Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-20
 The Heart of Mission The local Faith Community is, of course, a very important partner in our mission. Over 40 churches throughout Champaign County are donors at various levels, and several of them are committed “Hope Givers!” Members of local churches also support us in prayer, serve as a source of faithful volunteers, and bless our friends with donations of personal items, special meals, and much-needed fellowship. Finally, we also have partnered with Austin’s Place, the United Way of Champaign County, the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, the City of Champaign, and Cunningham and City of Champaign townships and many others to help sustain year-round emergency sheltering, opportunities for work, and other important services for our friends during this time of great need. My very first weekly update focused on the “fruitful” partnership between our C-U at Work program, Prosperity Gardens, and the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen! |
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-19
Monday, October 19th, 2020
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
Important Covid-19 News
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
The Session has called a meeting of the Congregation on Sunday October 25 at 10:15 a.m. via ZOOM for the purpose of hearing and acting upon a report from the Congregational Nominating Committee. If the way be clear, we will elect a slate of church members to the office of Elder and Deacon. Please plan on attending that important ZOOM meeting. The link is firstpres.church/meeting. Information is there about testing your connection ahead of time, etc.
* * *
An important message about returning to worship from Peter Yau, our Covid-19 science advisor:
Things you need to know when you want to join
the FPCC face-to-face worship service
Dr. Peter Yau
The Session for the FPCC have approved a face-to-face worship service starting November 1, 2020. The service is limited to a maximum capacity of 50 people (including clergy, staff and worship leaders). You must call the church office to register your attendance from Monday – Thursday prior to the Sunday you will be attending. You are requested to wear a clean face mask and follow standard sanitary guidelines. An usher will check your registration, take your temperature to ensure you do not have a fever. You will be seated only in a designated area. Family members that live together can sit together, otherwise you must be seated at least 6 ft. away from the next attender. The service will be brief, without congregational singing, recitation of liturgy.
The church will be cleaned and sanitized before your arrival. The minister and musician will be behind Plexiglass shields. The elevator and bathroom are available for single occupancy (or family). Hand sanitizer and disposable masks are available. We want to keep you safe and healthy.
One peculiarity of the COVID-19 (SARS CoV-2) virus is about half of the transmission comes from asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic persons, i.e. these are people infected with SARS CoV-2 virus but not showing any symptom or are spreading the virus before symptoms later. There is no easy way to predict or identify this population. If you choose to attend the face-to-face worship service, you should know there is a possibility of contracting COVID-19 despite all the best safety measures mentioned so far. You are attending the service at your own risk.
In addition, elderly and people with underlying medical illness(es) need to be especially careful about contracting the SARS CoV-2 virus. These are people with cardiovascular diseases, asthma, COPD, immunocompromised, obesity, diabetes and renal diseases. Furthermore, to avoid complications of the flu with the COVID-19, it is prudent that you get a flu vaccination now.
Our Session and church staff want you to be safe and healthy. We are doing our best to keep things safe. However, there are many unknown factors with this novel virus, and there is possibility for an outbreak to happen despite of our best measures. Please understand this and prayer for the safety of all before you come to attend the face-to-face worship services.
News
Bob Kirby asks for prayer for the family of Bill Schuh. Dr. Schuh was a medical student of Bob’s from the medical scholars program at UI and then an internal medicine resident at Carle. He had interests in computer science and used his exceptional talents in administration at Carle Foundation over his career. One evening last week while riding his bicycle he was struck and killed by a semi-truck.
* * *
Learn more about our CUBA partnership! Here’s a link to the Cuba Partnership annual gathering. (Rachel shared parts of this with us last Wednesday.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
I’ll tell you a coronavirus joke now, but you’ll have to wait two weeks to see if you got it.
* * *
From Skip Pickering: Logic from an uncluttered Mind
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six-year-olds. After explaining the commandment to ‘honor’ thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?”
From the back, one little boy answered, “Thou shall not kill.”
Good Word:
Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me . . .
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For it was you who formed my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
LET US PRAY:
James Ingram and Michael McDonald wrote this pop song in 1983. The spelling of the song title is Yah Mo B There. Yah is a shortened version of Yahweh, which means God in Hebrew. So, the title literally means “God will be there” and is interpreted as “God be with you.”
