CHRIST FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - The Pastor's Pen

CHRIST FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

January 2022 | Thanks for the Memories...

1/2/2022

Thanks for the Memories

It has been a wonderful three years at Christ First despite a Pandemic and all of the changes that it brought to how we have worshipped together. As a church, I am happy to say we have continued to grow and thrive and heal. Just a few highlights of what has been accomplished are that our numbers have steadily increased in worship, we are averaging 14 youth in Sunday School, have created Jump for Joy (our liturgical dance team) and have been in mission with our Veterans by supporting the Dwyer Group every Monday. We have created a visioning group and followed their recommendation to begin a Wednesday night worship service, one that is friendly to children and includes a meal and craft. We are currently working on finding a counselor who will work with our congregation, our veterans, and the community at large with issues such as Post Traumatic Stress, Grief counseling, family needs and individual therapy. The Holy Spirit is actively blowing through Christ First and we just need to hold on and not let go!

As I have reviewed our successes, I am filled with peace and gratitude to the Lord for supporting us, allowing us to be fruitful. However, it is with a heavy heart that I have had to make a difficult decision, the decision to step away from the pulpit and open it to another minister who will be poised to take this congregation to even higher goals. God has been gracious and supportive of my work throughout my career in spite of health concerns that have been part of my life over the past 6 years. For God’s amazing grace, I am thankful. The decision to retire has been a difficult one fueled and guided by prayer. I honestly believe that I was placed with you by God to help you prepare for a healthy future, but it is time for me to retire and move into another phase of life.

And so my friends, July 1,2022 I will be handing over my role as your spiritual leader to another. I am grateful to God for the opportunity to have been your pastor. Tim and I thank you for your support, prayers and acceptance of us while we have been with you. We love you all and want only the best for each of you. It is with humility and a smile that allows me to say… “Thanks for the memories friends.” May God bless you all.

In gentleness and peace,
Pastor Sue

November 2021 | Gratitude

10/28/2021

We are reminded in a newer hymn to:

Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy One,
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ His son.

Ephesians 5:20 and I Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to:

20 Give thanks always for all things to God the Father, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Giving thanks and having gratitude. Friends, gratitude is a word that we frequently hear bandied about. Often it is used with frustration because we believe the world is experiencing a lack of it, but when w fall prey to that type of thinking, we lose the meaning of the word. Gratitude is a term used to express thankfulness and praise, There is power in having a grateful heart, especially during times of sorrow, illness or other trials. The apostle Paul explains in Scripture that we are to give thanks for all things, in all circumstances, even when we are suffering and experiencing what is unpleasant in this world. This doesn’t mean we are to be “happy” all the time, that would be disingenuous, but rather to seek a deeper understanding of what it means to be Christian and in relationship with Jesus. As Christians, we are to show gratitude to God both in times of trial and in times of blessings, it is what distinguishes us from those who are unbelievers. As a follower of the Savior, there is peace given to us through all things, and we should respond in gratitude.

My heart is full of thanksgiving to God for having placed each of you in my life “for such a time as this.” The cards, well wishes, gifts and most importantly prayers you have lavished upon Tim and I during my surgery and recovery period sustained us and strengthened us. Prayer is such a powerful thing, for when we pray and give thanks to God in all circumstances, even when it’s hard to do so, we are promised grace and strength to get through whatever is before us.

Our family has gone through some difficult circumstances over the last 6 weeks, not only with my surgery and cancer, but also for our children and grandchildren. Throughout it all you have stood by us as prayer warriors and intercessors with God. We give thanks for your support and the love shown to each of us during this period. It’s been a long haul and it’s not over yet, but we are certain that our faith sustains us and your prayers of intercession have helped in the healing process for us all. We have gratitude in our hearts for the Savior’s love and also for each of you. God has given you to us as a gift. Thanks be to God.

In Peace and Gentleness,
Pastor Sue.

September 2021 | From Rev. Doug Knopp, Pastor Emeritus

9/2/2021

I invite you to read this scripture from James 3:1-12. This version is from “The Message” but I encourage you to read this section from other translations as well.

1 Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. 2And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life. 3 A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. 4A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. 5A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! 6A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. 7This is scary: You can tame a tiger, 8but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. 9With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. 10Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! 11A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? 12Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?

