There will be a meeting on Sunday, May 19 immediately following the morning worship service for anyone who is going on the mission trip to Florida.  We will be discussing important information about the trip and making final preparation plans.  If you are unable to attend this meeting, please contact Brian Ott or Sue Henne at your earliest convenience.

The Mission Team is requesting donations of new or gently used 5 gallon buckets with lids.  The buckets will be filled with supplies and donated to Church World Service for disaster clean-up.  The buckets cannot have contained chemicals and must have a lid.  If you have buckets you would like to donate to the cause, please see any Mission Team member.  They are also accepting donations to purchase any additional buckets needed.

When doing your online shopping please consider using AmazonSmile for your purchases.  AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Friedens UCC every time you shop—at no cost to you!  On your first visit to smile.amazon.com, you will need to select Friedens United Church of Christ in Oley, PA to receive donations before you start shopping.  Your selection will be remembered and every purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a 0.5% donation to Friedens UCC.  If you have any questions about using this service, contact Denise in the church office.

The Women’s Guild will meet on Monday, May 13 at 7 pm for our Annual Tea Party and a short business meeting.  Ladies: Please don’t forget your hat, tea cup and saucer and a light snack to share.

Vacation Bible School is returning to Friedens UCC!  Our theme is “GiddyUp Junction.”  At this wild-western town, kids will learn about the good news of God’s love.  So, saddle up your horse, dust off your cowboy hat and boots and get ready for a time of great fun!  VBS is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, Wednesday, June 19 and Thursday, June 20 from 9 am to 11:30 am.  Volunteers are needed to make this a success.  Contact Veronica Schoellkopf at 610-987-6638 or 610-468-0813 or Russ Leach at 610-987-3012 if you are able to lend a hand.

May is the Breakfast of Champions at the Oley Valley Food Pantry.  The Mission Team is interested in knowing what you consider the Breakfast of Champions to be.  Do you consider it to be cereal, and if so, what kinds?  Or, do you consider it to be pancakes or breakfast bars?  Show us what you think by bringing in your breakfast items.  Our goal is to collect 125 boxes of cereal or other boxed breakfast foods so that each family served by the Oley Valley Food Pantry can experience what a “Breakfast of Champions” is really like.  We will be collecting items until Sunday, May 12. 

The Church Directories have finally arrived!  They will be available for pick-up following the worship service or in the church office during regular hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 1 pm.

The Choir will be hosting Communion Sunday Fellowship immediately following the worship service on May 5.  Please join us for a tasty treat and conversation with your Friedens family.

The Miller-Keystone Blood Center will be holding a blood drive on Saturday, May 11 from 8 am to 12 noon in Weidner Hall.  Donors are desperately needed.  When you give a pint, you give more than just blood.  You give the gift of life.  You give someone hope for a second chance.   You give back to the community.  Blood transfusions save more than 4 million Americans each year.  Please call Craig Conrad at 610-987-9508 if you are willing to donate.  Drop-ins are also gladly welcomed!

The Covenant Association will meet at St. John Hill Church on Sunday, April 28 at 2 pm.  Eleanor and Susan Henne will be our  lay delegates and Rev. Frey will be our clergy delegate to this Spring Meeting.  All church members are welcome to attend!