The sale on Saturday, April 25, is a much loved tradition in the parish. It started with a vision to raise money for outreach. From the first year when the sale raised $1,000 to last year when $27,500 was distributed to area organizations, the ABC Sale has held true to the founders' purpose: To raise money to help with needs outside the parish.

The sale has come to mean many things to many people, according to Nancy McGuffin and Christina Balderson, co-chairs for the event. There are those who need quality goods at an affordable price. There are those who love to find a treasure. There are those who love the idea of buying and making use of an item that could end up in the landfill. And finally, there are those who love the sense of community within the parish that the ABC Sale provides.

"Profits from this annual sale comprise a significant piece of the parish's outreach efforts," said Peggy Pratt, a member of the Social Ministry Committee. "Funds from our 2008 sale served many in our society including seniors, Latinos, children and families and individuals at risk in our community because of poverty, violence, mental illness and aging."

Last year, the $27,500 was distributed to 21 organizations, with 88 percent going to groups serving residents in Orange County and the remainder to groups in North Carolina.

Pratt noted that the need this year for parish members to clear out and clean out attics, basements and closets, is greater than ever for shoppers who may be living on tight budgets and for the parish to support community services.

On sale day shoppers are allowed into the parish house at 9 a.m. with the sale continuing until 2 p.m. when volunteers will return the "department store" back into the familiar parish house.

The Chapel of the Cross is an Episcopal Parish at 304 E. Franklin St.

Carrboro United Methodist to hold cookout, Easter egg hunt

Carrboro United Methodist, 200 Hillsborough St., will host a community cookout and Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 11, at 5 p.m. The cookout begins at 5 p.m. and the egg hunting will follow. Children are reminded to bring their own baskets for egg-hunting.

Easter Sunrise Service is on Sunday, April 12, at 7 a.m. in Westwood Cemetery. This short worship service begins the day of celebration. Breakfast will be served at the church and the community is invited.

Easter worship begins in the sanctuary at 10:45 a.m. with a music fanfare followed by the Easter celebration at 11 a.m.

Maundy Thursday worship at Amity marks the Last Supper

Amity United Methodist will hold Maundy Thursday worship at 7:30 p.m., commemorating the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples. On Holy Saturday, an Easter egg hunt for children ages 2-10 will include goodies and games. All community children are invited.

Easter Sunday worship, including children's church during the service, begins at 11 a.m. Nursery care is provided.

Amity Church bills itself as a "warm, diverse, inclusive congregation with programs for all ages." It is at 825 N. Estes Dr.

Special service scheduled for Good Friday at New Salem

New Salem Church, 5030 Old Graham Road, Pittsboro, will hold a special worship service to observe the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday, April 10, at 7 p.m.

The church choir will offer an Easter celebration in music and the spoken word on Saturday, April 11, at 7 p.m. The community is invited to this presentation of "In Christ Alone." Childcare for infants and toddlers will be provided and refreshments will be served.

Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 12, at 11 a.m. The community is invited.

Rhineland Protestant Church president to visit United Church

Nikolaus Schneider, president of the Protestant Church of the Rhineland, will be at United Church of Chapel Hill on Friday, April 10, at noon. He and 10 members of the board of directors of his church, including the Rev. Christine Busch, will be visiting the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ during Holy Week.

The UCC has an ecumenical relationship with the Protestant Church of Germany.

The delegation will participate in United Church of Chapel Hill's noon observance of Good Friday. The church's tradition is to process to different places in the facility or grounds to participate in scenes from the last days of Jesus in Jerusalem. Along the journey, participants hear from characters, sing songs, pray and remember. It is designed for participants of all ages. After the journey, a meal of Lenten soup and sandwiches will be served.

United Church of Chapel Hill has a partner congregation in Cologne-Pesch, a suburb of Cologne, Germany. The two congregations have exchanged choirs, hosted each other's youth, had joint retreats and mission projects. The United Voice of Praise, a gospel choir of United Church of Chapel Hill and Fisher Memorial United Holy Church in Durham, have been guests of congregations in the Protestant Church of the Rhineland on six occasions in the past decade.

Two Easter services scheduled at Lystra Baptist Church

Lystra Baptist will hold two services on Easter morning, a sunrise service at 7 a.m in the cemetery and a celebration of the resurrection service at 9 a.m. in the sanctuary. Worshippers are invited to bring fresh flowers for the flower cross.

Lystra Baptist is one-half mile off U.S. 15-501 at Chatham Crossing in northern Chatham County.

Passover Seder celebration to be held on campus this week

Perhaps the largest community Passover Seder celebration in the Triangle is on tap today and Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Stone Center, 150 South Road.

Rabbi Zalman Bluming says that participants will discover a common connection between flying matzahs, leaping frogs, Moses's staff and chicken soup matza stress balls.

"The Seder is no ordinary meal," said the imaginative and entertaining rabbi. "The Passover Seder (which actually means 'order') incorporates 15 multi-sensory steps, which reach deep into the human psyche in every way possible all at once."

Melodies, visuals, prayers and stories, even taste, smell and touch are part of this ancient tradition, he said.

The theme of this Seder will be "The Unbroken Chain of Jewish Existence." It will take participants through the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian bondage and help them understand the Seder's relevance to Jews today.

"Included in the Seder will be the traditional hand-baked Shmura Matzah and four cups of wine as well as an exquisite five course Passover meal," Rabbi Zalman said.

Last year, the Seder attracted 170 persons, and a larger group is expected this year, the rabbi said.

Holy Week services scheduled at Advent Lutheran Church

Advent Lutheran Church, 230 Erwin Road, will hold Maundy Thursday communion service on April 9 at 7 p.m.; Good Friday Tenebrae service on April 10 at 7 p.m.; Easter breakfast on Sunday, April 12, at 9 a.m. followed by Easter worship at 10:30 a.m. and an Easter egg hunt at noon.

Send your faith announcements to correspondent Flo Johnston by calling 489-7251 or e-mailing fjohnston3@nc.rr.com.