| Dental mission in El Salvador MONTGOMERY VILLAGE More than 900 people in El Salvador are smiling a little easier because of the work of Marsha J. Eccleston, a dental hygienist and member of Covenant UMC, who helped provide oral-hygiene care to 900 El Salvadoreans for five days in February. The dental mission team saw mostly children, many of whom had never seen a dentist before. Dr. John Russell, a member of Calvary UMC, Annapolis, was an anesthesiologist for the team. Eccleston has gone on nine dental team mission trips to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. You go to serve and you receive so much more, she said. Despite natural disasters, pervasive poverty, a high crime rate and other social problems resulting from years of civil war, we discerned great hope among the people of El Salvador, Eccleston said. Church celebrates 50th anniversary ROCKVILLE It takes 50 golden years to make a Millian was the theme of the March 24 weekend during which 300 people attended a banquet to celebrate the founding of Millian Memorial UMC. Bishop Felton Edwin May was a special guest at a Sunday afternoon worship service which included several past pastors as liturgists. Nettie Wright received recognition from the Maryland House of Delegates as the widow of the founding pastor, the Rev. Harold Bell Wright. The celebration also featured the world premiere of Millians anniversary video, produced by Wesley Paulson. On March 24, many members gathered at 8:30 a.m. at the site of the churchs first home in the Veirs Mill theatre. From there they walked the two miles to the churchs present site for the morning service.  Pastor pens cantata ANNAPOLIS To celebrate Holy Week this year, the Rev. David Thayer, pastor of St. Andrews UMC in  Annapolis, wrote and directed a cantata. Thayer wrote the words and Dale Carrigan, a professional jazz pianist, percussionist and organist, wrote the music for the new work, It Was Not Nails, which includes six choral pieces. Thayer wrote one piece each week during Lent, as a Lenten pilgrimage, he said. It was so well received by the congregation that many were moved to tears and to reaffirmation of faith in Jesus Christ, Thayer said. The cantata has been copyrighted and the composers are seeking publication to make the piece available for other performances. Governor appoints Ferguson to council COLUMBIA Gov. Parris Glendening appointed San dra Ferguson, associate council director, to the State Advisory Council on Arthritis and Related Diseases for the remainder of a term beginning July 1. In a letter congratulating Ferguson, the governor said, We have before us both significant challenges and exciting opportunities to better the lives of Marylanders across the State. Wrestling champion serves his church BALTIMORE Not only does Steve Cook of Union Memorial UMC usher, play in an ensemble, serve  on the church council and represent the youth at annual conference, he is also an accomplished wrestler. A senior at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute he is on the schools varsity wrestling team and placed third or fourth in several state and regional championships during the past year, reported the March Spotlight on Union newsletter. Cooks wrestling started badly. As a freshman and first-time wrestler, he broke his leg in the second week of practice and missed the whole season. Steves determination and love of the sport, gave him his game motto, Believe, said his mother Brenda Cook, church lay leader. His success has come because he believes in himself, she said. | 
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