Chapel House Men's Homeless Shelter in Auburn has two fundraisers this week. Please be sure to support this worthy cause. Sandi Mettler is the leader, and she is one of the most amazing persons I know. She individually helps each person in our care with whatever is needed to help get them back on their feet such as: housing, employment, counseling, medical care, reconnecting with family members, etc. She does all this in addition to having a full-time job, as well as a part-time job and a family to take care of. There are some people I greatly admire and Sandi is at the top of the list.

Pizza Hut Night for Chapel House will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 23, at the restaurant on Grant Avenue in Sennett. All you need to do is mention Chapel House to your waitress and the homeless shelter will receive credit for the cost of your meal.

Also, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 28, there will be a car wash to benefit Chapel House Homeless Shelter at Applebee's Restaurant on Grant Avenue.

Thanks so much to Sandi's daughter, Audra Jakaub, for arranging these fundraisers.

In other news:

€ St. Nicholas Church on Cross Street in Auburn is currently making plans for its 100th anniversary in 2009. The weekend of Sept. 25 through 27, 2009 has been selected as a tentative date for this grand celebration. To learn more, call 252-3423.

€ Several of our local churches are offering Summer Vacation Bible School this year. Vacation Bible School will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. June 30 through July 3, at Second Baptist Church, 1 N. Herman Ave., Auburn. This is for children entering kindergarten through eighth grade. Please call 253-4455 for further information. Join the fun of games, crafts, music, drama and “Journeys with Jesus.”

€ The United Church of Genoa invites all children from 3 years old to those going into sixth grade to Vacation Bible School. This year, they will be “Digging for God's Truth with the Dino Detectives.” This Vacation Bible School will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 11 through 15. Contact Nancy Valentine at 364-8537 with questions or to sign up.

€ I have lots of good news to share with you from Trinity United Church of Christ in the village of Union Springs. They are adding something new and exciting to their worship services this summer. There will be two lake-side worship services held at Frontenac Park this summer, followed by a dish-to-pass picnic lunch. Everyone is welcome to come on two future Sundays: July 13 and Aug. 10. The fun begins each day at 10:30 a.m.

Members of the church have had a very busy year. The Sunday School program just completed another year, and the congregation celebrated the accomplishments of the youth on Youth Sunday (May 18). Vacation Bible School will be held during the summer, which will give the children opportunities to enjoy a week of learning, singing and craft activities.

On June 15, they celebrated students who are graduating from sixth grade, high school and college this summer, and since it was also Father's Day, they honored all the men of their congregation.

After 25 years of putting their choir robes to good use, they are now in the process of purchasing new robes. Two fundraising projects, a bake sale and Buy-A-Note, have given them a good start towards the purchase of new robes.

In September, there will be a confirmation class forming. They also hope to begin an Adult Discussion Class.

Last spring, members had a very successful Women's Retreat at Stella Maris, so they are in the process of planning another retreat to be held in October.

This church is sometimes referred to as the “Barbecue Church” because there are barbecues every other Saturday from April until October, sponsored by the Lion's Club and held on the church's front lawn. What a nice gathering place for the Union Springs community.

Thanks so much to Pastor Shelly Pantoliano for sharing the news with us from Trinity United Church of Christ in Union Springs.

Have a great week everyone, and remember God loves you just the way you are right now, so very much. Turn to him with all your needs, and he will help you, and give you peace.

“When words escape, flowers speak.”

- Bruce W. Currie

Denise Bennett is a parishioner at Holy Family Church in Auburn. She can be reached at deniseb132@yahoo.com