The song is a prayer, and because the chorus was catchy but obscure, people who loved the song had no idea they were witnesses prayer. (Thanks Jeff Kellam for sharing.)
Heavenly Father watching us all
We take from each other and give nothing at all
Well, it’s a dog-gone shame
But never too late for change
So if your luck runs low
Just reach out and call His name, His name.
Yah mo be there
You can count on it brother
‘Cause we’re all just finding our way
Traveling through time
People got to keep pushing on
No matter how many dreams slip away
Yah will be there
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-16
Friday 16 October 2020
Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
Even as nationwide Covid numbers creep up, the Session voted cautiously to begin an alternative face-to-face worship service on Sundays at 10:15 a.m. beginning November 1st. Please consider attending if you are not in compromised health and if you feel safe to do so.
We’ll preregister beginning on the Monday morning before (October 26 at 10:00 a.m.). Preregistration will close on Thursday at noon on October 29 or when the sanctuary has reached capacity of 50-people, whichever comes first. You may preregister by telephoning the church office.
If anyone shows up on Sunday without having secured their spot by preregistration, they will be seated only if we are under capacity of 50. (That number includes worship leaders.) One of my grave worries is if somebody comes, we are already at capacity, and we have to turn them away. I’ve never turned anyone away from worship in my life. In my theology, there’s always room for one more. But not in these Covid days.
For now, our flagship service will remain the recorded service that is available for viewing at 9:00 on Sunday mornings on Youtube, Facebook, and on our church website. Find us at FirstPres.Live
This alternative face-to-face service will be trimmed to keep it safe: no singing, no spoken liturgy, 45-minutes or less, only one sung-anthem by soloist(s), etc. The scripture and sermon will be the same as at our previously recorded service. All standard safety precautions will be employed including temperature checks at the doors and sign-ins. Masks will be worn throughout the service, and if anyone refuses to wear a mask, the service will proceed immediately to a benediction.
If this sounds less than hospitable, it is because your Session, your Worship Team, and the Covid-19 Response Team are working like crazy to keep our events as safe as possible.
Please join me in praying through these days.
On this Sunday, I’ll see you online at 9:00 a.m. (You can find that service any time after that on our website and watch at your convenience.) Worshiping with our congregation is my lifeblood—no matter how we do it.
Pay attention to God’s activity in the world around you. (It’s there.)
Be amazed.
Tell somebody.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews
864.386.9138
* * *
Congregational Meeting Sunday, October 25, 10 am via Zoom. The purpose of the meeting is to elect new officers for 2021.
PHOTO Challenge!
From your Nurture Team — after a couple weeks off, the Photo Challenge is back. Congrats to Pam Grubb for being the first to guess the last photo was of Patty Farthing!
Here’s this week’s photo.
Visit http://fb.com/groups/
Please join in the fun! We would like you to select a photo from your younger years (grade school, high school or early adulthood). Photos need not be professional. Candid shots are welcome. Please send your photos to photos@
* * *
Nicea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
My Country ‘Tis of Thee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-15
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
from Diane Mortensen/Map of USA
A father wanted to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl. She wanted to know what the United States looked like. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his new magazine on which was printed the map of the country.
Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to her and said, ‘Go into the other room and see if you can put this together.
After a few minutes, she returned and handed him the map, correctly fitted and taped together.
The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly..
‘Oh,’ she said, ‘on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then our country just came together.’
News
Friday Men’s Prayer 8:30 am
Join Zoom Meeting
COV-Course: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding the Pandemic Sundays
8- 9 PM free noncredit open to community. Different topics each week. Registration required https://covcourse.
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
You’ve heard this story before about the sixteen-year-old who passes his driving test. He asks his father if he’ll help him to buy his first car. His father makes a deal with his son. “You bring your grades up from a C to a B average, study your Bible every day, and get your hair cut. Then we’ll talk about the car.’”
The boy agreed.
