Congregations schedule worship services, special events

POTTSTOWN — St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 927 N. Franklin St., invites you to join us for in-person worship on Sunday, March 12, at 9:00 a.m. Our service will also be broadcast live on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/stpaulsuccpottstown. Pottstown Beacon of Hope will be holding a Town Hall Meeting at St. Paul’s on Saturday, March 11, at 10:00 a.m. This meeting is open to members of St. Paul’s, and all neighborhood residents in advance of the borough’s Zoning Hearing, scheduled for March 29. BREAKFAST WITH THE EASTER BUNNY — Saturday, April 1, from 9 — 11 a.m. Enjoy a Pancake Breakfast, Crafts, Pictures with the Bunny, and an Egg Hunt! Tickets are $15 for adults, and $5 for kids Our Diaper Bank is now open on Wednesdays from 10 am -12 noon. The Diaper Bank assists Pottstown families in need, with diapers, wipes and other baby essentials.

Bethel Community

POTTSTOWN — On Sunday at 11:00 AM, you are invited to worship with Bethel Community Church of Pottstown for the “Third Sunday in Lent” when the message will focus on the Lenten Themes of Faithfulness, Compassion, Mercy and Forgiveness. In addition, the service is Live on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/BCCP575. The BCCP Food Pantry is Open on Monday from 5:00 to 6:30 PM. On Tuesday at 6:00 PM and Thursday at 12:00 PM, it’s In-Person/ Virtual Community Bible Study by calling 215-3831625 Code 198087.

Trinity UCC

POTTSTOWN — Sunday Worship Service at Trinity UCC, 60 N. Hanover St., will take place in-person and live-streamed on YouTube at Trinity UCC at 10:15 AM on Sunday, March 12th. Trinity will offer a free meal on Tuesday, March 14, at 5:00 PM. Access is available in the parking lot at the rear of the church. See our ad below for office hours and contact information. All are welcome.

Grace Lutheran

POTTSTOWN — Grace Lutheran Church, 660 N. Charlotte St, Pottstown invites you to join us in worship on Sunday for the Third Sunday of Lent at 10:15 AM. During the service, we will also be celebrating Girl Scout Sunday. The service is also available online via our Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/GLCPottstown.

First Presbyterian

POTTSTOWN — Join First Presbyterian Church of Pottstown, 750 N. Evans St., on Sunday, March 12, for Sunday School at 9:15 am and worship at 10:30 am. We will commission our Adult Mission Trip participants during worship. Immediately following worship, join us in the Community Room for Fellowship Time. The 175th Anniversary Team will meet in the Library after worship.

St. Peter’s Lutheran

POTTSTOWN — St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 564 Glasgow St., will celebrate the Third Sunday in Lent at 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. Visitors are always welcome. Worship with us online via Facebook on Sunday at 9 a.m. or any time during the week on Facebook, YouTube, and our Website: https:// www.stpeterslutheranpottstown.com. Finance Committee Meeting — 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 14. Seniors Luncheon — 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 15.

Zion’s UCC

POTTSTOWN — March 12th is the Third Sunday of Lent and Zion’s welcomes all to in-person worship at 10:15 am. Zion’s United Church of Christ, Hanover and Chestnut streets welcomes Supply Pastor Kris Hayden who will have a message titled “Thirst Voices.” Sunday School for youth and adults will meet at 9 am in the Chapel Building. For those who wish to worship virtually, you are welcome to join us LIVE or later on Zion’s Facebook Page at www. facebook.com/zionsucc. The Lenten Devotions with Soup and Bread on March 15th with be at Trinity UCC from 12 — 1 pm.

St. Luke Lutheran

GILBERTSVILLE — The Third Sunday of Lent will be observed at our 9:30, a.m. service on Sunday at St. Luke Lutheran Church, Wilson Avenue. We welcome Rev. Britta Carlson as our visiting pastor as she leads us in worship. Joe Vendetti will serve as lector. Communion will be celebrated. Midweek Lenten services will be held each Wednesday in Lent, beginning at 7:00, p.m. We will worship with Holden Evening Prayer, with a short lesson on the psalms by Kathy Billger. Ken Jacob and Kathy Billger serve as cantors. Services are broadcast on 91.3 FM and livestreamed at stlukegilbertsville.org. COMMUNITY CLOTHING RACK is open for shoppers on March 15 and 22 from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

St. John’s UCC

POTTSTOWN — St. John’s UCC, 11 S. Price St., welcomes all to worship on Sunday at 10:15 am for the Third Sunday in Lent. The service will be available for viewing later in the day on YouTube. The Little Pantry is stocked weekly with water, food, and personal care items for community members in need. Food is also being collected for Operation 143 which distributes backpacks of food to school-age children in the Pottstown and surrounding school districts. Our building is also open to AA Group meetings 6 days a week.

