Based on the Gospel of Matthew, we will consider how to hear God’s voice amid the noise of everyday life and what it means to be called today when Christians have so many competing claims for their time, love and commitment.
We celebrate our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
♦ Scripture: Psalm 23:6 (Psalm 16:9–11; Matthew 28)
♦ We celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
♦ Worship at Live Oak with communion, 1 p.m.
‘The Challenge of Christian Living’
‘The Challenge of Christian Living’
‘The Challenge of Christian Living’
‘The Challenge of Christian Living’
MUSIC NOTES Lisa Cardwell, music director
Easter Sunday music highlights will be “Behold the Risen Lamb” by the chancel choir and the adult handbell choir playing “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.”
Please join us in worship of our Lord and Savior.
This culminates a very busy Lent and Holy Week for the choirs of Swift. Also involved were the Joyful Tones chime choir, the beginner handbells and a men’s handbell quartet. Many hours of practice went into these groups’ efforts.
WORSHIP COMMITTEE Kim Whitchard and Greg McNair, elders
Spring is in the air. And so is the resurrection of our Lord. As we trudged through March with all the variable seasonal weather changes, the one thing that is constant is the Lenten season and the resurrection.
Our Lenten trees have been in full bloom, and we hope everyone has used the prayer ribbons to deepen their prayer life.
We celebrate Easter on April 1. That Thursday and Friday before then (March 29 and 30) we celebrated Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. We hope that you were able to experience the power of our services, where we walked with Jesus in those last hours of his life. We created a very powerful service during this time where we witnessed the betrayal and crucifixion of Jesus, wrapped the cross, and shared the burden by carrying it out into the cemetery in wait for the empty cross and proof that Jesus lives on Easter Sunday (April 1). Thank you to everyone who volunteered to make this very meaningful.
We hope that you had a meaningful worship experience during this Lenten season and found spiritual renewal in the resurrection of our Lord. May this Easter bring a renewal of commitment and passion in our relationship with Christ. The Easter Season continues through May 19. Pentecost is observed May 20. God Bless you all.
As always, if anyone is being called to serve Christ in service during worship, please contact Greg McNair or Kim Whitchard. We are thankful for those who have volunteered their time to the service of our Lord during worship. We are in need of anyone who might be interested in helping to coordinate the nursery schedule. Thank you all for your service and dedication to serving. Thanks be to God.
SANCTUARY FLOWER SCHEDULING
Susie Alexander schedules our Sunday flower donations. Please call her to reserve your date.
You can reach Susie at 251-943-4145 or thfairynfoley@gmail.com. Dates available this month: April 22 and 29
RADICAL HOSPITALITY
‘TWO OR MORE’ FELLOWSHIP LUNCH
Thursday, April 5, at the Gulf Bowl, Captain’s Choice Grill, at 11:30 a.m.
Delicious food, reasonable prices and great conversation. Come and meet new friends.
BUTTERFLY GIRLS • GUYS’ NIGHT OUT Thursday, April 19 • 6:30 p.m. Gelato Joe’s — 202 Michigan Ave., Foley
(at the corner of Commercial Street, across from the side entrance to the Winn-Dixie parking lot)
The restaurant specializes in Italian food.
Please call or text Mary at 251-295-5267 by 4 p.m. that day if you know you’re coming so adequate table space can be reserved. (A few extra chairs will be reserved for any last-minute deciders.)
INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION/CHILDREN Teresa Thomas, elder
Swift children are going strong in Sunday school with the awesome leadership of Sarah Kleinschmidt. Children’s church is also continuing to be led by a great group of volunteers who I don’t know what we would do without.
A big shout-out to all of those responsible for teaching our children about the love of God.
SWAG (Kids’ Club) continues to meet once a month under the leadership of Pastor Keith, who shares a devotion with the children, and I lead in games and crafts.
We will be gearing up for vacation Bible school soon, and I hope you will earnestly pray for God’s guidance and will for a successful time. If you feel the call to serve as a volunteer in some way for VBS, please let me know. Dates will be provided soon.
In Christian love, I thank you all.
■ SWAG (Saved With Amazing Grace) is for children K–4 and will meet at the church on Sunday, April 8, from 4 to 6 p.m.
