We hope you’ll join us this Sunday as Rev. Steve shares the message, “What Is Your Fleece?” Sunday School and Coffee Hour begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by worship at 10:15 a.m.

Jill will be away Friday morning through Sunday evening with limited cell phone and email availability. If you have a pastoral emergency during that time, please contact Wendy Lucas or Rev. Steve.

On Monday, we will be serving dinner to more than 130 teens and adults with Team Effort. If you would like to help, Vicky is looking for volunteers to assist with preparation and serving, as well as donations of ice cream sundae toppings. Toppings may be dropped off in the kitchen on Sunday or during office hours on Monday.

Vacation Bible School is only about a month away! Kids ages 4 through those entering 5^th grade are invited to join us July 13–17 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. for the Snowball Mountain Challenge. See Ashley for more information.

Please stop by the sign-up table in the sanctuary for the following opportunities and events!

• Soup & Sandwich Luncheon — Saturday, June 20
• Night at the Altoona Curve — Sunday, August 30. Tickets are $33 for adults and $24 for kids 12 and under and include a picnic on the third base line from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The game begins at 6:00 p.m.

If you have not yet picked up a copy of the June/July newsletter, reading plans, or the free daily devotional booklets, they are available on the table in the sanctuary.

There will be a visitation for Jane White at Myers-Somers on Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., and again here at 2nd Ave on Wednesday from 10 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Her funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m., with Revs. Brian Sandell and Steve Moore co-leading the service. Please note that the office will close around 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, as Jill will be assisting with slides for the service.

This Saturday, a group will be working at the parsonage and is looking for experienced adult painters to help. If you are available, please contact the church office for Priscilla’s phone number, or simply come by at 9:00 a.m.

Jill will be out of town from Friday morning through Sunday evening. If you have a pastoral emergency during that time, please contact Wendy Lucas.

We are aware of the sound issues affecting our recordings and livestreams at this time. Since no changes have been made to the system, we are working to determine the cause and resolve the problem as quickly as possible. We currently do not have a sound technician on staff, but we are doing our best to address the issue. We encourage everyone who is able to join us in person whenever possible.

We hope you can join us this Sunday as we celebrate Holy Communion during our 10:15 a.m. service. Communion stations will include both intinction and a station with separate elements. Sunday school classes for ages 4 through adults meet from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

On Sunday evening, we invite you to attend Saturate Altoona at Heritage Plaza in downtown Altoona. Blessing Booths open at 5:30 p.m. and worship begins at 6:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, June 10, we will gather to celebrate and remember the life of Jane White during an 11:00 a.m. memorial service. The service will be co-led by Revs. Brian Sandell and Steve Moore.  A visitation will be held Tuesday at Myers-Somers (time to be announced), as well as Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. here at the church prior to the service.  We will also need volunteers to help serve a meal following the service. If you are able to help, please let Vicky Plummer or me know.

Next Saturday at 10:00 a.m., we will be hosting Donuts with Dads. Please sign up on the table in the sanctuary if you plan to attend.

Vacation Bible School will be held July 13–17 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. for all children ages 4 through those entering 5th grade this fall. Please register online using the link below! https://www.cognitoforms.com/TheROCKAt2ndAve/_2026VacationBibleSchoolRegistration

Beginning today, summer office hours are in effect. Jill will be in the office Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and available by email until 3:00 p.m. each day.

We learned on Saturday that our dear sister in Christ, Jane White, went home to be with the Lord on Friday evening.

Visitation will be held at Myers-Somers Funeral Home on June 9 (time to be announced), and again at 2nd Ave on June 10 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., followed by a funeral service at 11:00 a.m.

Following the service, a luncheon will be provided at the church. We will need volunteers to assist with serving and hospitality. Additional details and volunteer opportunities will be shared as they become available.

Please keep Jane’s family and loved ones in your prayers during this time.