Coventryville UMC

SOUTH COVENTRY — The Coventryville Thrift Shop will be open Saturday, March 11, from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM at Coventryville United Methodist Church, 1521 Old Ridge Road. Stop in, spend, and save on the unique inventory of clothes, accessories, home goods, and more! There will be a Little Learners Preschool Open House the same day from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM. The children get to play. The parents get to learn. Everyone gets to have a free lunch! At 10:00 AM on Sunday, Pastor Stacey will lead a “combined” worship service with a blend of traditional and contemporary elements. Everyone is invited to Fellowship Hour in Grace Hall after the service. Share some snacks, stories, and smiles! On Tuesday from 4:00-6:00 PM, there is a frozen food giveaway of Wawa breakfast sandwiches. Pick up early while supplies last! Bible Study will be held on Wednesday, March 15, at 9:30 am. Call the church office at 610-469-9350 if there are questions about any of these activities.

First Baptist

POTTSTOWN — Join First Baptist Church (ABCUSA) online for worship at 10:30 am this Sunday, March 12, as we’re joined by guest pastor Rev. Patricia Lawrence. You can find the Zoom link on our website. Our Learning Community is discussing our Lenten devotional “Unsettling Lent” this Sunday, March 12 at 9:15 am on Zoom. See the details on our website. Next Sunday, March 19, at 10:30 am, we will host our friends Rev. Eleazar and Speciose Ziherambere at FBC for in-person and online worship. They will share with us the work they are doing in Burundi, and we will present them with a check for the money we have raised to support them. FBC is proud to host the Pottstown satellite location for The LGBT Center of Greater Reading. We hope you’ll check out the VOICES Youth Group (ages 12-17) on Wednesdays 4:30-6:30 pm. Your teen can drop in or you can call 484-513-3170 for more information. Parking and entrance off of Charlotte St. Our mission offering for March is America for Christ, an offering shared across our American Baptist Churches, USA. This offering supports ministries here in the United States. You can give online on our website or by mailing a check with “AFC” in the memo line to PO Box 1096, Pottstown, PA 19464. Check out our website www.FBCPottstown.org for links and more info.

Bethel UMC

SPRING CITY — Bethel United Methodist Church, 952 Bethel Church Road, invites you to join us this Sunday, March 12, for Praise Service at 8:30 am or Worship Service at 10:30 am, led by Pastor John Keretzman. Do you love lasagna? Then join us for our Lasagna Dinner on Saturday, March 18th. Take-out only. You may pick up your pre-ordered dinner at the church between 4 pm-6 pm. Dinners are $13 for adults, $5 for children under 10, and free for children under 5. All dinner includes lasagna, bread, Caesar salad, and lemon water ice. Children’s meals have applesauce instead of salad. Gluten-free and vegetable are available upon request. For more information or to place your order, contact the main office at 610-4956807 or email BethelOffice952@aol.com or call/ text Terry Miller at 610506-8455. Come worship with us for Holy Week. The church will have several services throughout the week. April 2- Palm Sunday, 8:30 am and 10:30 am, April 6- Maundy Thursday Communion, 6:30 pm, April 7- Good Friday, Sanctuary open from Noon3:00 pm, for meditation and prayer, April 9 — Sunrise Service (Shick Shack) 6:30 am, with covered dish breakfast to follow, Easter Worship 10:00 am. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bethelumchurch or visit our website at https://bethelumchurch.com for more information on church activities.

St. John’s ELC

BOYERTOWN — Join St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 45 N. Reading Ave., for worship Sundays at 9:30 am and livestreamed on YouTube (St. John’s ELC Boyertown). Children’s Sunday School at 9:30 am. Midweek Lent worship Wednesdays in March at 7:00 pm. Bread Bowl & Bible, learning and meal event March 12 & 19, 3-6 pm. Maundy Thursday, April 6 at 7 pm; Good Friday, April 7 at 7 pm; Easter Sunday, April 9 at 9:30 am. Free drive-through, take-out meal every Saturday evening from 4:305:30 pm. No registration necessary. For updates and further details, check our website at stjohnsboyertown.org or call the office at 610.369.1024.

Congregation Hesed Shel Emet

POTTSTOWN — Upcoming Shabbat Services will be 9:30 am, on March 11 and 18 and April 1. Services are both in-person and virtual, via Zoom. Visitors are welcome. Rabbi Cynthia Kravitz hosts noontime and evening adult education sessions. Check with the office for details. Rabbi Kravitz is also available for conversion classes. For information, contact the office: 610-326-1717. Email:

Hesedshelemet575@gmail.com. Congregation Hesed shel Emet is located at 575 N. Keim St.