■ If anyone would like to provide dinner for approximately 20 children/adults, we would greatly appreciate it. Contact Teresa Thomas at 609-2209 or Tara Morrow at 979-3325.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION/YOUTH Tara Morrow, elder
■ GΦG will meet on Sunday, April 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the youth room. This is for youth in fifth grade and up.
■ For youth attending Montreat, your $100 out-of-pocket expense is due by April 1.
SWIFT CHURCH CONFIRMATION CLASS Inspiring, resilient faith
Students explore what it means to be Presbyterian and how to live out their confirmation promises.
Classes will continue each Sunday into the spring, under the leadership of Pastor Keith Cardwell.
The confirmation class schedule for the next few weeks:
April 1 No class (Easter)
April 8 Confirmation: The Sacraments
April 15 OT — Prophets
April 22 Confirmation: A Life of Faith
April 29 OT — Psalms
SNACKS WITH SUSAN AND DARYL Sunday school class meets in the fellowship hall • 9 a.m. Susan and Daryl Pichoff, leaders
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN OF SOUTH ALABAMA SPRING GATHERING “Seeking God’s Presence”
April 14 at Evergreen Presbyterian Church, Dothan
Registration, 9:30 a.m.
Program and worship service, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Registration is $12.50 if received before April 4; $17.50 if received after April 4.
Price includes lunch.
Mail registration to Mary Jenkins, 1203 Mixon Drive, Bay Minette, AL 36507.
Registration forms and more information can be found on the flier in the back of both churches.
BIBLE STUDY AND FELLOWSHIP GROUPS
FOR ADULTS AT SWIFT CHURCH
We are blessed to have so many people who would like to be part of Bible study and fellowship at Swift Church. Here is a listing of the groups currently meeting. All of them are open to people visiting and/or joining the group, whether you are a member of Swift Church or not. For more information, contact the leaders or the church office.
Weekly:
•Sundays, 9 to 9:45 a.m., adult Sunday School class, Andy Lay room, a chronological study of the New Testament, led by Cheryl Jensen and Anthony Kaiser
•Sundays, 9 to 9:45 a.m., Snacks with Susan, fellowship hall, led by Daryl and Susan Pichoff; topic varies
•Sundays, 5:30 to 6:45, Sunday night Bible study, Andy Lay room, studying the book of Hebrews, led by Pastor Jody Beth and Philip Melton, 251-213-6625
•Thursdays, 10 to 11:30, Thursday morning Bible study, Andy Lay room, studying the book of Hebrews, led by Pastor Jody Beth and Philip Melton, 251-213-6625
Monthly:
•Thursdays (first Thursday of month), 11:30 a.m., “Two or More” fellowship lunch at Captain’s Choice Grill at the Gulf Bowl in Foley on Juniper Street. Contact is Lee Mansell.
•Thursdays (second Thursday of month), 1 p.m., Swift Fourth Day, fellowship hall. Bring your own sack lunch and enjoy Christian conversation. This is a new group, started by six people who attended Cursillo #36, and is open to everyone. Contact is Sue Johnson.
•Thursdays (third Thursday of month), 6:30 p.m., Butterfly Girls and Guys’ Night Out fellowship dinner at area restaurants, different place each month. Sometimes men and women eat at same restaurant at separate tables, sometimes two restaurants near one another. Contacts are Daryl and Susan Pichoff.
MISSION AND SERVICE
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
The Swift Church Session met on March 19 in the Andy Lay room.
After a quorum was established, Pastor Keith led the group in a time of prayer concerns and prayer. Next:
✔ Reports from committees were received.
✔ Previous minutes were approved.
✔ Financial report was presented. The 2018 budget was approved after questions from a previous meeting
were addressed.
✔ Slow progress on the driveway. The church’s easement is not recorded. All land owners are in agreement
as to its legitimacy. Official markings will begin soon.
✔ The church received as a gift a piece of property on Smith Lake in northern Alabama. The session voted
to sell the property and to have the trustees handle the business end of that.
✔ Upcoming events were discussed.
✔ The meeting was adjourned with prayer by Elder Chuck Carneal.
