A PUBLICATION OF THE
PROPHETSTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
In 2025, Holy Week will be from Sunday, April 13th to Sunday, April 20th.
By the end of the 4th century, the tradition had been established of honoring the various events on the days of the week on which they happened:
- Christ’s Entry to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday
- Judas’ betrayal and introduction of the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday
- Passion and death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday
- His Burial on Holy Saturday
- His Resurrection on Easter Sunday
The specific names also point to the events that occurred in Jesus’ life during that week. “Palm Sunday” is named for the palm branches that people waved as Jesus’ entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Many churches will celebrate this day by reading about Christ’s triumphal entry and distributing palm branches to the congregation which fulfilled prophecy.
Another day in Holy Week is “Spy Wednesday,” which earns its name from Judas’ agreement to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16). Since Judas was one of the 12 disciples, his plan to hand over Jesus to the Jewish leaders seemed spy-like, hence the name “Spy Wednesday.” Despite the sneakiness of Judas, the Lord knew about the betrayal (John 13:18-30).
After Spy Wednesday is “Maundy Thursday.” The term “Maundy” comes from the Latin “Mandatum,” which means “command.” During the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34).
On Maundy Thursday, we can observe the Lord’s Supper and remember His command to love others as He loves us.
In addition to the special names of Palm Sunday, Spy Wednesday, and Maundy Thursday, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion and sacrificial death is known as “Good Friday.”
Many people wonder why this is called “good” when Jesus was put to death and suffered the agony of crucifixion. Christ died for our sins, enduring the punishment we deserve. As Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
We call Good Friday “good” because He died to give us salvation, the greatest gift we can ever receive.
On Holy Saturday Jesus’ body was in the tomb. The Roman soldiers guarded the tomb (Matthew 27:62-66).
“Resurrection Sunday” attests to Jesus’ divinity, shows that He conquered death and the grave, and reveals to us that we can have eternal life, as well as the forgiveness of sins, by placing faith in Him.
ALLURE WORSHIP SCHEDULE:
April 27 – Prophetstown UMC
May 4 – Leon UMC
COMMUNION SET-UP:
April 7 – Diane Hull
May 5 – Tiffany & Adam
APRIL LITURGISTS:
6 – Larry Stewart
13 – Lou Hummel
20 – Pat Crump
27 – Adam Carr
APRIL USHERS:
6 – Pat Uhler & Pat Crump
13 – Garett Plumley & Glenn Ackeberg
20 – Tammie Oleson & Shelly Misch
27 – Alan Posey & Pat Kasterke
APRIL ACOLYTES:
6 – Mason Butts & Tamber Rippy
13 – Hadley Bebon & Porter Bebon
20 – Brayden Garcea & Peyton Garcea
27 – Ava Gravila & Owen Garcea
MISSION CHATTER
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Our Boiler Assistance Fund Raiser was a huge success!! Thanks to Kathy R., Kim G., Teresa S., Kim S., & Barb S. for their help by donating yummy cookies, snacks & muffins! Thanks to the congregation for their noisy change donations also.
We were able to take in $412.98 in donations. We have such a wonderful & caring congregation.
HAPPY SPRING!
Connie & Tammy
Birthdays
4 – Frank Sebok
11 – Jessica Wirsing
17 – Gordon Francis
17 – Cash Wolf
19 – Mark Thompson
20 – Esther Wagenecht
20 – Norah Wirsing
21 – Ella Miller
26 – Landen Garcea
27 – Don Hand
I want to thank all of my Prophetstown United Methodist Church family for the cards and prayers after my surgery. I am still in rehab but doing well. Barbara Seifert
Passover begins on Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Should Christian Celebrate Passover?
Some might debate whether or not it is appropriate for a Christian to celebrate Passover. Whether one chooses to do so or not is a decision for the individual Christian to make. While Passover remembers the Jews deliverance from slavery, it also is a depiction of Christ’s atonement for His people and His deliverance of us from the bondage of sin. The end result is certainly worthy of a Christian’s consideration and could provide needed “bread for the journey” – whether it is unleavened or not!
Sunday April 13 – PALM SUNDAY 8:30 Services at Leon UMC
10:45 Services at Prophetstown UMC -with Palm Processional
Friday April 18 – GOOD FRIDAY 7:00 Services at Advent Christian
Sunday April 20 – EASTER 8:30 Sunrise Service at Leon UMC
9:30 Breakfast at Prophetstown UMC
10:00 Easter Egg Hunt at Prophetstown UMC
10:45 Easter Service at Prophetstown UMC
Richard Ackeberg with the love of his life, Louise.