Taming the tongue—wow, is that ever a challenge. How many times has your tongue gotten you into trouble? Oh, let me count the times. I keep reminding myself (and others when the opportunity presents itself) that God created us with two ears and one mouth so that we would listen twice as much as we talk.

The increase of COVID over the past month plus has caused a lot of tongue flapping as well as some anger we were becoming accustomed to somewhat normalcy when things began to change None of us want to go backwards. We are tired and we are angry. We would prefer to tune out the CDC; Chautauqua County Health Department; The Upper New York Conference; the news from all sources—all giving us updated recommendations and requirements to follow for the safety of all.

Much of the anger is being directed at the unvaccinated who are now becoming ill because the rise in cases could have been prevented. Even many in the medical profession are more angry than compassionate now because the filling up of the hospitals could have been prevented. Their compassion is now directed at children who are becoming ill but not so much the adults who should have received the vaccination.

Like many of you, I too am frustrated. I want my church life to return to what I considered normal. I want our church family to return to worship and other activities. I miss seeing so many folks. Yet I understand that some are reluctant to return because they do not feel safe.

My sense is that the tongue flapping is mostly negative. Negative talk just brings the hearer down and creates a low feeling I always had a policy in every church I served, and that policy was—before making a negative comment, the speaker must make two positive comments. That was difficult for one who was all primed to unload with the negative comments In fact, some found it difficult to come up with two positive comments before proceeding. It seems that we are surrounded by negativity on so many fronts. The passage from James indicates that it is not possible to tame the tongue.

If the tongue cannot be tamed, perhaps we might be reminded of just who we are. We are disciples of Jesus. We are to love the Lord our God with our entire being. We are people who care about one another—health and safety. We have a responsibility to do all we can do to keep one another safe, Yes, we are tired of COVID and the regulations we may even be angry. We have two choices—we can either make the situation better or make it worse. How is it with your tongue?

Worship Time Change:
Beginning Sunday, 12 September 2021, we will have one worship service in the main sanctuary at 10:00 am. It is our hope that we will be able to schedule Christian Education experiences for adults and children at 9:00 am soon. When the Chancel Choir can begin singing again, the Sunday choir rehearsal will be at 8:45 am. We know that the early worship service was meaningful to folks. However, over the years as our membership and worship attendance has decreased, our numbers no longer support two worship experiences on Sunday morning.

Prayer:
Please keep Rev. Hadley in your daily prayers as she continues her recovery from her August 20th surgery. We are hopeful that she will be able to resume her pastoral responsibilities later this month. Until then, Rev. Knopp, our Pastor Emeritus, will continue to lead worship and be available for emergencies.
Important Financial Update:
Summer is always a financial struggle for our church. As we are entering the fall and the programming year, it is very important that we as a church understand the financial picture of where we are as a church. There is no question that COVID, the shut-down during most of 2020, getting out of the habit of attending worship have contributed to lower financial support. At the end of worship on September 19th, the finance ministry will share a financial update with those present. Please make an extra effort to be in attendance for worship on that Sunday and for the update.

July 2021 | Prayer Beads & the Art of Listening

7/3/2021

CF Pastor’s Pen July2021

Prayer Beads and the Art of Listening

Recently a fellow Pastor gave me a set of prayer beads she had made for me to give away as a gift. I have made these simple symbols and reminders for prayer for myself, but my friend uses beads made from wood from the holy land, and they are beautiful. The protestant prayer beads are separated into four sets of seven to help the one praying remember to give thanks, ask for intercession, dwell on the attributes of God, and then to simply listen for God to speak to them. Sometimes we forget to just be in silence and let God do the talking! Its an age-old problem and one that plagues us still. Having the beads in my hands reminds me to be still and know that God is in communion with me in the silence.

Hebrews 4:16 reminds us that we are to “…approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Knowing we can always approach God is a blessing, however, I have found that sometimes when we approach God we do so in a rather casual manner. Although God wants us to spend time with him, we need to be cognizant that we are approaching the Lord of the universe when we go to God in prayer. As a reminder of this fact, I found that the use of prayer beads can help me to organize my thoughts and come before the throne humble and in an attitude of awe knowing the power found within prayer.

Communication is always a two-way street, it is not a monologue. God wants to hear from us, but God also has important information to share with us. And so we are to listen and not just speak. A wise woman once told me we only have one mouth with which to speak but we have two ears so we can listen twice as much as we talk! Both are important, but I urge you to be in silence during part of your prayer life and let the Lord speak to your spirit. If you have an opportunity to use prayer beads try them and be open to seeking the Lord in a more guided way, hearing his voice. God’s blessings be with you.