After about six weeks his father said “Son, you’ve brought your grades up and I’ve observed that you have been studying your Bible, but I’m disappointed you haven’t had your hair cut.”
The boy said, “You know, Dad, I’ve been thinking about that, and I’ve noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair, and there’s strong evidence that Jesus had long hair.”
“Did you also notice,” his dad said, “they all walked everywhere they went?”
Good Word:
Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me . . .
7 Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me fast.
LET US PRAY:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-14
Wednesday, October 14th, 2020
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
We have a Mission Surprise tonight on our 7 p.m. Wednesday Zoom. See you there.
Wednesday Nights:
1st VESPERS—prayer meeting sponsored by our Worship Team
2nd MISSION TRIP—sponsored by presented by our Mission Team
3rd: DINNER MUSIC—hosted by our Worship Team
4th SUNDAY SCHOOL on WEDNESDAY—a study hosted by our Spiritual Formation Team
5th HAPPY HOUR—social time.
Join our Zoom Gathering each Wednesday at 7 pm
* * *
GOOD NEWS! The DREAAM Big Learning Center comes to First Pres next Monday. DREAAM will use our wifi and Education Building classrooms during the school day Monday-Friday during this pandemic season of remote, online learning. DREAAMers who have trouble getting wifi at home, or who otherwise can’t easily study remotely from at home, will meet at First Pres to do so. Mindy Watt-Ellis is our point person. (ESL currently does not use the space as they are meeting online for now.) This DREAAM program is working in collaboration with Unit 4 of the Champaign Public School District (who will provide food); DREAAM will work within their safety guidelines, the Champaign/Urbana Public Health District, and those of the CDC. Mindy Watts-Ellis is the point person from First Pres; Tracy Dace is the point person from DREAAM. DREAAMers will be divided into three pods, and will total no more than 25-youth and children.
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
Teacher/Student jokes from Carol Penka:
Teacher—Clyde, your composition on “My Dog” is exactly the same as your brother’s. Did you copy his?
Clyde—No sir; it’s the same dog
* * *
Teacher—How old is your father?
Kid—He is 6 years old.
Teacher—What? How is this possible?
Kid—He became a father only when I was born.
Good Word:
Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from far away.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
O Lord, you know it completely.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain it.
LET US PRAY:
(Submitted by Jeff Kellam.)
What must I do?
How can I serve you?
Is it true what I do is the way
To be near you?
I’m listening
Though sometimes
I can’t hear you.
Looking around
Fills me with wonder
At the way you can keep
This old world running smoothly.
Thinking of you always
Seems to soothe me.
I know you’re probably
Not a man or a woman
Or a time or a season.
But I’m here, and life is dear
And I guess that’s a good
Enough reason to say—
Just let me do
What you put me here to do.
Let me be what you want me to be.
And I hope it’ll cheer you.
I’m listening,
And I think
I can hear you.
Even when I thought I didn’t believe,
You believed in me.
And everyone is a part of you
And anyone can know you
All they’ve got to do is be.
I’m listening,
And I think
I can hear you.
—“I Think I Can Hear You”
by Carole King
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-13
| The Heart of Mission October 13, 2020 Mission is more than volunteerism. It is more than raising money. It is where the world’s greatest need intersects with our greatest gladness. You’ve heard that phrase before from Fredrick Buechner in his book Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC (1973). He said it about vocation, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Generous friends in the community offer free services to our friends as well. Rachel Wilson and others stop in to provide haircuts each month. Joy George comes by every Friday afternoon for an hour to provide notary services. In anticipation of the upcoming election, Jenny Paul has been helping friends who wish to register to vote. Check out our Facebook page for a look at what’s been going on today! A couple of weeks ago, volunteers from area churches served up a fried chicken dinner along with all the fixings. Dozens of people gathered to share food and fellowship, with lots of leftovers for takeout! Several local restaurants, food service firms, and volunteers regularly stop by with snacks, sandwiches, and sweets to share with the Phoenix folks. Miranda Jazdyk, our new Phoenix Coordinator, has been busy organizing and planning for the future. Almost two years ago, Miranda volunteered at the Phoenix. “Since then all I could think of was getting back here,” she related. “Now, lo and behold, here I am!” A full profile of Miranda, along with other new staff, will be featured an upcoming newsletter. Your generous support makes all we do here, including professional staffing and services, possible. We greatly appreciate your gifts and prayers! CYF – STILL LOOKING! Have you ever considered teaching middle schoolers or high schoolers with our own Children, Youth and Families? See Mindy@firstpres.church if you would like to help our educational mission! Signing up is easy! Last month, over 1,100 people from across the world joined Faith in Place for our first-ever virtual Green Team Summit! By hosting the Summit online, we were able to welcome attendees from 49 states and 25 different countries. Rather than one busload of participants from Central Illinois, close to 200 of us were able to join the workshops. Over five days, fifteen speakers with expertise ranging from cell biology to youth empowerment explored the complex issues of climate change, racism, and COVID-19. Breakout rooms in each workshop created space for connection as attendees explored solutions to the crises our communities face. |
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-12
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
A friend submitted this poem. Please share with me some of your favorite poems that mark the milestone that is autumn. Thanks.
