Grand Valley United Methodist Church
March 2026 Newsletter
Set your clocks before going to bed on Saturday, March 7!
In this newsletter:
1. From the Pastor
2. In Loving Memory
3. Mission Minute
4. Easter Lilies/Spring Flowers
5. Birthdays
6. Calendar
7. Group Details
8. Church Reports
9. Just for Fun
From the Pastor….
Why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
Groundhog Day is behind us. Easter is around the corner. And in the middle is a holiday associated with merry drinking and a centuries-old religious figure: St. Patrick’s Day.
Tuesday, March 17 is the holiday to celebrate everything Irish, including St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Cities across the U.S. will celbrate with parades of green adornment, Irish foods and thematic bar crawls. But St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t always a day for partying. Here is what you neeed to know about the day to celebrate Irish heritage.
Who was St. Patrick? St Patrick is credited with intorducing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. But the man who spurred an Irish holiday wasn’t Irish himself. He was born in Roman Britain, kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. Patrick escaped slavery but returned to Ireland later.
Why do we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17? Legend has it that Patrick died on March 17. People in Ireland started observing a feast day on March 17 in celebration around the ninth or 10th century, but the parades to honor it actually started in America. The official New York City parade dates to March 17, 1766 according to the Library of Congress.
St. Patrick’s Day was once a solemn religious holiday. The holiday was once a solemn religious day, but it started getting its boozy reputation when the Americans started celebrating it. Although it is not a federal holiday in the U.S., it is a bank holiday and a great source of pride in Ireland. Leaders also use the day to promote Irish partnerships abroad across various industries.
Many Americans have something to celebrate this St. Patrick’s Day, according to a news release from the U.S. Census Bureau:
• 30.5 million U.S. residents claimed Irish ancestry in 2023.
• Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago, is the U.S. county with the largest Irish-American population, according to 2023 data. The population comes in at 434,081.
• 117,219 U.S. residents were born in Ireland, as of 2023.
St. Patrick’s Day is a time for celebration, luck, and togetherness. Whether you’re Irish by birth or simply Irish at heart, March 17 is the perfect occasion to spread joy, send warm wishes, and embrace the spirit of the Emerald Isle. As we gear up for St. Patrick’s Day 2026, here is a heartfelt, cheerful, and traditional blessings to share with your loved ones.
“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, and wishing you a day filled with laughter, love, and Irish cheer!”
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Anne White, loving wife of Garland. She passed during the evening on Wednesday, February 11th and was surrounded by her family at the time. Anne will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
A service is being worked on – no definite date or time at this writing.
Mission Minute
March 15th is UMCOR Special Giving Sunday. There will be an envelope in the bulletin that day, or you can just write a check with UMCOR in the memo line.
On this day, we support the United Methodist Committee on Relief—better known as UMCOR—the disaster response and humanitarian relief agency of our church.
When people face crisis—whether from natural disaster, conflict, or hunger—UMCOR is there to help. But that kind of response doesn’t just happen. It requires trained staff, reliable systems, and the ability to act quickly and compassionately.
UMCOR Sunday matters because it sustains that foundation. By covering UMCOR’s administrative costs, this Special Sunday makes sure the Church is equipped to respond whenever and wherever help is needed—without delay.
When we support UMCOR Sunday, we’re not just reacting to emergencies. We’re making it possible for the Church to be a consistent, trusted presence in moments of urgent need.
On Sunday, April 19th, the next Special Giving Sunday occurs: Native Amerian Ministries. Native American Ministries Sunday is one of six churchwide Special Sundays designated to support ministries and causes important to the entire United Methodist Church. On this day, we come together to honor and support Indigenous peoples and communities. It’s a day to recognize the rich gifts, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans to both society and the Church.
Sunday, March 29th
Easter Lilies/Spring Flowers
In our annual tradition, we will be displaying Easter Lilies or Spring Flowers for our Easter Service on April 5. If you would like to bring in flowers in honor of, or in memory of, someone, please fill out the form that you will find at the end of this newsletter and return it to the office no later than Wednesday, April 1st to be included in the special insert on Easter Sunday. These forms will also be available as inserts in the bulletins starting on Sunday, March 15th.
