This Sunday, February 23, we will have only one service at 10:00 a.m. There will be no Sunday school, but there will be a staffed nursery and junior church. We will have a potluck lunch following the service, and everyone is welcome. Please bring a food to share if you can.

If you want to get in early (preferred seating choice at 5:15 p.m.) or meet and greet with first choice seating and light refreshments (at 4:45 p.m.) for our April 6^th concert with Caleb + Kelsey, now is the time to buy your tickets. Each is more than halfway sold out. BUY TICKETS HERE.

(If you have any problems or need assistance purchasing tickets online, please let me know.)

The Youth Group will be attending the Winter Jam Christian event in State College on Saturday, March 8^th. If you would want to attend and help with transportation, please contact Nic Harclerode. If you’d like to sponsor a ticket for the teens, they’re $15 apiece, and donations can be made in the envelopes available at the entryways and round table.

We’re only a few weeks away from Lent. Ash Wednesday is March 5, and the Youth Group’s fish dinners will commence on March 7.

If you need your 2024 giving statement and haven’t received it yet, contact Kathy Bickel, or let me know and I’ll contact her on your behalf.

Happy Valentine’s Day, church! As a friendly reminder, if you ordered chocolate-covered strawberries, please contact Pastor Brian with any questions about picking them up. Additionally, Caleb and Kelsey’s concert tickets would make an excellent last-minute gift for your Valentine. Purchase your tickets by clicking here.

Join us for our delightful Soup & Sandwich Luncheon this Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy this wonderful meal!

Join us this Sunday as we continue our “The Final Psalms” series with this week’s message, titled “The Lord’s Delight is His People.” Our services will be held at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

A friendly reminder that on Sunday, February 23^rd, we will be holding a combined service at 10:00 a.m. Following the service, we will have a potluck lunch. If you plan to attend, please sign up on the round table. If you’re able, it would be great if you could bring a dish to share.

The church office will be closed on Monday, February 17^th, in observance of Presidents Day. We will reopen on Tuesday at 8:00 a.m.

The 2nd Avenue Kids Easter Egg Hunt will take place on Palm Sunday, April 13^th, after the 10:45 a.m. service. Children in the 5th grade and below are cordially invited to join us for lunch with their parent or guardian (who must accompany them). After lunch, the egg hunt will commence. Please register here! Don’t forget to bring a bag or basket to collect the eggs.

If you were unable to attend our service yesterday, you may access the inaugural message of our new sermon series on our YouTube channel. Please follow this link

There are a few more days to order chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day. If you would like to place an order but will not be able to make it in by Wednesday, please call Jill at 814-943-2072, and we will make arrangements.

Another excellent gift idea for Valentine’s Day is tickets to the Caleb and Kelsey concert, which will be held live in concert on Sunday, April 6^th. Limited early admission and meet-and-greet tickets are still available. If you require assistance with purchasing tickets online, please contact Jill during office hours. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

On Sunday, February 23^rd, we’ll be hosting a joint service at 10 a.m. After the service, we’ll have a potluck lunch. We’d be thrilled if you could join us.

Our Lenten journey commences on Wednesday, March 5^th. Ashes will be available in the morning (time TBA), followed by a service with ashes after the ROCK (approximately 7:10 p.m.). Fish dinners will commence on Friday, March 7^th, and will continue every Friday during Lent (except Good Friday). A Lenten reading plan will be included in the March and April newsletters.

The Youth Group is embarking on an exciting journey to Winter Jam this Saturday, March 8^th. They are actively seeking volunteers to sponsor children who wish to attend the event. Tickets for the concert are priced at $15, and donations can be conveniently placed in the envelopes conveniently located on the round table. If you’re interested in assisting with transportation or joining the Youth Group for the concert, please don’t hesitate to contact Nic Harclerode.

We hope you can join us this Sunday as we commence our new sermon series, titled “The Final Psalms,” with this week’s message, “All of the Earth Praises God.” We will also celebrate Holy Communion at both 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. The Sermon text is Psalm 148

Chocolate-covered strawberries are available for pre-order until Wednesday, February 12^th. Payment is due at the time of order. Order forms are available at the church or you can click here to place your order.

Caleb and Kelsey tickets went on sale this past Thursday, and early entry and meet-and-greet tickets are selling quickly. You can purchase tickets online or visit the church office during office hours (we can’t accept cash). We’ll assist you in ordering tickets. Click here to purchase tickets online.

A month from now, we’ll be hosting the first Lenten fish dinner of the season! This fundraiser is a significant source of funding for the Youth Group, helping them cover most of their expenses for the year. The dinners will be held every Friday during Lent (except Good Friday) from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. If you’re interested in volunteering in the kitchen or in any other capacity, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Nic Harclerode.

The Youth Group will be attending Winter Jam on Saturday, March 8^th. If you’d like to sponsor one of the 15 kids going, please pick up an envelope on Sunday and place the sponsorship (cash or check made payable to 2nd Ave GMC with “Winter Jam” in the memo line) in the offering plate. The cost is $15 per person. If you’re interested in helping transport the kids or attending Winter Jam with the Youth Group, please let Nic know. (Clearances will be required for anyone driving with Youth kids in their vehicle.)

Thursday Bible study and Family Game Night, both scheduled for February 6, 2025, will be postponed for the day since the AASD is canceling in-person programs due to bad weather.

Tomorrow, February 4^th, marks the commencement of the executive committee meetings for 2025. The trustees will convene at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Church Council meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Tomorrow marks the commencement of our ladies’ Bible study at 11:00 a.m. Sherry Falbow will be the instructor for this class. Kindly use the glass elevator entrance and ascend to the Gathering Place. (Please note that the class location may vary this week due to ongoing construction.)