Emmanuel Lutheran

POTTSTOWN — You are invited to join Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, 150 N. Hanover St., this Sunday at 10:45 AM. Our service features both traditional and contemporary aspects. Pastor Maggie Ainslie will lead the service and offer the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Services are broadcast live on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EmmanuelPottstown. During the month of March, we are collecting easy-to-open and prepare foods for Operation 143. Many of our local children depend on free school meals during the week. But what about the weekends? Operation 143 provides backpacks full of easy-to-prepare food to bridge the gap, with enough for dinner Friday and breakfast, lunch, and dinner Saturday and Sunday. You can help by purchasing items on their “Shopping List,” and place your donations in the blue cans in the first-floor hallway. If you prefer to order online and have your donation shipped for free directly to the church, visit our Amazon wish at https://a.co/a1Z9RPB.Lenten services will be held on Wednesday, March 15, 22, and 29 — Joint services will be held at St. James Lutheran, 1101 E. High St. at 7:00 PM; Maundy Thursday, April 6 — Communion service will be held in Emmanuel’s Sanctuary at 7:00 PM. Pastor Bruce Davidson will be presiding; Good Friday, April 7 — Tenebrae “Service of Shadows” will be held in Emmanuel’s Sanctuary at 7:00 PM.

Christ Lutheran

BARTO — Christ Lutheran Church will worship on this the Third Sunday in Lent on Sunday, March 12, at 9:00 a.m. with service being led by Rev. Matthew Finney, who will also be presenting the sermon for the morning. The Handbell Choir will be playing “What Wondrous Love Is This” during the prelude. Coffee & Conversation will be held at 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. on this morning in the Welcome Center. The Adult Sunday School class will be held at 10:00 a.m. in the parlor. On Tuesday, March 14, at 9:30 a.m., Quilt Tying will be held in the social hall followed by Ladies Lunch participants meeting in the parking lot at 11:30 a.m. to car pool to Chino’s in Zionsville for a 12 noon lunch. Later in the evening on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., the Finance committee will meet in the Welcome Center. We will join the members of St. Paul’s Lutheran at St. Paul’s, Sassamansville for the mid-week Lent service on Wednesday, March 15 beginning at 6:00 p.m. for a soup supper (signup, please) and then at 7:00 p.m. for the service. The Senior Choir will rehearse at 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15 and the Handbell Choir will rehearse on Thursday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m. Pastor Matt Finney’s office hours will be Friday, March 17 from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. The church is located at 222 Niantic Road between Routes 663 and 100 about a mile east of Bally.

Brownback’s UCC

SPRING CITY — Join us this Sunday at 10 am for our worship service led by Pastor Bill Wisneski. We hope you will join us this Sunday. Worship Play is available for grades K-6 after the Word for All Ages. We continue to have daily Lenten devotionals available in the Lobby, as well as a collection box for non-perishable food items. All items collected through Easter Sunday will benefit a local food pantry. If you haven’t had a chance, check out the Chapel/Annex to experience a simulation of the Stations of the Cross. A Lenten group, led by Pastor Bill, meets each Wednesday during Lent. You can join the program at either Noon or 7 pm, as the programs are identical. If you attend at Noon, bring a bagged lunch and enjoy a little fellowship before the group begins! On Sundays after church, our Confirmation class meets, and every other week our youth have Donuts & Discussion during worship. Join us at 640 Ridge Road, or you can watch the service from home at: https://www.facebook.com/BrownbacksChurch/live/

St. Gabriel Catholic

STOWE — Join us for the Third Sunday of Lent. Father Wilson and Deacon Ray will celebrate Mass on Saturday at 4 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am (the Rosary will be recited prior to Mass). Confessions this Saturday from 3 to 3:45 pm. We are now live-streaming services at https://stgabrielstowepa.org/livestream/ STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Wednesdays, March 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5 at 1:00 PM. Fridays, March 10, 17, 24 and 31 at 7:00 PM. CONFESSIONS: Wednesdays, March 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5 from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM. Saturdays, March 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 3:30 PM to 3:45 PM. Corn Hole Tournament and Pizza today Saturday, March 11 after the 4:00 PM Mass. Get your teams and boards ready and let the fun begin. 2 players per team, double elimination. Child or adult teams. This is a nonprofessional tournament but we will have prizes. Come as a spectator to cheer on your team and have some pizza. Sign-up sheets for teams and spectators in the church lobby. This is a special Lenten event, free of charge sponsored by St. Gabriel Women’s Society. AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES on March 20 from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the social hall. Call 1- 800-REDCROSS to make an appointment. Visit our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sgsmstowe or our website https://stgabrielstowepa.org

St. James Lutheran

LIMERICK — St James Lutheran Church is located at 93 Kugler Road. On March 12th, the Contemporary service will be held at 9:00 AM and age-appropriate Christian Education classes will take place after the Children’s Message at that service.

A period of fellowship and good snacks follows the service and the Traditional service begins at 10:45. As part of our Lenten season, Dinner Church will take place on Thursday, March 16th. This is a relaxed service around a table where we sing, read scripture, fellowship and eat dinner. The service starts at 6:30 PM and dinner is served shortly after that. It concludes around 7:30 PM. If you haven’t attended a Dinner Church before, please join us for a new experience. Put two dates on your calendar. The first is April 2nd — Palm Sunday. We will have a Community Breakfast at 9:00 AM, followed by a combined worship service at 10:00 AM with Holy Communion being served. The second date is June 10th for a Community Barbeque Dinner.

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