Please send an email to WCOCNEWS@aol.com if you have any questions regarding the announcements.

Women’s Day:  Registration has begun for our annual Women’s Day.   “Captivating” is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 and Jeanie Shaw will be our guest speaker.  Cost is $20 for adults and $10 for teens.  See Chantal Filiere to register and pay.

Adoptive Families Needed: Hope for Children is in need of African American families who are willing to adopt children through our Domestic Program and also has 23 special needs children in India and the Ukraine who are available for adoption.  More information is on the website, www.hopeforchilren.org.  Interested families can contact Melinda Szegedi, via email at melinda@hopeforchildren.org, or by phone, 800-522-2913.

Marriage Retreat:  We will be joining the Connecticut churches at Jiminy Peak in Hancock, MA for a marriage retreat on April 26-27.  Cost is $115 for a one bedroom suite and $105 per couple to share a two bedroom condo. See Sandy Meindersma to register and pay.

Special Contribution:  We will be collecting our Special Contribution during the month of May.  Our goal is $54,000, or 10 times our regular contribution.  Please be planning and praying now, so that we may make our goal.

Children’s Ministry Clarification:  The BOD recently addressed clarifying the Youth Ministry grades and transition times.  The “Preteen Ministry” means the portion of the youth ministry that generally includes children in the 5th and 6th grades.  Preteen Camp is for incoming 5th, 6th and 7th graders.  The transition of incoming 7th graders to the Teen Ministry occurs after Preteen Camp, around September 1st.  The “Teen Ministry” means the portion of the youth ministry that generally includes teenagers in the “Young Teens”, 7th and 8th grades, and the “Older Teens”, 9th through 12th grades.  Teen Camp is for incoming 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th graders, and recent High School graduates. 

CHANCE OF A LIFETIME!  2008 BIBLICAL STUDY TOUR:  Every year the Biblical Study Tour brings us to another exciting location. (For example, last year we visited Pergamum, Ephesus, Laodicea, and Patmos.)  Our 2008 adventure will take place in three countries. Choose any combination of the three segments to build your own biblical adventure!  This year we are offering EGYPT (July 17-20), ISRAEL (July 20-26), and JORDAN (July 26-28).

Some highlights: the pyramids, cruising on the Nile, crossing the Sea of Galilee, walking the streets of Jerusalem, having your quiet time in the Garden of Gethsemane, swimming in the Dead Sea, looking at the Promised Land from atop Mt Nebo, exploring the Dead Sea caves, strolling through Armageddon, worshipping with Christians in the Middle East… and many more (like 20 or 30 more!) 

Interested? All are welcome. So far 120 have signed up, coming from 14 nations. Many teens are joining, and some whole families. (The entire Jacoby family will be there, too.)  Open to church members and outsiders as well. Special teen class, women’s class, and daily talks tying in the places you will see with the Bible. Price includes hotel, meals, transfers, and admissions to sites — everything except your airfare. Please register by April 15th. For full details, please visit www.douglasjacoby.com and click on VISIT ISRAEL.  
 

Prayer Requests:

Patryce Hudspeth:  Patryce is at Fairlawn Nursing Home in Worcester and could use some encouragement.
Karin Beausoleil: Her father passed away this week.
Joe D’Onofrio: His mother passed away resently.
Felipe Bascones: His step-brother passed away recently.