Heifer International-Sunday School Offering! The Sunday School students have given over $170 in offerings toward their Heifer International mission project. That is more than enough to provide a llama to a family in rough, mountainous areas of Latin America. When resources are scarce, it’s important that livestock don’t use up land reserved for people. Llamas are a blessing to families with limited pasture land because they can eat the scrub vegetation that other domesticated animals won’t eat. Women weave their llamas’ fleece into warm clothing to wear or sell. They load them up with goods for market and trek with them across rugged slopes at high altitudes. As they travel, llamas’ padded feet don’t damage the fragile terrain and their selective browsing doesn’t destroy sparse vegetation. Llamas provide Heifer families with invaluable sources of transportation, income and wool, which is prized for making blankets, ponchos, carpet and rope. Llamas are remarkably disease resistant and require little care and they can carry small loads for distances over rugged slopes at high altitudes. The Sunday School goal of raising $500 to provide a pregnant cow will bring us the joy of seeing Pastor Dave in his cow costume! Mooooooo.

Amazing Grace Seminar. The next Amazing Grace Seminar will be held on Saturday, May 3, from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. This class is the foundation study on being a United Methodist. We begin with God Is Love and end with a healing process as taught by Christ and supported by the Holy Spirit. This class is designed for the curious (who have no desire to join the church as this time), regular attendees and current members. It is also one of the first steps for those seeking membership into BCUMC. Breakfast, lunch and childcare (as requested) are provided. Mark your interest on the presence slip or contact the church office to sign up.

White Swan Mission Trip. There will be an information meeting following the worship service on Sunday, May 4. Anyone interested in participating in the mission trip this year, or is just curious, is encouraged to attend. We will gather in the sanctuary around 10:45 for hopefully no more than 30 minutes.

Sojourners Concert. The Sojourners of Bothell United Methodist Church will be performing in our sanctuary on Saturday evening, May 10, at 7:00 p.m. This is guaranteed to be a fun-filled evening of old fashioned and contemporary Gospel music. The concert is free but there will be an opportunity to support, by free will offering, Bear Creek’s mission project, Hope for the Children of Africa. This organization provides relief and reconciliation to thousands of children and families who have suffered and lost so much from war across the continent of Africa. Refreshments will be served following the concert, and we encourage you to bring family and friends to this exciting event! For more information on The Sojourners, please visit their website at sojournersmusic.com

Help advertise Sojourner’s concert. Even if you can’t attend the Sojourners concert, you can help make it a success for Bear Creek missions. You can help us advertise! Posters for businesses and additional flyers for distribution to your neighbors and colleagues are available in the narthex. We would greatly appreciate your help getting the word out about this worthwhile event!

Graduates Wanted! If you are graduating from high school, college, a trade school or any other secondary school this year, we would like to know so we can honor you on Recognition Sunday in June. Please contact the church office or Jeannie Morris. The graduates we know of so far are Laurel Gordon, Kathryn Hoppe, Colin Swenson-Healey, Courtney Clark, Kyle Daugherty, Debbie Brown, Danielle Leveridge and Cameron Caldwell.

Midweek at Bear Creek Dinners. Help! We need volunteers who would be able to prepare a midweek dinner in April and May. We need help on Wednesdays through May 28. Please contact Connie Gagnon or Sonya Garrett as soon as possible if you or your group are available any of those dates.

Coffee Hour Hosts. The following people have graciously offered to bring coffee hour treats (cookies, fruit or sandwiches. This is one way we can “serve” our church. Please see Connie Gagnon if you would like to host a Sunday.
Scheduled coffee hosts are:

• April 27 Amber Oleson, Nich Traverse andVanessa Goodman
• May 4 Jan Becker and Tresje Seeley
• May 11 Fellowship Committee

Dinner Groups. There are few things more enjoyable than sharing a good meal with good friends, old and new. It’s time once again to start a new round of dinner groups. Groups of six to eight people share four (or so) meals over a six-month period. The time of day, day of week, and menu are set by the group. This is such a good way to meet others in your church family. New groups will start in May. Please sign up in the narthex, make a note on your presence slip or contact Joan Pierce (jpierce622@verizon.net or 360.668.9691). AND, please help us find a name for this group-we welcome suggestions!

Green Tip of the Week. As Nature Intended: By purchasing locally-grown, organic produce, you support sustainable methods of land use that result in far less pollution than conventional agriculture. Organic farming relies on plants taking up nutrients that are released naturally from humus by microbes (healthy soil). Synthetic pesticides and herbicides not only kill soil microbes and leave toxic residues on food, they also threaten the health of farm workers and disrupt natural ecosystems. Another plus: organic is higher in vitamins and minerals and tastes better.

Kol Ami Used Book Sale. Come to the annual Kol Isha Used Book Sale at Whole Foods Market in Redmond today from 9:00 to 5:00 pm.

Holocaust Memorial Day. Today at 3:15 pm: Kol Ami Religious School invites parents, members and all interested individuals to hear Hester Kool, a child Holocaust survivor from the Netherlands, speak at Kol Ami. Hester’s story is the story of a 13-year-old girl, who, like Anne Frank, kept a diary while hiding from the Nazis in the German-occupied Netherlands. Please join students in grade 5 and up and their families for this special event.

Senior Services’ Transportation Program is seeking dedicated and caring volunteers to drive seniors in King County to their medical appointments. Use your own vehicle, choose the days, times and areas you wish to drive, and receive reimbursement for mileage and parking, plus supplemental liability insurance. For more information call 206.448.5740 or visit seniorservices.org.

Labyrinth Walk. This Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A labyrinth is an ancient meditation path. This Chartres Cathedral-styled labyrinth is a single, circuitous path leading to a center point which then returns to its beginning. It is not a maze with dead-ends or puzzles. A labyrinth allows the mind to relax but,because the narrow path twists and turns, it requires concentration. This state of awareness, combined with arelaxed mind, is what lends a labyrinth to walking prayer.
Open to all-no fee to participate.