Richard Duane Ackeberg was born on March 5th, 1928. His family were living in Lyndon at the time. He attended and graduated schools in Lyndon. He told me there were 9 students in his class and only one, besides him, is still living. He loved and still loves music. He said he plays the piano/keyboard every other day at home. At the age of 12 he took lessons from Helen Roselieb who was a piano teacher with a degree in music she received at Knox College. After 2 years of lessons, Mrs. Roselieb told Richard’s Mom that she had taught him all she could, he was advancing so fast!
He played basketball in school and was in the band. He played the trumpet besides playing the piano. He also enjoyed roller skating.
Another favorite of Richard’s past was when he and his Mom and Dad took a trip in their 1940 Oldsmobile up north. They visited the Black Hills and saw the carved faces of four US Presidents. They also went to Yellowstone and saw the geysers. On their way to Canada to visit with family, they saw glacier waterfalls also. They only stayed in Canada for 2 days before starting home on a “2 track road”, (unpaved road), going past a small country church where they were having a service and then passing a corral where miners were having a small rodeo. He wanted to stop and watch but his parents didn’t.
Instead of staying home on the farm after graduation, Richard attended the American School of Commerce in Davenport, Iowa for 9 months. He worked at the Ice Cooling Appliance Corporation, (ICA), in Morrison first as an inspector. Then for a short time, he went to work at the Plymouth/DeSoto Dealership in Morrison. Then using his typing skills he learned in Davenport, he moved on to work at the International Harvester Plant in Rock Falls for Mr. Becky. He said he didn’t do much else besides typing at this job but one day, his boss came up to him and told him he was taking him to Chicago to the big International Harvester Plant where he met the President of IH. He was offered a position there but he chose love.
He and Louise met in business college. She lived in Bishop Hill on a farm at the time. After she graduated from business school, she became a secretary. When they decided to get married on April 3, 1949, they lived in their “honeymoon cottage for a year in Lyndon.
Beef cattle on the farm
Then Richard decided to go back to farming and they moved onto a farm northwest of Tampico and farmed there for 23 years. They raised cows, beef and dairy, pigs, chickens along with oats, corn, soybeans and hay.
They raised 4 children on the farm, Linda, who is the oldest, Glenn, Janet and Helen who is the youngest. All of the kids attended Tampico schools.
In the winter of 73, they moved back to the family farm in Lyndon. Helen was in the 7th Grade when they moved back. They had 500 acres and Richard said Glenn helped him on the farm besides working for the Postal Service. They no longer had dairy cows or pigs on this farm.
Richard wanted me to mention that while living on the farm they had a German Shepherd named Baron who was loved by the family and Baron loved being part of the family for many years.
He and Louise joined the Prophetstown Methodist Church on April 20th, 1952 where they both became very active. Richard lost the
love of his life on February 23rd, 2023
Richard has entertained many people with his music through the years: at the nursing home and at church, plus I’m sure at many other places. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with him. Thank you, Richard, for sharing with us.
We celebrated our Confirmation Class on Sunday, March 30th, 2025.
We had 5 participants in the class:
Ellie Slock (Parents are Todd & Cindy Slock
Isabella Porter (Parents are Justin & Jessie Porter)
Hadley Bebon (Cal & Becky Bebon)
Brayden Garcea (Joey & Tiffany Garcea)
Natalie Cumby (John & Marvella Cumby)
Confirmation requires a commitment not only on the part of the child but also from the parents. It includes 6th grade and above children.
Congratulations to this class and their parents!
April’s Little Thoughts
How can it be April already, time flies, having fun or not! It’s time for April showers so we will have May flowers, can’t wait.
Our little thought for the month is……Plane Crash
Two men crashed in their private plane on a South Pacific Island. Both survived. One of the men brushed himself off and then proceeded to run all over the island to see if they had any chance of survival. When he returned, he rushed up to the other man and screamed, “This island is uninhabited, there is no food, there is no water. We are going to die!”
The other man leaned back against the fuselage of the wrecked plane, folded his arms and responded, “No we’re not. I make over $100,000 a week. The first man grabbed his friend and shook him. “Listen, we are on an uninhabited island. There is no food, no water. We are going to die!” The other man, unruffled, again responded. “No I make over $100,000 a week.”
Mystified, the first man, taken aback with such an answer again repeated, “For the last time, I’m telling you we ARE doomed. There is NO one else on this island. There is NO food. There is NO water. We are, I repeat, we ARE going to die”
Still unfazed, the first man looked the other in the eyes and said, “don’t make me say this again. I make over $100,000 per week. I tithe 10% ! ! ! ! ! ! Trust Me on this one……. “My pastor Will find us!”
Do you think Pastor Joey would rescue Us?
Easter brings the Blessings of Faith, Joy, and Love Connie