Church of the Apostles’ Youth Group will be hosting a fundraiser night at Friendly’s restaurant on Centerville Road. The Youth Group will receive 10% of sales that will help fund the youth’s trip to the National Youth Event. Coupons are not needed. Please join us to support our youth!

Let’s Talk: How to Have a Lifelong Conversation about Sex

Sunday, April 3 from 6:30-8pm
Rooms 308-310 (next to the Purple Bears room)

Church of the Apostles
1850 Marietta Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17603

Co- sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster and Church of the Apostles, United Church of Christ

Talking about sex with the young people in your life is not easy!

• Many of us feel uncomfortable even thinking about having that conversation with our children or grandchildren.
• Sexual imagery and messages are everywhere in our 21^st-century culture.
• Yet real, honest conversations are few and far between.
• And while many parents think of a one-time conversation for the tween years, children start learning about sexuality as soon as they’re born.
• By the time many parents are ready to “talk,” kids already have lots of information – much of it inaccurate, misleading, or less-than-positive.

In this workshop, we will explore our discomfort around sex and learn some age-appropriate strategies for turning “the talk” into a lifelong conversation about sexuality and health, whether your children are preschoolers or high-schoolers.

Kelly Gainor, a Community Health Educator for Planned Parenthood Keystone, serving Lancaster, Dauphin, Cumberland, and York counties, will lead this workshop.  Kelly provides medically-accurate sexuality education to students of all ages, and is the coordinator of an LGBTQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Asexual) youth program, called The Curve which meets on Thursdays in York.  She has a Masters’ Degree in Human Sexuality Education from Widener University and has presented at several sexuality conferences, including the National Sex Ed Conference in New Jersey.

Parents, grandparents, and guardians are invited to attend.  Childcare is available in the Fellowship Hall for all ages from 6:15-8:15.  If possible, RVSPs (for adult attendees + number/ages of children needing childcare, if any) are appreciated ahead of time, and can be sent to Flo Waldron at waldr005@umn.edu.

 Please join us for this important event!

Church of the Apostles’ Garage Sale

• Friday, April 1 from 8 am – 2 pm
• Saturday, April 2 from 8 am – 1 pm
  Garage Sale will be held in the church Fellowship Hall – West Narthex.

Please join us for our annual Garage Sale on April 1^st and April 2^nd. Not only will you find great deals on home décor, books, clothing, and more, but you will be shopping for a good cause. Funds collected will go toward church programs and outreach programs that benefit our community.

Would you like to donate items to be sold at our Garage Sale? Did you get a Christmas gift that either does not fit or you will never use? Remember, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure! Please save your items and bring them to Church of the Apostles from March 28-31 for our annual Garage Sale. We hope to see you there!

Heritage & Horizons will begin its 29^th year of presenting educational programs at Church of the Apostles on Tuesday, March 29^th and each Tuesday in April. All sessions meet in the church sanctuary. Registration brochures are available at the Welcome Center. See Cathie Oliphant for more information.

Please click here to view the spring 2016 brochure.

Celebrate Easter at Church of the Apostles!

7:00 am in Rader Park
We will watch the sun rise over the trees and consider the time when the women who journeyed to the tomb found it empty. Communion will be served.

9:15 am & 10:45 am Worship Services
Will be triumphant celebrations complete with additional instrumentalists to worship and praise God.

On Friday, March 25 from 7 pm – 8 pm,  contemplating the meaning of the cross and physically carrying the cross within the sanctuary will be interspersed with a traditional reading from Luke’s gospel.

We will join together in the sanctuary on Thursday, March 24 at 7 pm for an intimate worship with  communion as we remember Jesus’ last meal with his disciples when he commanded us to “love one another.” “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:13-14). The adult choir will be present to support the music.

Come out for breakfast and pictures with the Easter Bunny on March 19. Breakfast will be served from  8 am – 10 am.  Adults $6, Children ages 2-10 $3.
Apostles Community Preschool will also host a basket auction at 8 am in the west lobby.

An egg hunt will follow at 10:30 am in the Church Courtyard.

The 13th anniversary of the Lancaster-Lebanon Handbell Festival will take place Saturday, March 12, 2016 at Church of the Apostles UCC (1850 Marietta Ave, Lancaster, PA). Sixteen bell choirs will ring during this event, including a special appearance by Bell Amis under the artistic direction of Ron Bellamy. Bell Amis is an elite ensemble made up of some of the best handbell ringers in southeastern Pennsylvania. Bell Amis will perform “The Shepherd’s Dream” composed by the festival clinician Alan Reese, musical director of Virginia Handbell Consort, a clinician and massed conductor at local and Area 2 and 3 events, and former Associate Conductor for Distinctly Bronze in 2015. He is also a member of the faculty for the Department of Visual and Performing Arts/Division of Music at Norfolk State University. The public concert portion of this festival will take place at 3 pm and a good-will offering will be received. For more information about attending the concert, please contact Jeff Clouser, Festival Coordinator at jclouser@palmyracob.org.