9:00pm. All students in grades 7 and up are invited to come for games, snacks, and fun while studying the book of Acts in our Bibles together. See Cody & Holly Crumrine for more information.

Snack and Yack
Directly after service, kids in grades 3-7 who heard the sermon are invited to meet in Pastor Matt’s office for a snack and a brief interactive conversation about today’s message. To help listen closely, kids can fill out a “Snack n’ Yack Notes” handout that are in the foyer. Parents are always welcome to join in, too! Leading this week is Abe & Jordyn Skacel.

Ladies’ Fellowship Hour
Ladies, join us on Wednesday mornings at 10:30am for a time of fellowship with one another, praying for one another and missionaries, and reading Scripture. They are currently studying Resisting Gossip written by our own Pastor, Matt Mitchell. All ladies are invited to attend.

Join Us at Prayer Meeting
Wednesdays at 7:00pm, a group of Christians meet to pray and to study God’s Word in the Prayer Room. We are going through a study of the book of Numbers. Nobody is put on the spot to pray out loud, but all are encouraged to attend and help lift up the needs of our church, community, nation, and world.

Explore the Bible at Home
Many adults in our church are utilizing the Explore the Bible resources to dig deeper into God’s Word. Pick up your free copy of Exodus; Leviticus and join as we study this week with Session 1: Our Inheritance.  The Spring resources are available in the foyer.

This Week in Kids Bible Class
God Is Powerful. Today, the Little Learners and Bible Explorers will be studying Joshua 1; 3-4 learning about Crossing the Jordan River. Resources for family worship centered on this lesson are available through the link you will receive in “The Family Table” email arriving this afternoon. For more information about this week’s lesson, check out The Gospel Project Big Picture Card for Volume 1, Unit 7, Session 1 which your family received in your mailbox.

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Additional Resources

Lanse Free Fridge
Our community fridge and pantry is open 24/7. Contributions may include fresh or frozen foods, dairy products, canned or dried goods, cereals, or prepared foods. Anyone is welcome to donate or rehome food.

Need Prayer?
Our church and our pastor love to pray for you. If you have a need for prayer, you can email us at [email protected]. All emails being sent to this address will be seen by Pastor Matt. Please indicate if this is a private request (for Pastor Matt and the Elder Board) or public request for the prayer chain. Want to join this list? Send an email to [email protected] and we will add you.

Email Subscriptions
We want everyone to know what is happening at LEFC! Are you on the “All Church Notifications” email list to get key announcements such as cancelations and other schedule changes? Subscribers also receive “The Lanse Link,” our weekly news bulletin. In addition, parents can subscribe to “The Family Table,” a Sunday newsletter filled with useful resources for family discipleship. Subscribe on the church website or send your email address to the church office and we will add you to the list.

Library
We offer many free resources in our church library, located to the right as you leave the auditorium. Our catalog of books is now online! www.librarycat.org/lib/LanseFreeChurch. Check something out today.

Sermon Publications
Missed a Sunday? You can read, listen to, or watch the message online in multiple ways throughout the week (YouTube, Facebook, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pastor Matt’s blog, or the LEFC website [audio, video]). Need help subscribing or finding a particular sermon? See Jenni English.

Fellowship Hall Reservations
If you would like to use the Fellowship Hall for your event, please contact Jenni English in the office to check availability and get approval.

Offering
Thank you for continuing to support our ministries and missionaries. The offering plates are available at the back of the auditorium. Gifts can also be mailed to the church or given electronically through your bank’s bill pay program or through online platforms: PayPal and Venmo. Our account is [email protected]. Questions? Contact Jenni English.

Giving Opportunities
Designated giving funds are open for the deaconess compassion fund to help those in need within our church family, summer camp to pay for registration fees, and a future pavilion for the Ark Park here at the church. Please mark your gifts and drop them in the offering plate.

Thank you for continuing to support our ministries and missionaries. Ways to give:

Mail your offering check to us at PO BOX 114, Lanse, PA 16849.

• Cash or Check in person. Drop off your offering at the church during office hours in the offering plate right inside the  office door.
• E-banking – Check with your financial institution about using their bill pay programs to have the bank send us a check directly at no cost.
• Online Payments – PayPal and Venmo are our current e-giving options. Our account address is our email: churchoffice@lansefree.org.

Opportunities for Service
Become a part of our ministries! To get started serving in our church, contact the following people: Attendance (Jenni English), Coffee Ministry (The Crumrines), Greeting Ministry (Katie Kerlin & Haylee Simler), Kids Bible Classes (Vicky Albert), Nursery (Becky Schiefer), Prayer Corners (Jenni English),  and Worship Team (Pastor Matt Mitchell).

Church Office
Our church office is open every week, Tuesday – Friday from 8:45am – 2:15pm. You can reach Jenni in the office by phone (814-345-6500) or email at [email protected]. If you would like information to be in next week’s bulletin, please have it in by 1:00pm Thursday. Last minute prayer requests need to be submitted to the office by 9:00am on Friday.

Director of Family Ministry
Jordyn Skacel serves as our Director of Family Ministry. She is happy to meet with you at the church, in her home, in your home, or in public, with or without kids! Catch her at church or contact her via phone, text, or email, (814) 592-9280 or [email protected] to schedule a time to meet. She’d love to hear your ideas, how you’d like to be involved, and to be a resource for your family.

Church Elders
Keith Folmar [814-345-5980]      Cody Crumrine [724-787-8351]
Abe Skacel [717-606-9344]        Keith Hurley [814-553-5624]
Curtis Quick [814-404-3798]       Pastor Matt Mitchell [814-762-7336]