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The Paper   | Thursday, April 10, 2014

CHURCH NEWS Mulberry Baptist Church will host a singing starting at 6 p.m. on April 13 with guest singers, Georgia. For information, call Doug at 770-534-0023. The church is located at 5970 Thompson Mill Road in Hoschton. sss Northeast Church in Braselton will host an AARP Smart Driver Course from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on April 12. The course is open to any driver. Cost to non-AARP members is $20 and cost to AARP members is $15. Please bring AARP card to course. This course may enable participants to be eligible for a reduction on their car insurance. If interested, please call B. Gordy at 678-516-1137. sss New Hope AME Church cordially invites the community to our Pastor’s Appreciation Sunday events on Sunday, April 13. There will be an 11 a.m. service, and an afternoon service at 3. For the afternoon service, New Bethel AME Church in Lithonia and their pastor, the Rev. Richard Washington, will join us. For Easter Sunday, New Hope AME Church invites you to the morning worship service at 11 a.m. on April 20. New Hope AME Church is located on Highway 53 in Hoschton. sss A community Easter egg hunt will be held at CrossView Church, located at 1219 Highway 124 in Hoschton, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 19. Come and enjoy the Easter egg hunt, games, jumper and free food and drink. Sunrise service at CrossView Church will be held at 6:50 a.m. on Sunday, April 20. Please join us, rain or shine, as we celebrate our Risen Christ. For more information, call 678-425-9831. sss Hoschton United Methodist Church will host an Easter egg hunt at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, on the church

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But, like so many other people who believed the basics of this story, I had never really walked all the way through Holy Week. I had never felt as though I had accompanied Jesus as he experienced each day. In preparing for these special services, I had a chance to truly and deeply consider this Jesus in whom I placed my faith. I felt his joy mixed with sorrow as he entered Jerusalem to the shouts of the people - “He has come to save us.” I felt his love as we re-enacted his example of washing one another’s feet on Maundy Thursday. I felt his pain as I heard the sound of nails being driven into hard wood on Good Friday. I can remember sitting in an empty chapel and weeping on Saturday as the gravity of God’s love weighed down on me and I experienced for maybe the first time the true cost of divine forgiveness. My Easter Sunday was a different kind of celebration that year because I had walked with Jesus all the way down the road. I’ve never experienced the Easter season – and specifically Holy Week – the same since then. Another experience that shaped my experience of the Easter season was my trip to the Holy Land in 2008. We began the trip in the country’s northern section, along the banks of the Sea of Galilee. We ended our tour in Jerusalem after having visited various sites along the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, the Mediterranean coast and other points of interest in between. During our time in Jerusalem, we retraced a traditional walking path called

lawn to begin Holy Week activities. On April 13, Palm Sunday services will begin at 11 a.m. On Thursday, April 17, a service to commemorate Maundy Thursday and Good Friday will be held at 6:30 p.m. For Easter Sunday, a sunrise service will be held at 7:15 a.m. and the worship service will be at 11. Hoschton United Methodist Church is located at 12 Mulberry St., and Bell Avenue behind City Square. Contact Pastor Marvin Mason at the church office at 706654-1422. sss The Knights of Columbus Council #15212 at St. Catherine Labourne will be sponsoring a Lenten fish fry each Friday during Lent from 4:30-7 p.m. The remaining date is April 11. The annual fish fry will be held at Crow’s Lake at the intersection of highways 129 and 11 in Jefferson. Adult plates are $7 and a child’s plate is $3. Plates include fish and tartar sauce, French fries, hush puppies, cole slaw and choice of tea or lemonade. Dessert can be added for a nominal charge. Dine in or carry out will be available. Proceeds from the fish fry go to the funding Knights of Columbus projects which support both the church and the community. sss Join The Springs on Palm Sunday for a joyous celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem on April 13. There will be fun for the whole family. Palm Sunday service will be held at 11 a.m. and will be immediately followed by a children’s Easter egg hunt, an outdoor family picnic with chicken, great sides and desserts. Childcare provided for children ages 0-3 during church service. Need more information? Contact Jeannette Peterman at 770-335-9073, email office@thespringschurch. org or visit www. thespringschurch.org

the Via Dolorosa, or “The Way of Suffering.” This is a very deliberate path through the streets and alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem, and it is meant to bring to mind Jesus’ path as he carried his own cross to his crucifixion. It was incredibly moving as we considered that Jesus lived, moved, breathed and bled under the same stretch of sky where we were walking. It was real and not some fable. And it was made even more real by walking on the road where he walked. I believe that Jesus really did live and walk among us. I believe that we can know his love and forgiveness – regardless of our situations, experiences, or failings – if we will choose to walk with him. I intentionally joined him on that road during that Holy Week in college. I’ve continued to walk with him on the road, and I can say with confidence that my days are filled with a different hope because of my traveling companion! During this season – and during Holy Week – I encourage you to walk through the experiences that lead to Easter Sunday. Many of our community churches will offer special worship experiences during the week. Our church, Arbor Pointe, will host a “Living Last Supper” on Thursday, April 17, at 7 p.m. and a casual sunrise service on Easter Sunday at 6:45 a.m. You’re invited to come and experience Holy Week with our congregation. But regardless of whether you join us, my best encouragement is that you join him on the road! Brad Greene is Lead Pastor of Arbor Pointe Church, located at

at 115 Towne Center Parkway in Hoschton. Contact him at brad@arborpointe.org or 770272-6778