Covid Poem
When this is over,
may we never again
take for granted
A handshake with a stranger
Full shelves at the store
Conversations with neighbors
A crowded theatre
Friday night out
The taste of communion
A routine checkup
The school rush each morning
Coffee with a friend
The stadium roaring
Each deep breath
A boring Tuesday
Life itself.
When this ends,
may we find
that we have become
more like the people
we wanted to be
we were called to be
we hoped to be
and may we stay
that way–better
for each other
because of the worst.
– Laura Kelley Fanucci
* * *
News
Men’s Bible Study Tuesdays 8 am
Join Zoom Meeting
Don’t forget these conversations on PUBLIC SAFETY: The City of Champaign is pleased to invite you to participate in a community listening session to share your vision for public safety in our community. All residents, business owners and community stakeholders are encouraged to take part. The goal is to help create better communication and understanding between Champaign Police, City Administrators and community members by allowing you to directly voice your thoughts and expectations around policing. Each session will include Chief of Police Anthony Cobb and Police command staff, City Manager Dorothy David, and elected City officials. The listening sessions will be moderated by Dr. Travis Dixon, an American media studies scholar and Professor of Communication at the University of Illinois.
Determining the future of policing in our community should be a collaborative process involving community partnerships, and the first step in that process is to hear from you. Each listening session will be used to gather information from the public so it can be shared with the City Council as they make future public safety policy decisions to best address the needs, interests, and values of our community. Virtual Listening Session Dates:
· Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6-8 p.m.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the listening sessions will be held electronically using the Zoom meeting platform. More information on how to join and participate, including how to attend via Zoom can be found on the City’s website at champaignil.gov/
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
Two from Marge Olsen:
I accidentally rubbed ketchup in my eye. Now I have Heinzsight.
I visited the monastery and walked past the kitchen where I saw a monk frying potato chips. I asked, “Are you the friar?” He said, “No, I’m the chip monk.”
Good Word:
PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9
8 Finally, beloved,[a] whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about[b] these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
LET US PRAY:
I know that there’s a reason why I need to be alone.
I need to find a quiet place that I can call my own.
Is it mine? Oh, Lord, is it mine?
(Supertramp)
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-09
Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
Yesterday I walked 12 times around Westside Park. Counterclockwise. It was a lovely day and I was visiting with another local pastor, a very healthy pastor with strong legs. We talked about the future of the church, of Christendom, of denominationalism. You know about those conversations. You’ve had them before. If you’re not careful, you’ll talk yourself into a nervous breakdown. What is it about the future that makes us anxious?
We ended by reminding ourselves that God still is sovereign. We can trust God with the future. Don’t worry, said Paul. Have no anxiety about anything. Whew—that is always good news.
Our church is thinking about “stewardship” for the next month. How are you going to “spend” your life to God’s glory? I think it’s a great question. I’ve been asking it my whole adult life. But it’s never been just an intellectual exercise; it’s one rooted in praxis.
My love for God and neighbor can’t devolve into just a warm gushy feeling. That love needs to be borne out in action: checks written, handshakes (pre Covid) made, stories swapped, cups of cool water served, concerns shared, miles walked in somebody else’s shoes.