DIRECTORY PICTURES
If you would like a copy of the .jpg file of your picture for the directory, please let Penelope know.
March Birthdays
10 – Lisa Waszak-Koning
15 – Karen Dornan
Our Seekers Class(Adult Sunday School) meets every Sunday morning at 8:30. We invite all to attend.
Our Tuesday Bible Study group meets at 10:30 a.m. every Tuesday and starting on March 3, will be studying 1 & 2 Peter.
Choir meets at 4:00 Wednesday afternoons and bells meet when necessary. We are always looking for participants, so if you would like to join either of these wonderful musical groups, please contact the office at (970)285-9892 or by email: office@grandvalleyumc.com
Prayer Partners meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 10:30 at Mesa Vista. If you have anyone that you would like to add to the Prayer Partner list, please contact the office.
Church Council Report
The meeting was bought to order at 2:00 by president Ron Olson. Penelope Olson led the group in prayer. In attendance were Ron Olson, Penelope Olson, Michelle Foster and John Chapman.
The minutes of the January 13, 2026 meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s report – After some discussion, it is the thought that the refund from B & B may belong to Rifle UMC. There was one annual contribution made in January that brought up the total contributions considerably.
Finance – The audit needs to be done and another person is needed. We will ask Brenda Locker if she would be willing to help out.
Music – John moved and Michelle seconded to have the bells refurbished for a total of $4,200. The money will come from the Mitzi Burkhart Fund. Motion carried.
Trustees – Penelope moved, Ron seconded to allocate $1,500 for a new washer and dryer for the parsonage. Motion carried. John is going to get a quote to replace the carpet and laminate in the parsonage. The upstairs has been cleaned and old files destroyed. He will get rid of the chairs in the garage.
Worship – John moved and Penelope seconded to dispose of the small pulpit through the Mountain Sky Conference, if possible. Motion carried. Stephanie Moffett will be doing the service next Sunday.
Mission & Outreach – Prayer partners are meeting at Mesa Vista.
Meeting was adjourned at 2:30.
Respectfully Submitted,
Penelope Olson
Acting Secretary
Treasurer
A GOOD JANUARY WELCOMES IN THE NEW YEAR
January was a good month for the Church. We had one annual pledge paid in full, so the contributions were more than anticipated. Expenses were low, partly because Michael takes his time off to go to Nicaragua without pay. It all works out to be a net income for the month of $4,545. The long-term investment account increased by $3,100 for market value plus earnings of $190. The balance in that account is $169,000.
The statements are available on the bulletin outside the Fellowship Hall. Have a look and contact me if you have any questions.
Penelope Olson
GOOD SAMARITAN
A Sunday school teacher was telling her class the story of the Good Samaritan.
She asked the class, “If you saw a person lying on the roadside, wounded and bleeding, what would you do?”
A thoughtful little girl broke the hushed silence and said, “I think I’d throw up.”
DID NOAH FISH?
A Sunday school teacher asked, “Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark?”
“No,” replied Johnny. “How could he, with just two worms?”
Church Contact Information
PO Box 125
Parachute CO 81635
(970)285-9892
office@grandvalleyumc.com
www.GrandValleyUMC.com
OFFICE HOURS:
Wednesday – Friday
9:00 – noon
EASTER LILIES / SPRING BOUQUETS
You are invited to help decorate our sanctuary for Easter with Lilies or Spring Bouquets. Please complete the following and place it in the collection plate. On Easter Sunday there will be a bulletin insert acknowledging all our arrangements. You may designate your flowers in memory of a departed loved one or in honor of a loved one still living.
______________________________ will provide flowers for Easter.
(Your name)
Please use one line for each arrangement you intend to provide.
One arrangement may also be used for more than one person.
In memory / honor (circle one) of _________________________________
In memory / honor (circle one) of _________________________________
In memory / honor (circle one) of _________________________________
In memory / honor (circle one) of _________________________________
In memory / honor (circle one) of _________________________________
The last day for notifying the church of your Easter flowers is Wednesday, April 1st.
Please deliver your flowers to the church on Thursday, April 2nd or Friday, April 3rd between 9:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Also remember to put a small tag with your name on your flowers so you may take them home after the Easter Sunday service.
