Posted on 24Aug CATEGORIES: Weekly Updates
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Hispanic Ministry
Sit in on Zoom Sanctuary Service
Re-Turn Team
Cheryl Peterson
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Following discussions with the Church Council and the Trustees we were super excited to welcome a newly formed Hispanic congregation into our building on Sunday.
Blessed with such a large physical plant we are able to open up part of the lower level to them. The name of their fellowship is “En Cristo Somos Mas Que Vencedores.”
If you are as rusty with your Spanish as I am, it translates into, “In Christ we are more than Conquerors.” They began worshiping during the pandemic and this past Sunday was the first time they have been physically together. They had told us to expect about 15 and that was how many were there.
I have been told it was a dream of some here to have a ministry to the Hispanic population and with this group that prayer has been answered. They begin their worship at noon and the pastor and a few other leaders arrive before that for set up and prayer. They pray for us every time they gather and we shall do likewise.
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“Watch the Zoom Service From In the Sanctuary”
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You asked…. We listened and it is going to happen. Two weeks ago at the outdoor service it was asked, “can we just come in and sit in the sanctuary while ‘you’ do the zoom service? That got the conversation going and after a Church Council conversation and a ReTurn Team discussion the answer is yes. Beginning on Sunday, August 23rd people who want to attend the zoom service will be allowed to sit in the sanctuary. You will need to wear a face covering, social distancing will occur, there will be no food or drink and the music will be what has been taking place on Zoom. What you see on your computer at home is what will be displayed on the large screens in the sanctuary and the sound will come thru the sanctuary speakers. I will be seated up front as I have been and I (Pastor Kurt) will be viewed primarily on the screen. We will have hosts to help you know where to sit and how to move about the building. Tissues will be available everywhere you would need to open a door with wastebaskets close by.
This is a bridge event until we start to have a discussion about a ‘true sanctuary worship experience.’ But this does allow people into the sanctuary for a service. This will be a learning experience for all involved. We are beginning this with the expectation it will occur weekly. With the availability of the indoor experience this will conclude our outdoor lawn worship. So this Sunday August 16th there will still be an outdoor service at 10:45.
Thanks for your interest and we look forward to sharing the sanctuary time together and learning how to make it the very best possible experience for those who attend.
Questions? Reply to this email………
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Each United Methodist Church is required to have a ReTurn Team that explores the various aspects of how to resume activity in the building. As you see from the above article our team has met and begun their work.
There is still lots of work to be done. Cue the music, “we’ve only just begun……” The next step the team will consider is; once it is decided we are ready to return to actual in sanctuary worship, what are all the details and considerations for that. Add to that this church is committed to maintaining the same high-quality zoom service as we currently are ‘producing’.
Currently the ReTurn Team members are Nancy Johnson, Bonnie Rudolf, Brad and Annette Eyers, Craig Linebaugh, Arnie Waltmire, Karla Zander and Pastor Kurt. If you have any questions, thoughts or suggestions about this please direct it to one of the team members.
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Cheryl Peterson – Administrative Assistant
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Friday, August 7th was our final day with Cheryl Peterson our church administrator and assistant. Cheryl was hired about the 3rd week of February to take care of office matters.
It was three short weeks after that COVID-19 descended and the job that Cheryl was hired for went away. Two of her main responsibilities were the bulletin for Sunday and the Sunday visual material (the Power Point). In a blink, sneeze and cough those jobs went away. Cheryl then worked on some much-needed membership updating and finally worked on and helped with the clean-up of the basement.
Now all of that work is completed so apart from checking morning email and the occasional mailing there is no regular work to be had. We wish her well and thank her for the work she did and the flexible and gracious attitude she brought to the task.
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That’s our UPdate
We continue to work on our church website with the help of Neil Waltmire. And did you hear? Right now Diane Waltmire and (son) Neal have teamed up and are giving everyone the opportunity to honor a teacher. Yes you can thank that teacher and support the ministry of this church at the same time. I will send out a seperate email on that shortly…. Thanks everyone……
Pastor Kurt
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