04.04.2020
dckrotee@gmail.com
While I don’t see our current events closing Immanuel,
I did find this, “Coffee with Jesus,” strip to be amusing.
There have many Coffee with Jesus strips that have dealt with COVID 19 and the life of the church. You can find them on the Radio Free Babylon Facebook page or on http://www.radiofreebabylon.com/coffeewithjesus
I began with a little bit of humor today, because I suspect the stresses of the day are building in many of us and our families. Personally, it is a challenge to home school an eighth grader and make space for a college student who needs quiet and space to spread things out as she continues her studies online. In addition, Diana’s mother, who has been isolated in a nursing for some time, is coming home today unable to take full care of herself and awaiting the results a COVID19 test. She has no symptoms, but there was positive case somewhere in the nursing home where she was and they are being cautious. Today we tried to help Diana’s family with the purchase of some simple medical supplies and “paper products” and were once again troubled by the bare shelves at the local store and the immorally high cost of TP at another store. I am sure we are not alone. I have concerns for my family and yours as well.
Which brings me to the worship announcements for the week to come:
Palm Sunday
*Once again, we will worship via a Zoom meeting this Sunday.
*Yes, I have become aware of the ZOOM security issues. I will hold off sharing a link in this article, and will likely begin a new meeting with a new link, with a different password (that has not been published on our Website or on Social media), and share it with you later today or tomorrow morning.
*Please note, when I publish the new Zoom links, you can also call in, like a conference call on a regular phone as well.
*I urge you to share that information with our members and friends who are unable to connect electronically. Please call them and tell them. You may well know better who can and can’t get on via a computer, Ipad or smart phone.
*When I send the invitation and link, feel free to share the invitation with friends and family, wherever they may be.
*I am putting the finishing touches on a bulletin now and will email it to you if you would like to print it at home and follow along, or share it with someone who can not “see” our Zoom meeting worship.
*Unfortunately, there will no palms this year. They are not available from our florist. So, I offer the following suggestion:
NEVER MIND -- WE HAVE FOUND PALMS!!!
A BEAUTIFUL IDEA FOR PALM SUNDAY
How can we publicly acknowledge this important day
on our calendar when so many of us will be behind closed doors?
The Missionaries of the Holy Spirit posted this idea on their Facebook page:
What if everyone on Sunday April 5 in the morning,
puts a branch on the door of their house or on the window,
to celebrate Palm Sunday?
It could be any green branch you can get.
This would help, despite the social distancing,
to be connected as we enter into the Holiest of Weeks.
Want to join? We may be physically isolated, but not separated.
We are united as the body of Christ.
We are the Church.
Holy Week
Immanuel UCC will offer some kind of worship experience during Holy Week, however since it feels like things change from day to day, even hour to hour, and that we have start from scratch on just about everything, I/we are behind the eight ball on planning and advertising. Look for an announcement about Holy Week worship activities early next week.
Easter
At the time of this writing, several of us have been working furiously to figure out how we will celebrate Easter. With the new restrictions issued by the Governor earlier this week, we must be more concerned about the plans we were considering. Currently the Health Department is allowing “in-car” worship at churches with a host of restrictions. Our Council and others are working on addressing these challenges. Prepackaged individual serving communion elements have ben purchased and hopefully are on the way here. We are looking into the possibility of using a FM transmitter which may allow us to broadcast the worship through our car radios. We are considering large speakers as another possibility for broadcasting the worship. And there is even more which is in process. We will decide early next week and notify the congregation by mail. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I am in the office from time to time, but Janice is not in the office presently.
Peace and health be with everyone,
Pastor Dale
My contact info is:
Cell phone/text 443 340 0509
Emails: dckrotee@gmail.com
pastor@immanuelucc.com