As February blows in, we find we’ve got a busy month ahead of us at Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church! More details can be found in our church newsletter, The Link, which can be viewed by clicking on The Link tab at the top of the page, but  some highlights will be shared in upcoming posts.

On Shrove Tuesday, we will celebrate with our annual Pancake Supper. The men of the church are the chefs and they provide a delicious selection of “breakfast for dinner” treats, including a variety of pancakes, sausage, and REAL maple syrup! The fun starts at 6:00 pm and is open to anyone who would like to come. Although there is no charge for the meal, a ‘good-will offering’ jar will be available should you wish to help out with expenses. Come join us for a fun event!!

We are pleased to welcome our new pastor, Lee Gangaware, and his wife, Polly, to our church. Pastor Lee isn’t a new face to our church community, as he has been with us in worship many times over the past year. But now it’s official!

When asked to provide a brief bio for publication here, this is what he shared:

     Pastor Lee Gangaware has been in the ministry since 1972, and has served churches through 2015, and has filled pulpits for the last two years! He and his wife Polly have been married 47 years come this August 29th! They have two daughters “Hannah Gangaware and Elizabeth Frye”  and a Foster daughter “Elaine Morrigia”. They have 4 grandchildren: Julianna 16, Catherine 8, Jaron 18, and Jacob 21.

     They live in Colebrook, CT on 6 & 1/2 acres of farmland with 3 turkeys and 10 laying hens, assorted bobcats, owls, hawks, bears, lynxes, coyotes, and more!

     Pastor Lee has felt called out of retirement to “Prepare as many people as he can for heaven!”

We invite you to come and welcome Pastor Lee and Polly to our church on Sunday, July 2nd!

The annual Pumpkin Patch event has taken place at Pleasant Valley United Methodist Church this week. Fifty-eight children from the kindergarten and first grade classes at the Barkhamsted School, along with their teachers and adult helpers, came to enjoy some time listening to pumpkin and harvest stories [thank you, Miss Pat], to enjoy a healthy snack of homemade pumpkin muffins along with crackers and cheese and apple juice, and to select a pumpkin to take home from our patch. This year we were pleased to have been able to grow some of the pumpkins in our own church garden!! This annual event is a favorite of the children and of our Pumpkin Patch staff as well. See you again next year!!

Our very popular Vacation Bible School program is getting ready to welcome all the children in a very short time!  Dates this year are June 23 ~ 27.  For more details, check out the VBS tab across the top of this page.

It promises to be a fun time for all the children and staff, so mark your calendars and plan to come hear all about the God of Wonders!!