West End news
Eldred announcement
The Community Center in Kunkletown is officially open for business. Tenants are moving in next month, and the township is planning a number of events that officials hope will interest residents, who are encouraged to offer ideas and input for events and presentations.
Some ideas include a community garden, a farmers market, fun dog show, community yard sale and flea market, and a craft show.
The township is seeking volunteers to help coordinate these events, including gardeners who could lend advice on a collaborative gardening effort.
There will be another cleanup day soon, including outside cleanup of the grounds and flower beds. Township personnel are looking for someone who knows landscape design and may be willing to donate time and/or materials to help spruce up the exterior of the building.
An open house will be held May 3.
Slots are filling up fast for the Community Center Open House. Contact Darcy L. Gannon, Eldred Township administrative assistant and planning commission recording secretary, to reserve a spot. Call 610-381-4252, ext. 2, or sign up at the township building. A sign-up sheet will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily at the front counter.
The township will need to know how much space is being requested (one table or two) as well as the person's name and contact information, including email and telephone contact.
Visit the township's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/etcomcenter.
Blood drive
The weekly Miller-Keystone blood drive at the Western Pocono Community Library in Brodheadsville is noon to 6 p.m. today.
Walk-ins are welcome.
Lions Board
The Western Pocono Lions Club board of directors will meet at 7 p.m. today at the Western Pocono Community Library. All Lions are welcome.
Home Association
The West End Home Association meets at 7:30 p.m. today at the Legion Post Home in Gilbert.
The Legion meets at 7:30 p.m. at the same place.
Spring break
The Pleasant Valley School District will have an early dismissal Thursday to begin spring break.
Rader's outreach
State Rep. Jack Rader is holding outreach hours in several locations in April.
A representative from his office will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following dates and locations: Thursday, Polk Township Building, 165 Polk Township Road, Kresgeville; and April 8, Eldred Township Building, 490 Kunkletown Road, Kunkletown.
Maundy Thursday services
Effort UMC will have soup and bread at 6 p.m. in Wesley Hall. The worship service will follow at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Gilbert, will have morning prayer at 8 a.m., Mass of the Lord's Supper at 7 p.m. and Adoration followed by Night Prayer at 11 p.m.
Salem-St. Paul's Lutheran, Kresgeville, will hold its service a 7 p.m. complete with Holy Communion and Stripping of the Altar.
Zion Lutheran, Brodheadsville, will hold a Maundy Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with the Sacrament of Holy Communion and the Stripping of the Altar.
St. Matthew's Church, Kunkletown, will hold a covered dish supper at 6 p.m. and worship at 7 p.m. The Living Last Supper: Dramatic Musical Experience. Holy Communion will be celebrated.
Eldred meeting
The Agricultural Security Board meets at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Eldred Township Municipal Building.
Monroe seniors
All Monroe Senior sites, including the Chestnuthill site at Zion Lutheran, will be closed for Good Friday.
Gatherings will resume next week, with the Chestnuthill group meeting on April 8. Doors open at 9 a.m. The menu for the day is baked ham.
Free blood pressure readings will be available for the seniors.
Good Friday services
Countryside Alliance, Brodheadsville, will hold a 6:30 p.m. Good Friday service.
Effort UMC will hold its Good Friday service at 7 p.m.
Middlecreek Christian Church, Kresgeville, will hold a Good Friday Choir Tenebrae service at 7 p.m. titled "Field of Blood Hill of Calvary." The Latin word Tenebrae means shadows or darkness, so this evening will be very expressive while sharing the sufferings of the Lord. Songs and spoken word will help tell the story of the passion of the Savior.
For more information, call 570-629-4066 or visit middlecreekchurch.org. It is suggested that due to the sensitive nature of this program arrangements be made for young children.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Gilbert, will have morning prayer at 8 a.m. Mass at 7 p.m., a Celebration of the Lord's Passion. There will be no Eucharistic Adoration on Good Friday. The church will be open all day for those who would like to pray the Stations of the Cross on their own.
Pleasant Valley Assembly of God Church, Brodheadsville, will have its service, with Holy Communion, at 7 p.m. It will include a time of worship with the Urbane Gospel Choir.
Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church, Brodheadsville, will have a Good Friday service at 7 p.m.
St. John's Lutheran, Effort, will have its service at 7 p.m.