MISSION COMMITTEE Al Sprouse and Cathy Rogers, elders
The focus of this month’s special mission project has been One Great Hour of Sharing. This Presbyterian special mission encourages giving during the Lenten season and culminates on Easter Sunday.
The giving for OGHS is divided among three missions: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program and Self-Development of People. All give aid to those in our world who need help overcoming some hardship.
The mission committee has been giving “minutes for mission” at both the 8:00 and 10:00 services and has set a goal of $1,500 to give to OGHS this year. As a visual for giving, Al Sprouse has strung clotheslines in both sanctuaries and for every $30 donation, a blue shirt is hung on the clothesline.
As of March 29, $1,036 has been donated to OGHS. We are grateful for the generosity of our congregation to help those less fortunate.
We continue to collect “two cents a meal” on the third Sunday of the month to go to the Living Waters for the World to provide clean water to areas of the world that are lacking it.
We also have the food pantry open on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 10 a.m. to noon to help families in our community. Tina Sprouse is heading up that program at this time.
MEN OF SWIFT Jim Runtz, deacon
We have two events planned for April:
■GulfQuest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico, Downtown Mobile — Friday, April 6. Carpool from church at 11 a.m.; $15 admission (ladies welcome).
■Work weekend at the Presbyterian Home for Children — April 21–22. Activities: yard work, exterior/interior painting/ other. Lodging provided (must bring own linens). This is a 4½-hour drive.
If you are interested in joining the church driveway committee, please contact Charlie Hastings or Chuck Carneal. We are looking for anyone who is interested in helping coordinate and plan activities involving the widening of the entrance from Swift Church Road.
EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY
WE APPRECIATE OUR APRIL VOLUNTEERS
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” — 1 Peter 4:10
GREETER/USHER TEAMS
April 1 — Susie Alexander, Elinor Gartman, Sue Ann Lay, Lynda Walden
April 8 — Lynn/Mike Barnwell, Willard Penfold, Eunice Ray
April 15 — Jane King, Judy Walker, Kim Whitchard
April 22– Danny/Paula Brewer, Lee Mansell, Greg McNair
April 29 — Janelle Armbruster, Norm/Debbie Schmidt, Kim Whitchard
TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
April 1 — Cathy Rogers
April 8 — Tess Helton
April 15 — Judy Walker
April 22 — Pastor Keith
April 29 — Teresa Thomas
NURSERY VOLUNTEERS
April 1 — Tara Morrow and Kathy Menk
April 8 — Aaron and Lyndsey Ward
April 15 — Megan Curry and Debbie Schmidt
April 22 — Jane King and Carlie Sims
April 29 — Bridgit Gosa and Tess Helton
CHILDREN’S CHURCH
April 1 — None; holy communion
April 8 — Jane King and Carlie Sims
April 15 — Teresa Thomas and Ella Thomas
April 22 — Megan Curry and Debbie Schmidt
April 29 — Lezli and Kenny Thomason
FELLOWSHIP DEACONS
April 1 — Tosha Thomas
April 8 — Brett Cardwell
April 15 — Marlene Hastings
April 22 — Tosha Thomas
April 29 — Brett Cardwell
ACOLYTES
April 1 — Diya Patterson and Saylor Morrow
April 8 — Zadie Grace and Zoeylynn Barnwell
April 15 — Jon Devery and Lainey Thomas
April 22 — Gracie Helton and Baylee Thomason
April 29 — Sully Curry and Tristan Walker
ABOUT ONLINE GIVING . . .
You may have noticed this box in your bulletin. Using your “smart phone” and this box you can connect to the church’s online giving page. You can set up for automatic donations of your tithes or one-time gifts to a number of funds benefiting ministries of Swift Church. Use this by either entering your credit/debit card information or your checking account information. Of course, this is a secure website. You can also do the same thing by clicking the donation link on the church’s website, www.swiftchurch.org.
CHURCH DIRECTORY IN PROGRESS Sue Ann Lay
I am working on the church directory for 2018, so I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone to let me or the church office know if you have changed email, land line or cell phone numbers, moved or just want a new picture. I will be available after the 8:00 service and before and after the 10:00 service to take pictures. If you have a favorite picture you want to use, you can email it to me at alay@gulftel.com or I can scan your picture and return it to you on a timely basis.
