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Holy Week and Easter Sunday are fast approaching. Please check out all the good things happening at The Praise and Worship Center.
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A Spiritual Reflection
for Your Weekend
by Henri Nouwen
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Call Me Back to You
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I trust in you, Lord, but keep helping me in my many moments of distrust and doubt. They are there and will be every time I turn my eyes, ears, or hands away from you. Please, Lord, keep calling me back to you, by day and by night, in joy and in sadness, during moments of success and moments of failure. Never let me leave you. I know you walk with me. Help me walk with you today, tomorrow and always.
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Lenten Reflections
with Pastor Mark
Today, Friday, March 20!
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Join Pastor Mark on Friday mornings for Prayer and Lenten Reflections. We will spend an hour breaking open the Word of God and examining how we can deepen our faith through this Lenten journey.
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Friday Mornings
9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
March 27 will be our last session.
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This Saturday, March 21,
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
All men are welcome!!!
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Women of Faith Bible Fellowship
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Women of PWC & your friends, please join us.
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We continue our series on 2 Corinthians
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Join us for Sunday Worship at PWC
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This Sunday, March 22
@ 10:00 a.m.
Fifth Sunday of Lent
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Make the in-person commitment to be there on Sunday!
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Praise and Worship Never Ends…..It Must Be Lived!
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Pastoral Care Associates presents
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Active Listening Lab
Learn the power of compassionate listening and supportive presence. Develop deeper skills to care for others in times of need.
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Location: Westminster Village
12000 N. 90th Street, Scottsdale,
Second Floor, Saguaro Room
Dates: Saturdays, March 21, 28,
April 4, 18, & 25
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Our Theme Song for Lent 2026 at PWC
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by Phil Wickham
Please see the link below:
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Holy Week @ PWC
Palm Sunday,
March 29 @ 10:00 a.m.
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Holy Thursday Service,
April 2 @ 7:00 p.m.
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Good Friday Service,
April 3 @ 7:00 p.m.
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Holy Saturday Retreat,
April 4, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
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Easter Sunday,
April 5 @ PWC
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7:00 a.m. Sunrise Service, Outdoor
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Mobile Petting Zoo
Easter Sunday, April 5
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Fun for the entire family: bunnies, goats, sheep, and a pony! Have your photo taken with the Easter Bunny!!! 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
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Mother’s Day Brunch
Saturday, May 2
from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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Pastoral Counseling is available at PWC
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Fr. Mike Lessard is available for pastoral counseling on Wednesdays at PWC. Please call the church office to make an appointment at 480-649-0300.
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At PWC
your tithing & generosity allow us to minister to so many who come through our doors with their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.
Thank you for your tithing and
commitment to PWC!
From pastoral counseling to grief support, to bible study and adult education, to providing food through Matthew’s Crossing for families who are economically struggling, to Marriage Enrichment and our funeral ministry -- your consistent giving makes a difference, a big change in people’s lives!
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Here are the different ways you can tithe to PWC:
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• Mail in your gift to: Praise and Worship Center, 2551 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, AZ 85225.
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• Sign up for monthly giving with a credit card or voided check. Just call the office at 480-649-0300 or stop by the office.
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Blood Pressure Checks take place at PWC on the first and third Sundays of the month
from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Our medical team is providing the blood pressure checks.
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Arrive to Sunday Service Prepared to Hear God’s Word Proclaimed
The reading for this Sunday, March 22, the Fifth Sunday of Lent is John 11:3-7, 17, 20-27, 33b-45. Here is a reflection on the passage.
As we enter the final stretch of Lent, placed before us one of the most powerful and deeply human moments in the Gospel: the raising of Lazarus. This story is not just about a miracle; it is about love, grief, faith, and the promise of new life.
At the heart of this passage is a simple but profound truth: Jesus enters into our suffering. When Jesus arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has already been dead for four days. Martha runs out to meet Him, expressing both faith and disappointment: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” How often do we find ourselves saying something similar? “Lord, where were you?” in moments of loss, confusion, or unanswered prayer.
Yet Martha’s faith does not end in doubt. She goes on to profess one of the most beautiful declarations in Scripture: “I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.” This is the tension of faith—holding trust in God even when we do not understand His timing.
Then comes the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept.” This moment reveals something essential about God. Jesus is not distant from our pain. He does not stand outside our grief. He enters into it. He weeps with us. This means that whatever we carry—loss, fear, regret, broken relationships—Christ is not indifferent. He is present.
But the story does not end in sorrow. Jesus goes to the tomb and cries out, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man emerges. This is more than a physical miracle—it is a sign of what Jesus desires to do in each of us.
Lent is a time when we are invited to recognize the places in our lives that feel like tombs:
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- Areas of sin we feel stuck in
- Relationships that seem beyond repair
- Habits or patterns that drain life from us
- Spiritual dryness or distance from God
Like Lazarus, parts of us can feel bound, buried, and lifeless. Yet Jesus stands before those very places and calls us by name. “Come out.”
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Practical Ways to Live This Out
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- Name the “tomb” in your life
Take time in prayer to honestly identify what feels dead or stuck. Don’t hide it from God—bring it to Him, just as Martha and Mary brought their grief.
- Trust in Jesus’ timing
Jesus deliberately delayed coming to Lazarus. What felt like absence was actually preparation for something greater. Ask for the grace to trust God even when He seems late.
- Allow yourself to be loved in your pain
Jesus wept. Let yourself be seen by God in your vulnerability. Prayer does not require perfect words—just honesty.
- Respond to Jesus’ call
When Jesus says, “Come out,” Lazarus had to move. What is one concrete step you can take?
• Go to Reconciliation
• Reach out to someone you’ve been avoiding
• Return to daily prayer
• Let go of a harmful habit
- Help “unbind” others
After Lazarus comes out, Jesus tells others: “Untie him and let him go.” We are called to help free others—with forgiveness, encouragement, and compassion.
This Gospel prepares us for Easter by reminding us that Jesus is the Lord of life—not just at the end of time, but right now. No situation is too far gone. No heart is too hardened. No life is beyond renewal. Lent is not just about dying to sin—it is about being raised to new life. And even now, Jesus stands before whatever burdens you carry and says: “Come out.”
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We are looking forward to seeing you this Sunday for Service at 10:00 a.m.
Please continue to pray for peace in our hearts, our community, and in our world. May the peace of Jesus reign.
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Love,
Fr. Dale & Pastor Mark
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Keep up with all your PWC friends on Facebook
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Please do not reply to this email;
the sending address is not monitored.
Please reply to: [email protected]
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Chris Pfund PhD, MBA, BSN, RN
President Homestead Health
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phone: (602) 755-4508
fax: (602) 691-0283
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Homestead Health is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to helping adults live safely and independently at home. We offer a range of in-home and virtual medical services, including concierge medicine, palliative care, transitional care, and geriatric care management. We believe everyone deserves access to compassionate and affordable healthcare.
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