Easter weekend is full of wonderful worship opportunities at The Springs. On Good Friday, April 18, at 7 p.m., there will be a Tenebrae Service contemplating the Cross of Jesus for the entire family. On Easter Sunday, April 20, there will be two Easter services available to celebrate the risen Savior – a special outside sunrise service at 6:45 a.m., and the 11 a.m. service. Childcare is provided for ages 0-3 during our 11 a.m. Sunday service. The Springs is located at 6553 Spout Springs Road, in front of Flowery Branch Highway School. sss Join the Hoschton United Methodist Church Relay For Life team, The Joyful Jelly Beans, in an early celebration of National Jelly Bean Day from 5-7 p.m. on April 16. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served accompanied by a Jelly Bean appetizer. The price is $6 per person. An assortment of Jelly Bean items will be available for purchase with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. In addition, luminary bags will be available for purchase and decorating to honor survivors and caregivers and to memorialize those who have lost their lives to cancer. The bags are $5 each. These luminaries will be used to light the track at the Relay For Life celebration beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25, at Hoschton Park. sss

CROSSTALK: THE LAST STATEMENTS OF JESUS is an ongoing worship series at Arbor Pointe Church. These worship experiences that began March 9 are focusing on the last seven sayings of Christ from the cross. You’re invited to worship every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at 115 Towne Center Parkway in Hoschton. Nursery is provided, and Sunday School is offered through fifth grade. For more information, visit www.arborpointe.org. sss A ladies’ Bible study called “He Speaks to Me” by Priscilla Shirer is being offered on Wednesday nights at Northeast Church. The cost of the book is $11. Childcare is provided or all ages. Susie Larkin and Linda Fisher will facilitate the study which began March 19. This is great way to make new friends and get to know other women in our community. Contact Northeast Church at 706654-3205. sss Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 19. The Church of Hoschton will host a community wide Easter egg hunt with festivities beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 20 join us as we celebrate Easter sunrise service and breakfast starting at 7:30 a.m. The Easter cantata will begin at 10:30 a.m. The community is also invited to regular services which are as follows: Sunday - Bible Study at 9:30 a.m., Worship at 10:30 a.m., Evening service at 6 p.m. Wednesday - prayer

service at 7 p.m. and Bible Study at 7:30 p.m. The church is located at 99 E. Jefferson St., in Hoschton. For more information, contact Pastor Cory Sexton at the church office 706-6548415 or on his cell at 678234-9408. sss New Community Church has a new series, The Starting Point, beginning April 13. Church starts at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays at 4532 Highway 53 in the auditorium of Lawson Funeral Home. Easter service will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 20. For more information, call the church office at 706-658-0300 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. New Community believes that if we can move people along in their faith journey to passionately love God, then consistently loving others will be the result. Our vision is that everyone who comes to New Community will be accepted, loved, and encouraged to connect with what God is doing at New Community and in Jackson County. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, we can be all kinds of great things, but if we don’t have love, we are only noise (paraphrase). If there is one thing that will define New Community, it will be LOVE. Join Pastors Mike McGuire and Joey Durmire as we gather together as a faith community. sss

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Arbor Pointe Church invites the community to a covered-dish lunch and egg hunt on Sunday, April 13. The fun will begin at noon at the Hoschton Depot. Fun, food, games and more. See www. arborpointe.org. sss Arbor Pointe Church plans special Easter Services: On Thursday, April 17, Arbor Pointe Church will host a special “Living Last Supper” that will bring to life DaVinci’s famous painting. This service will be at 7 p.m. in the Worship Center. On April 20, you’re invited to a special Sunrise service at 6:45 a.m. Bring a folding chair or blanket to 115 Towne Center Parkway and celebrate Easter as the new day breaks. Arbor Pointe will hold its regularly scheduled worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Easter morning. sss Covenant Baptist Church is now meeting in West Jackson Primary School on Highway 53 in Braselton. Covenant Baptist Church is a familyintegrated, gospel centered church whose mission is to make disciples of Christ and equip families to grow in Him. We invite you to join each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for Bible class and 10:30 a.m. for worship service. Nursery and children’s church is provided. Todd Coble is the pastor and you may reach him at 678316-0273. To learn more, visit covbc.org.

With so many great volunteers, it’s no wonder we’re one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals. In fact, Northeast Georgia Medical Center is one of only 20 Large Community Hospitals to make this year’s list. So thank you to The Medical Center Auxiliary and the more than 600 volunteers who help care for our patients and visitors every day.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities visit

www.nghs.com/volunteer