Stewardship. The sty warden taking care of the pig sty, suggests the Old English. It’s a lot to think about. And we have a lot to give thanks for.
See you on Sunday, okay?
Pay attention to God’s activity in the world around you. (It’s there.)
Be amazed.
Tell somebody.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews
864.386.9138
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The PHOTO Challenge will resume next week…stay tuned!
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News
Saturdays French Prayer Service 6 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
* * *
Michael Hedges channels Jimi Hendrix…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
A song for the fall…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Abraham Lincoln’s pep talk (w/ Leonard Berstein)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-08
Thursday, October 8th, 2020
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
It was quiet this morning in the sanctuary during our time of prayer and meditation. The sun made all things golden and bright. I’m not a morning person. This morning was glorious.
* * *
News:
Sunday in the Park….This Sunday, October 11, 11 am at Hessel Park. Wear a mask and bring your lawn chairs; we will gather for an hour near the Pavilion at the north end of the park.
Men’s Prayer Fridays 8:30 am
Join Zoom Meeting
Don’t forget these conversations on PUBLIC SAFETY: The City of Champaign is pleased to invite you to participate in a community listening session to share your vision for public safety in our community. All residents, business owners and community stakeholders are encouraged to take part. The goal is to help create better communication and understanding between Champaign Police, City Administrators and community members by allowing you to directly voice your thoughts and expectations around policing. Each session will include Chief of Police Anthony Cobb and Police command staff, City Manager Dorothy David, and elected City officials. The listening sessions will be moderated by Dr. Travis Dixon, an American media studies scholar and Professor of Communication at the University of Illinois.
Determining the future of policing in our community should be a collaborative process involving community partnerships, and the first step in that process is to hear from you. Each listening session will be used to gather information from the public so it can be shared with the City Council as they make future public safety policy decisions to best address the needs, interests, and values of our community. Virtual Listening Session Dates:
· Friday, Oct. 9, 1-3 p.m.
· Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6-8 p.m.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the listening sessions will be held electronically using the Zoom meeting platform. More information on how to join and participate, including how to attend via Zoom can be found on the City’s website at champaignil.gov/
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
Teacher/Student jokes from Carol Penka:
Teacher—Maria, go to the map and find North America.
Maria—Here it is.
Teacher—Correct. Now, class, who discovered America?
Class—Maria.
Good Word:
PHILIPPIANS 4:1-9
1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
2I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
LET US PRAY:
Holy God we give you thanks for the angel-song of your grace…
for the sweetness of life,
for blessings too numerous to count,
too subtle for us even to notice,
for the last bright fall flowers,
for lime-green leaves dreaming of an autumn wardrobe of color,
for the holy way others hold us tenderly in their prayers . . .
for these and all our myriad blessings,
accept our praise and thanks.
Amen
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-10-07
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
Special Edition/Covid News
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
The single goal of the Covid-19 Response Team has remained the same: to keep our flock and our staff safe from a deadly disease for which we have no cure or vaccine. They met on Tuesday October 6th and made these decisions:
1.) Worship remains essential. To that end, the Worship Team will propose an alternate face-to-face service that will begin in late October/early November. The service will be limited to fifty-people and will be offered at a time other than 9:00 a.m. on Sundays. The time of this service and other details will be announced, but will include preregistration, check-in, sign-in with temperature check, physical distancing, the wearing of masks, no spoken liturgy, no congregational singing, etc. This face-to-face service will last no more than 40-minutes. There will be no indoor fellowship, and no coffee or food service.
2.) Worship remains essential. To that end, our flagship worship service will remain as is. We will record our full service and have it available for viewing at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings on YouTube, Facebook, and our church website. The recorded service will be placed on our website for future views. Go to FirstPres.Live
3.) We will not be having indoor, in-person Christmas Eve Services. We believe the higher incidence of traveling will exacerbate the possible spread of Covid, as the likelihood of non-symptomatic carriers (and possibly out-of-towners) will be high. The Worship Team is working on virtual options and outdoor options. (The CYF Team is already working on their virtual Nativity that will be shared online.)