A few reminders:

• Saturday, June 6 – The Summer kick-off picnic at Canoe Creek 
• Saturday, June 13 – Donuts with Dads at 10:00 a.m., please sign up
• Monday, June 15 – Team Effort meal (volunteers needed, contact Vicky Plummer)
• Saturday, June 20, Soup & Sandwich Luncheon 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Sunday, June 21 – Father’s Day
• Friday, June 26 – Food Pantry day 

This Sunday, we are pleased to welcome Rev. Allyce Logue, Associate Pastor of Hicks Methodist Church in Duncansville, where she serves alongside Rev. Rich Morris. Rev. Logue will bring the message, “God’s Peace, Our Peace,” during our 10:15 a.m. worship service.

This Sunday will be the last day the nursery will be staffed before our summer schedule begins. From June through August, the nursery will remain available as a cry room, and children ages 2 through 5th grade are invited to attend Jr. Church. During the summer months, Jr. Church will be divided into two age groups: ages 2–5 and ages 6 through 5th grade.

Beginning Monday, our summer office hours will be in effect. I will be in the office Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and available by email until 3:00 p.m. each day.

Next Saturday, June 6, we will gather for our Summer Kickoff Picnic at Canoe Creek State Park! The Social Events Committee asks that everyone planning to attend please sign up and indicate what dish or item you are able to bring. The event will begin at 11:00 a.m., with lunch being served at 12:00 p.m. We will be meeting at Pavilion #3 on the fishing side of the park. We hope you’ll join us for a great time of food, fellowship, and fun!

During this interim period, if you experience a pastoral emergency, please contact either Wendy Lucas or me. We will ensure that Rev. Steve or another GMC pastor is notified and available to provide care and support.

Adam Edson, Chair of SPRC, will continue to provide updates as our pastoral search progresses. Any new information will be shared during Sunday morning announcements. Attending worship in person—or joining via livestream if you are away—is the best way to stay informed about what is happening.

Finally, please keep the Sandell family in your prayers as they travel and begin this new chapter in their lives. We have been truly blessed by their presence over the past 10 years. While we will miss them, we are grateful for the impact they have had here and look forward with joy to all they will bring to their new church and community.

If you missed Sunday’s service, it is now available on our YouTube channel. Following the announcements, our SPRC Chair, Adam Edson, shared an update on the pastoral search process. Be sure to take a few minutes to watch and stay informed.

This Friday is our monthly Food Pantry distribution day. If you are available to help, please meet in the Wesley Room (formerly the Narnia Room), located just inside the glass doors, by 9:45 a.m. Thank you for serving our community!

The Social Committee has planned a Summer Kick-Off Picnic at Canoe Creek on Saturday, June 6. Additional details are available on the table in the sanctuary. If you plan to attend, please be sure to sign up.

Throughout the month of June, we will be hosting a Blessing Booth at Saturate Altoona on Sunday evenings. We are still looking for volunteers to help staff the booth. If you would like to serve or have any questions, please let us know.

Beginning next Monday, the church office will observe summer hours, generally being open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

If you would like to read scripture in June, please let me know so we can begin scheduling several weeks at a time. I will also be reaching out over the next week to a few individuals about helping to fill some additional roles on a temporary basis.

We hope to see you this Sunday! Rev. Steve Moore will be sharing the message, “God at Work.” Sunday School will be held from 9:00–10:00 a.m., followed by our worship service at 10:15 a.m. The building will open at approximately 8:50 a.m.

There will be no Youth Group this Sunday due to Memorial Day weekend. Youth will instead have a summer kick-off event at the Stuckey’s next Sunday. A permission slip is required. Please see Nic Harclerode for more information.

The church office will be closed on Monday in observance of the holiday. Regular office hours will resume for the remainder of the week.

Our monthly Food Pantry distribution will take place on Friday, May 29. If you are available to help, please arrive around 9:45 a.m. in the Wesley Room (formerly Narnia), located inside the glass doors.

Saturday, June 6 will be our church picnic at Canoe Creek. If you plan to attend, please sign up at the table in the sanctuary.

2nd Ave will be hosting a Blessing Booth at Saturate Altoona, which takes place Sunday evenings throughout the month of June. We are looking for two volunteers each week to help run the booth. Please sign up on the sheet or see Sherry Falbow or Vicky Plummer for more information.

