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
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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@
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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?
