Sunday Service Changes During Coronavirus
Please make plans to participate in prayer and worship from your homes this Sunday, March 22nd and next Sunday, March 29th. We will again live stream a Sunday service of morning prayer on our Facebook page at 9 AM. In an effort to protect the most vulnerable among our community and to adhere to government restrictions, I am asking you to please stay home this Sunday and worship from your homes. Sunday worship will temporarily be suspended for at least 2 weeks. Please continue to visit this page for all the latest updates and program calendar changes.
Upcoming Facebook Live Schedule
Sunday, March 22nd at 9AM
Sunday, March 29th at 9AM
Jim Hart and I will facilitate a simplified order of morning prayer at 9 AM in the sanctuary. We will sing some songs, pray through the liturgy, read scripture and I will give a sermon. All of this will be made available on our Facebook page.
To participate online, if you haven't already, you will need to create a Facebook account. Instructions for how to do this are listed at the bottom of this email. Click here to access our Facebook page. If you cannot login or for some reason the stream feed fails, I still encourage you to pray through the morning prayer service. Instructions for how to log into Facebook are included on our website.
Worship Resources
At the end of this week, we will email out resources needed to participate in the upcoming worship services (i.e. links, Scriptures, a children's bulletin, etc.).
If you do not already own a new prayer book, you can download the full PDF file here. The morning prayer service begins on page 11 in the Book of Common Prayer. I recommend that you purchase from the same website your own deluxe edition, which has larger font. It is an incredible resource for discipleship.
Online Giving
Please remember to continue to invest in the mission and ministries of the church by giving online or mailing a check into the church.
Community
Spiritual growth and Christian maturity happen best when done in the context of community. Hebrews 10:24-25 says it well. "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." In addition to the Sunday worship broadcasts, let's pray for wisdom and creativity in the use of technology. Make use of smart phones and the internet to connect with others. Our staff is currently exploring creative avenues to help our church meet together in smaller groups. More information on this will be available next week.
Support
We want to support you in your time of need. Whether you have a prayer request or need assistance, let us know how we can help you. Click here to upload any urgent needs or prayer requests for the pastoral staff.
Prayer
We will continue to be a people of prayer and of hope in God. Do not despair and pray for patience. As much as possible, make use of the gift of time in order to slow down.
Finally, let me share an example of the well-worded prayers from page 659 of the new Anglican prayer book.
IN TIMES OF SOCIAL CONFLICT OR DISTRESS
Increase, O God, the spirit of neighborliness among us, that in peril we may uphold one another, in suffering tend to one another, and in homelessness, loneliness or exile, befriend one another. Grant us brave and enduring hearts that we may strengthen one another, until the disciplines and testing of these days are ended, and you again give peace in our time; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
You continue to be in my prayers. I'll see you Sunday online.
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