We invite you to keep the church staff, committees, and congregation in your prayers, along with Pastor Brian and his family, and our future pastor as God leads.

The church is the people, and during this season we encourage everyone to continue showing up for one another through prayer, worship, and open dialogue.

Please help us spread the word that going forward (until announced otherwise)  Sunday school will be 9-10 a.m. and we will have one service at 10:15 a.m. which will follow the format of the combined services we’ve had over the years.

We will be blessed with Rev. Steve Moore sharing the message on May 24 and throughout June & July.

Sunday, May 31 we will welcome Rev. Allyce Logue to 2nd Ave to share a message. Communion will be the first Sundays in June & July, we will have two stations for intinction (dipping the bread into the cup) and one for the separate elements which was generally done at 8:15.

Tomorrow 5/19 voting will be held in the Wesley (former Narnia) Room; unless you come here to vote, please do not use the glass entrance for coming or going.

The office will be closed next Monday, May 25 for the Memorial Day holiday.

The June/July Newsletter & daily devotionals will be available to pick up beginning Sunday at the church as well as emailed out and copies will be mailed to our home-bound folks this week as well.

Summer office hours begin Monday, June 1. We will be open Mon-Thurs 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and emails will be checked and returned through 3 p.m.

We hope you can join us this Sunday for a special day of worship and fellowship. Pastor Brian will share his final message at 2nd Ave, we will celebrate Holy Communion, spend time in special prayer, and enjoy a meal together following the service.

We are expecting around 150 people for the meal. Reserved seating will be available for the Sandell family and church staff. We ask that everyone please fill in seating as needed and avoid leaving single empty chairs between guests. To help prevent long lines wrapping through the social hall, tables will be dismissed one at a time for the meal.

The ROCK wrapped up the school year on Wednesday with a fun-filled night and a special treat from Brainfreezers! Be sure to thank Ashley for all the hard work and dedication she puts into this ministry, and a huge shoutout to all the volunteers who helped make this year so amazing!

As we begin this interim season between pastors, we are looking for people who would be willing to help serve in a variety of ways. Please watch for emails and sign-up sheets for opportunities such as scripture readers, announcement readers, greeters, and those willing to help lock up and turn off lights after services. Jill will also be reaching out to some individuals about helping with home visits for our at-home members. If you see a need or would like to get involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Jill.

The next newsletter will be a combined June/July issue and will be distributed next week. Printed copies will be available at the church for anyone who would like one, and the newsletter will also be sent by email. Due to increased postage costs, mailed copies will only be sent to those who are unable to regularly attend church in person.

It’s hard to believe that Pastor Brian’s final week is already here. We hope you’ll join us this Sunday as we celebrate the Sandell family during a combined 10:00 a.m. service. Please note there will be no Sunday School or staffed nursery. We will also share in Holy Communion together.

If you would like to help by baking cookies for the luncheon, please let me know. A sheet cake has already been ordered, but with the number of guests expected, we want to ensure there is plenty of dessert for everyone.

This Wednesday marks the final ROCK for the 2025–26 session. We are so grateful to everyone who has volunteered, donated, and prayed for this incredible outreach ministry! The ROCK has become a well-known blessing in our community, impacting many children and their families. It’s especially meaningful to see parents who once attended the ROCK now bringing their own children. Beginning in September, the ROCK will expand to four days a week. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday will focus on homework help, meals, and gym time, while Wednesday will continue as the regular program the kids know and love. Please prayerfully consider giving your time to this growing ministry. Whether you’re able to help with math, supervise in the gym, serve dinner, or support in other ways, you are needed! For more information or any questions, please contact Ashley.

Beginning Sunday, May 24, we will move to a new schedule with Sunday School from 9:00–10:00 a.m. and one worship service at 10:15 a.m. This service will follow a blended format, incorporating elements from both of our combined services, including hymns, creeds, children’s messages, praise songs, and more. We are also pleased to welcome Rev. Steve Moore, who will be blessing us on May 24 and throughout the month of June. (We will provide an update regarding May 31 as soon as it is available.) Please continue to keep our church staff in your prayers and extend grace as we transition through this interim season.