We are thrilled to invite Nashville duo Caleb + Kelsey to perform at our church on Sunday, April 6^th, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets will go on sale this Thursday! We will send you the ticket link via email and post it on Facebook. If you need assistance purchasing tickets online, please visit our church office during office hours (or I can help you on Sunday between services) and bring a credit card or check. We’ll ensure you get your tickets.

We’re still accepting orders for chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day pickup. You can fill out a paper form available at the church, or use this online form and bring a payment with you. All orders with payment are due by February 12th. Orders must be paid in advance to ensure fulfillment on February 14^th.

The church office will be closed on Monday, February 17^th, in observance of Presidents’ Day.

As a friendly reminder, on Sunday, February 23^rd, we will be holding a combined service at 10:00 a.m. Following the service, we will have a potluck lunch. Please sign up on the round table starting this coming Sunday.

If you’re looking for a way to volunteer some of your time in 2025, consider helping out at the ROCK! We’re in need of adult volunteers on Wednesday evenings to lead kids from one station to another. Each station usually has its own teacher or leader for an activity or lesson. Please reach out to Ashley to learn more about getting involved. (The ROCK hosts over 50 kids each Wednesday, and to continue running this large program, we urgently need more help!)

Chocolate-covered strawberries are now available for Valentine’s Day pick-up. You can use an order form (available at the church) or order online by clicking here! Please note that orders and payments must be received by February 12^th at 10:00 a.m. to ensure timely fulfillment. For any further inquiries, contact Pastor Brian.

Sherry Falbow will commence a women’s Bible study this coming Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. If you have any questions or intend to attend, please inform her.

Our Trustee meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 4^th, at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Church Council meeting at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for the Caleb + Kelsey concert will go on sale this Thursday, February 6^th, at 10:00 a.m. We’re thrilled to announce that the band Follow (who performed at our Block Party) will be the opening act. The link to purchase tickets will be shared on Facebook and via email. If you need assistance with buying tickets online, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We can purchase tickets for you if you visit the office with a check or your credit card (we prefer not to accept cash due to limited change-making capabilities). For your convenience, ticket prices and details are provided below.

• General Admission doors will open at 5:45 p.m. Admission is $20 plus fees and taxes. Please note that concerts are not tax exempt, so a tax will be added to your ticket price.
• Early admission doors will open at 5:15 p.m., with priority seating available (a total of 30 tickets will be distributed). The admission fee is $25, plus fees and taxes
• Meet and Greet with Early Admission at 4:45 p.m., featuring first-choice seating, an opportunity to meet the band, and light refreshments. (30 tickets available) $30, plus fees and taxes.

Starting today, construction work will be underway in various parts of the building. Stairwells might be closed, and certain areas may be inaccessible at different times. Please steer clear of areas with scaffolding and/or equipment.

This coming Friday marks the monthly food giveaway. However, there are some mandatory volunteer training sessions, so please arrive early at the Narnia Room.

Communion Sunday will be celebrated on February 9^th instead of the first Sunday of the month.

We’re currently collecting food items for SOUP-er Bowl Sunday. Please bring in soup with pop-top cans, ramen, mac n cheese cups, and other similar items. Place them on the table in the Elevation Room. All collected items will be donated to our February Food Pantry.

Chocolate-covered strawberries are now available for Valentine’s Day pick-up. You can order a dozen for $12.00 or a half dozen for $6.00. Please submit your order forms along with payment by February 12^th.

Family Game Night will be held on Thursday, February 6^th, at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome, but children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the event.

Join us this Sunday as we conclude our “Further the Faith” series with this week’s message, “Remind the People.” Our services will be held at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Join us for Coffee hour and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. This week’s sermon is based on the book of Titus 3.

Starting this Sunday, we’ll begin collecting items for our “SOUPer Bowl” Sunday event. Your help in stocking our pantry shelves with pop-top soups, ramen, and other easy-to-open, easy-to-make warm food items would be greatly appreciated. These items can be placed on the table in the Elevation Room. All donated items will be distributed during our February food pantry day.

Chocolate-covered strawberries are now available for Valentine’s Day pick-up. Each dozen costs $12.00, but buy 5 dozen and get 1/2 dozen free. Alternatively, you can purchase 1/2 dozen for $6.00. Order forms are available at the church and can be emailed if required. Payment is due with the order form.

The January Food Pantry will be held on Friday, January 31^st.

Family Game Night will be held on Thursday, February 6^th, at 6:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome, but children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Please sign up on the round table in the sanctuary so we can anticipate the number of attendees.

Communion Sunday will be celebrated on February 9^th. Additionally, we will have a combined service on February 23^rd at 10:00 a.m., followed by a potluck luncheon.

If you or someone you know is seeking a warm place to spend the day during the cold weather, please reach out to the Salvation Army at 814-942-8104.

Chocolate-covered strawberries are now available for Valentine’s Day pick-up. They cost $12.00 per dozen, or you can buy a half dozen for $6.00. Order forms are available at the church or can be emailed to you. Payment is due with the order. Orders must be placed by February 12^th.

The February newsletters will be mailed out this week and emailed at the end of the week. Physical copies are also available at the church on the round table.

Caleb and Kelsey, a Christian duo from Nashville, will be performing live in concert on Sunday, April 6^th. Tickets will go on sale soon, so mark your calendars! Don’t forget to check them out on YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms.

If you missed yesterday’s service, you can catch up on it on YouTube. The YouTube stream primarily focuses on the speaking parts, so you may not be able to hear the music or the sound quality might not be great.

Service 01/19/25