Salem-St. Paul's Lutheran, Kresgeville, will have its Service of Shadows at 7 p.m.
Zion Lutheran, Brodheadsville, will hold a Good Friday Tenebrae service at 7:30 p.m.
Holy Saturday
Our Lady Queen of Peace begins the day with morning prayer at 8 a.m. There will be no Communion service nor confessions.
At 1 p.m. there will be a blessing of the Easter baskets, followed at 2 p.m. by the Easter egg hunt.
At 8 p.m., the church will hold the Great Easter Vigil.
Egg hunt
St. Matthew's UCC in Kunkletown is holding its children's Easter Egg Party at 1 p.m. in the church grove. All are welcome.
Greyhound adoption
Pocono Greyhound Adoption will be holding a meet and greet at Tractor Supply Company, Route 209, Brodheadsville, from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Visit www.poconogreyhound.org, or call 570-856-0377 to learn more about this event, or about adopting a greyhound.
Easter services
Countryside Alliance, Brodheadsville, will hold a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. followed by breakfast. The morning worship service will be at 10:15 a.m.
There will be no contemporary service Saturday evening at Effort UMC. Easter Sunday will begin with a sunrise service at 7 a.m. Other services will be at 8:30 and 11 a.m. The church egg hunt will follow the 11 a.m. service.
Those who have sponsored Easter flowers may take them home after the 11 a.m. service.
McMichaels UMC will worship at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday school and Holy Communion. There will be a free breakfast immediately following worship. Glenn Hinton will cook in fellowship hall. All are welcome.
Anyone who ordered Easter flowers can take them home after worship.
Middlecreek Christian Church, Kresgeville, will hold an 8 a.m. worship service on the Hillside, a 9:15 a.m. breakfast, and 10:30 a.m. worship in the sanctuary.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Gilbert, will hold Mass at 8 and 10 a.m. and at noon. There will be no Spanish Mass.
Pleasant Valley Assembly of God Church, Brodheadsville, will hold Easter services at 9 and 11 a.m. There will be no evening service.
Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church, Brodheadsville, will hold its Easter service at its normal worship time, 10:15 a.m.
St. John's Lutheran, Effort, will hold its Easter service at 9:30 a.m.
Salem-St. Paul's, Kresgeville, will celebrate Easter with a service at 7:30 a.m. with Holy Communion; an 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. hot breakfast served by council members downstairs and upstairs, and a 10:30 a.m. service with Holy Communion and special music
Zion Lutheran, Brodheadsville, will have an Easter sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. and worship services with Holy Communion at 8 and 10:30 a.m. There will be no Sunday school.
All are welcome and invited.
On Saturday, Zion will have an informal spoken service.
St. Matthew's UCC, Kunkletown, will have an Easter Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. in the church grove pavilion. Dress warmly.
Breakfast will be at 7:45 a.m. in the church social hall.
A traditional Easter Communion service will be held at 9 a.m. in the sanctuary. The chancel choir will be singing and the service will conclude with a groundbreaking ceremony for the new addition in the parking lot.
Ross supervisors
Ross Township supervisors will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at the Ross Township Municipal Building, 258 Anchorage Road, Saylorsburg.
Prayer shawlministry
Effort UMC's Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Anyone who knits or crochets or would like to learn is invited to join the ladies.
Chestnuthill supervisors
The Chestnuthill Township supervisors will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Municipal Building in Brodheadsville.
Special presentation
The Heritage Center of the Western Pocono Community Library 2015 Lecture Series presents the History of Monroe County by Amy Leiser, director of the Monroe County Historical Association, at 6:30 p.m. April 8.
Attendees are asked to preregister to attend the free monthly presentation.
Band parents
The next meeting of the Pleasant Valley Band Parents is 7 p.m. April 9 in the high school band room.
Eastern Star
Monroe Chapter No. 99 will meet at 7:30 p.m. April 9 at the Rimrock Masonic Center on Rimrock Drive in Bartonsville.
The agenda calls for the regular order of business and the election of officers.
For more information call the secretary at 570-629-5635.
Volunteer Day
The Garden of Giving will hold its first volunteer day April 11 to open the garden, and on April 18 they will be planting onions, and cold-season crops will be planted. All are welcome between 9 and 1 to help. Call 570-402-1282 for more information or email GardenofGiving @gmail.com.
