Due to the addition of our Ash Wednesday service and the many things happening at Harvest this weekend, there will be no sixfortyeight service this Thursday, February 23. If you regularly attend this service, we encourage you to join us on Sunday for the conclusion of our One by One message series and the celebration lunch that will follow.To make a reservation for lunch on Sunday, email cdoddroe@harvest-umc.org.

We encourage you to join the Harvest family Wednesday, February 22 to mark the beginning of the season of Lent. We will gather at 7:00 pm for a unique and intimate service in the Harvest Centre with seating in the round. This day marks the beginning of a time of preparation, when we turn our hearts to God. We commit to walking the journey that will lead us to the cross, where we encounter the depth of God’s love, and on to an empty grave, where we find hope in the power of God’s love even over death.

A special service for children pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade, designed to help them understand the meaning of the day, will be led by our children’s minister, Connie Campbell. Children 4th grade and older are invited to participate in the service in the Harvest Centre with their families. Childcare will be provided that evening for children aged 3 and under. Ash Wednesday Kids service will run the same time as the Adult service, on Wednesday, February 22. This service will be in room E104.

 

On Saturday, February 25 at 6:30 pm, four of the best area church choirs will be performing at Harvest. The participating choirs are: Harvest UMC, Kirkwood Presbyterian Church, Living Lord Lutheran Church, and Peace Presbyterian Church. The C-Breeze Quartet of the Sweet Adelines International, an a cappella quartet from Living Lord Lutheran and Harvest’s Chamber Singers, will round out the concert.

The Choral Festival is being held on behalf of Our Daily Bread, a division of One Stop Ministries. Admission is free. A free will offering will be taken. Last year’s concert raised over $3,000 for Family Promise of Manatee County. Come and hear these voices fill the Harvest Centre and learn more about the mission and ministry of Our Daily Bread.

You are invited to join us Monday, March 5, 2012, at 6:30 pm in the Harvest Centre to enjoy a bowl of soup and an evening with Connie Thompson Titus. Connie is a miracle cancer survivor, author, and inspirational speaker. She blends honesty, emotion, music and humor to bring us an entertaining message of life with Christ.

Joining Connie will be Diane Whitten from the Cancer Support Community in Lakewood Ranch.

Learn about this amazing free resource for cancer patients and their families, which includes:

• Support groups,
• Seminars,
• Resource Library
• Children’s programs
• Exercise classes and much more

Admission is free; a love offering will be taken. Save a seat by signing up at Hospitality Hub 1. For additional information, contact Karen Yates at pandky888@tampabay.rr.com.

Mothers and sons ages Pre-K through 5th Grade - Get ready to join us for a fun Western themed party with food, games and cool bonding activities. The party will be Friday, February 17 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in the Harvest Centre. The cost is $10 for adults and $6 for kids and includes dinner, games, lots of fun and great memories. Put on your boots and jeans and mosey on down to Hospitality Hub 1 to sign up now!

In preparation for Harvest hosting cancer survivor and author Connie Thompson Titus on March 5, the Harvest Women’s Book Club will be reading Connie’s book, Her Doctor Prescribes Dancing at Daybreak and have a discussion on February 20, 7:00 pm at Nancy Reed’s home.

The Women’s Book Club reading schedule for March through May 2012 along with the discussion dates is as follows:

March 19 - Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

April 16 - The Queen’s Handmaiden by Jennifer Ashley

May 21 - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet by Jamie Ford

Contact Nancy Reed at 941 752-7434 or nar11210@aol.com for more information

Harvest is pleased to welcome Connie Thompson Titus, a 57-year old miracle cancer survivor, author of Her Doctor Prescribes Dancing at Daybreak and inspirational speaker on Monday, March 5, 2012 at 6:30 pm in the Harvest Centre. Also, Diane Whitten from the Cancer Support Community will be on hand to highlight services provided in their new facility in Lakewood Ranch. Save the date and watch for more details coming soon!

February 12 will be the next day Harvest celebrates baptisms. Whether you are the parent of a young child desiring to have them baptized, a youth, or an adult who desires to make a first-time profession of faith and be baptized, the invitation is open for you on this Sunday. Anyone interested may contact Carin in the church office at 907-7333 or cdoddroe@harvest-umc.org to schedule an appointment with one of the pastors.

You are invited to join Harvest women and friends for a soup and salad luncheon on Thursday, January 19 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at the home of Ann Gowgiel, 7130 Spikerush Court, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202.  Take a quick respite from the day and enjoy a bite with friends.  No need to bring anything, but if you'd like to contribute, please bring a vegetable for a community salad to share. Please RSVP to Ann via email at agowgiel@tampabay.rr.com. 

Invite a friend to join you for the next Tuesday LIVE! on January 17 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am for a new twelve-week study. June Kimmell’s, That I May Know Him will introduce you to three women from the Bible whose lives were changed in incredible ways through personally meeting God. 

From Hagar’s struggle, we learn that our God graciously provides our every need. We learn about God’s loving care for each individual from God’s afternoon with the woman at the well. From Hannah’s broken heart, we realize that our God faithfully hears the cries of the hurting. 

Enjoy a light brunch, fellowship and small group study with childcare provided. Contact Alison Almy at 356-4811 to arrange for childcare. For more information about the Tuesday LIVE! study, contact Molly Lawson at 962-3734 or contact the Harvest UMC office at 941-907-7333. Please join the Harvest Women’s Ministry for a Christian coffee break at Tuesday LIVE!