Red Cross Blood & Platelet Drive - Sunday March 18

RED CROSS BLOOD (9:00 - 3:00 p.m.)and PLATELET DRIVE (8:00 - 2:00 p.m.) – Sunday, March 18 During our Lenten season, please consider these two ways to (literally) give of yourself to help those in need: Whole blood donation – Takes about 20 minutes, and benefits a broad range of patients. Goal: 40 donors. Platelet donation – Takes about 2 hours, and benefits cancer and other severely ill patients. Goal: 12 donors. You must reserve a time slot to make a platelet donation, and are encouraged to reserve a time slot to make a whole blood donation. If you’ve never donated before—but know it’s an invaluable way to help others in need, why not try it this time? For more information, see the sign up sheets in the reception room, or contact Natalie Buzby (whole blood donations)(732-469-7746) or Steve Yacik (platelet donations)(732-271-4665)or call the church office (732-356-3575).

TRIP TO THE PLANETARIUM AT RARITAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Just Older Youth - J.O.Y. TRIP TO THE PLANETARIUM at Raritan Valley College On April 4th, JOY will head to the Somerset County College Campus for a visit to the planetarium and a presentation on our night skies. The program begins right at 10:00 am. We need to leave the church parking lot no later than 9:20 in order to be in the auditorium and comfortable prior to the start of the show. We will car pool and are able to drive right up to the planetarium – we do not need to climb all of the steps. The cost for the show is $6 per person. Please let Carol (908-722-3452 or RedMag@aol.com) or Ted (tcsettle@verizon.net or 732-356-6313) know if you plan to come and if you can drive.

"In Community" Dinners

Introducing . . . “In Community” Our church Fellowship and Mission Commissions—in partnership with Bound Brook’s Downtown Business Coordinator, Veronique Cordier—are pleased to introduce “In Community”. What’s “In Community”? A new opportunity for members and friends of our church to eat together, have fun together and just get to know each other better—while helping local restaurant owners whose businesses have been impacted by Bound Brook’s recurring floods. Here’s how it works: 1) Once a month from April through June, members of our congregation, their friends and/or anyone else who's interested will meet at our church on a Saturday evening at 6:15. Childcare will be provided at the church for those who say they need it, at no additional cost. We can arrange transportation for those who need it. 2) Participants won't know where or with whom they will be having dinner until that night.  All they'll know is they're eating somewhere in downtown Bound Brook. (We’ll do our best to accommodate any special dietary needs—food allergies, vegetarian meals, etc.)   3) We'll go to one (or more) local restaurants—specifically those that have been impacted by downtown Bound Brook's floods, and could really use the customers. The restaurant owners will benefit in having customers they might not otherwise have—that night, and potentially after that (if people choose to go their again on their own).  The diners will benefit in trying a restaurant they might not otherwise have gone to and (hopefully) having a good meal with great people.         Our church benefits in having members get to know each other a little better—and maybe by inviting others who are not members of our congregation to see what we're like. Sound like fun? The first “In Community” event will be on Saturday evening, April 14 (the first Saturday after Easter) starting at 6:15 PM at our church. IMPORTANT: Payment of $25 per person must be made no later than Easter Sunday, April 8. Refunds cannot be guaranteed. For more information, please see the sign-up sheet in the reception area or contact Steve Yacik (908-500-0907 or steveyacik@optonline.net.)