The Session of our church will discuss and vote on these three motions on October 15th.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas with me about how we should best move forward. What I’ve learned is that everyone is making their way through this pandemic in individual ways, family by family making different decisions that seem best for them. It’s trickier doing moving forward as a congregation when different ones of us are in different places. Individually and congregationally, however, I know we’ll arrive on the other side—relieved and whole. Why do I know this? Because God has led people through tricky passages before. God is most assuredly with us now. And God is worthy of our glad trust.
As your pastor, you can imagine how I want to serve well every soul who calls this congregation home. I want to strengthen this flock by God’s grace any way I can. Please remember the herculean efforts being made to gather the flock for service, worship, and spiritual growth by way of Zoom and a few in person events. Some of those opportunities include:
* Sunday in the Park (11:00 every other Sunday in Hessel Park, weather permitting),
* The Wednesday Night Gathering (every Wednesday at 7:00), *PW circles (contact Brandi Lowe for details),
*The Pickleball Team (Wednesdays at 1:00 at Hessel Park), *Myriad church committees and study groups,
*Saturday Francophone prayer online,
*Sunday School programs for children, youth, and Easy English, etc. * Private prayer in the sanctuary; (it is scheduled to be opened on Thursday October 8th from 7 to 9 a.m.)
Please, also, remember how your dollars are trickling through our church out into our community and world bringing all manner of healing, groceries, and hope.
God is faithful even in pandemic.
God is good. All the time.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews/864.386.9138
* * *
Our church needs to pray together. Please join me for Wednesday evening prayer tonight.
* * *
PRIVATE PRAYER… Our Sanctuary will be open for private prayer on THIS Thursday morning October 8th from 7 to 9 a.m. While there will be no organized service, you may come and sit in the space to pray and meditate. Physical distancing, masks, sign in with temperature check, and registration/contact tracing will be operative. Our worship team will greet and assist you. Only fifty people at a time will be allowed in. Bring your own Bible or hymnals if you wish, as the pew materials have all been removed as a safety precaution. See you on Thursday!
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Don’t forget these conversations on PUBLIC SAFETY: The City of Champaign is pleased to invite you to participate in a community listening session to share your vision for public safety in our community. All residents, business owners and community stakeholders are encouraged to take part. The goal is to help create better communication and understanding between Champaign Police, City Administrators and community members by allowing you to directly voice your thoughts and expectations around policing. Each session will include Chief of Police Anthony Cobb and Police command staff, City Manager Dorothy David, and elected City officials. The listening sessions will be moderated by Dr. Travis Dixon, an American media studies scholar and Professor of Communication at the University of Illinois.
Determining the future of policing in our community should be a collaborative process involving community partnerships, and the first step in that process is to hear from you. Each listening session will be used to gather information from the public so it can be shared with the City Council as they make future public safety policy decisions to best address the needs, interests, and values of our community. Virtual Listening Session Dates:
· Friday, Oct. 9, 1-3 p.m.
· Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6-8 p.m.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the listening sessions will be held electronically using the Zoom meeting platform. More information on how to join and participate, including how to attend via Zoom can be found on the City’s website at champaignil.gov/
Humor (Hard times need godly laughter):
From Skip Pickering: Logic from an uncluttered Mind
A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child’s work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, ‘I’m drawing God.’
The teacher paused and said, ‘But no one knows what God looks like.’
Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, ‘They will in a minute.’
Good Word:
Isaiah 58:10-12
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 and if you give yourself to the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted soul,
then your light shall rise in obscurity,
and your darkness shall become as the noonday.
11 And the Lord shall guide you continually,
and satisfy your soul in drought,
and strengthen your bones;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Those from among you shall rebuild the old waste places;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
and you shall be called, the Repairer of the Breach,
the Restorer of Paths in which to Dwell.
LET US PRAY:
By your grace may this pandemic transform us to be a congregation full of grace, love, and compassion for the world that you have created and redeemed. May we be made more and more into the flock you would have us to be. Help us God. And, forgiving our impatience . . .
hurry.
AMEN
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
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