In gentleness and peace,
Pastor Sue

June 2021 | Taking a page from the past but looking ahead

3/1/2021

John Wesley was a complicated person who periodically struggled with his faith. Wesley had focused his life for thirteen years on trying to have a pure heart before the Lord. On one hand, he intellectually knew that he was a child of God, and yet he seemed to be trying to earn his salvation through acts of piety and social justice. He gave to the poor, visited those in prison, lived on very little, prayed and studied continually, preached with conviction and wrote copious letters and lessons. But even while recording everything he did in fifteen-minute intervals in his journals to justify his stewardship of his time and talents, Wesley came to realize that the void in his life was because he lacked a personal assurance of salvation. In spite of all of his efforts, he never could reconcile how a sinner such as himself could ever “measure up” before a holy and righteous God. All of this changed at a religious meeting on Aldersgate Street, London in 1738. At that time John realized his Salvation was a free gift from God, and that his sins were forgiven. He was no longer captive to sin. On May 24th,1738 Wesley found what he longed for:

“In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s ‘Preface to the Epistle to the Romans’. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

Whenever we have something good happen to us, we want to share it, its human nature to do so. And so, immediately after finding his heart strangely warmed, Wesley confidently shared his newfound faith with those around him. Later that same evening he visited his brother Charles and it was said that he triumphantly exclaimed “I believe.” Grace freely given was the message that John Wesley shared with his congregations. Prior to the Aldersgate experience, John had confessed his unbelief and his need for saving faith. He wrote to a friend that:

“I feel what you say for I am under the same condemnation…God is holy; I am unholy. God is a consuming fire; I am altogether a sinner, meet to be consumed. Yet I hear a voice saying, ‘Believe, and thou shalt be saved’…O let no one deceive us by vain words, as if we had already attained this faith!”

Following his conversion on that London street, he was now freed of doubts and fears of salvation, sin had no more dominion over him. And so as United Methodists, we celebrate May 24th as a milestone in our founders’ life and his desire to share what he now knew as truth. John Wesley was a focused man, and that focus was not on the past and how things use to be, but rather on the future and how to reach out to those who needed the assurance of salvation that he himself had lacked for so long. Wesley was passionate when it came to the Anglican church, the denomination that he was ordained as a priest into. He loved the church, the hymns, the liturgy, the traditions. But, even though those were things he loved dearly, he clearly saw that change was needed. The church was failing in its mission to spread the gospel to the “un-churched.” Changes had to be made if Christianity was to survive. That vision is still alive and well. We need to look forward here at Christ First just as John Wesley did.

This Pentecost Sunday was an extra special day for our church for it was our 25th Anniversary of becoming Christ First as two churches united and melded into one. Pastor Doug’s message was right on point, there is indeed no sense remaining in the past, there is no future in it! Our heritage is important and it was good to look back and enjoy seeing saints once again who have gone on, to enjoy the music of a large choir, and watch how the children have become adults. Our own celebration will hopefully be enjoyed 25 years into the future, and rather than having VCR Tapes it will be captured on a thumb drive and labeled for future generations to share. We have changed as a church over 25 years. We need to celebrate our past, but then much as John Wesley and Charles Wesley did, we need to meet the people we serve where they are. I know you are up to the task. Change is never easy, but if we are to not just survive but grow and thrive, we will need to embrace doing things not as we have always done them, but in ways which will reach a whole new generation.

The need to share the saving grace of Jesus Christ and leave people with the peace that only our Lord and Savior can give is essential to who we are as Christians. We must allow the winds of the Holy Sprit to blow through our church into the homes surrounding us. Change is in the air, never underestimate the Spirit! Hold on tight, buckle your seat belts, because we are on the move through the Holy Spirit’s living breath. God bless each of you as we move into the future as the church together.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Sue Hadley

February 2021

1/27/2021

An informed way to view hidden racism.

As promised, I will be posting articles and suggestions for reading in an effort to prepare ourselves to meet in person to discuss a topic that is both sensitive and inflammatory, the topic of racism. Our denomination has been on the cutting edge of working for dismantling this sin, for that is what it is.
I have been blessed with some of the conversations we have had after reading the books and articles I have suggested. It is difficult reading and I applaud the efforts made to perhaps see things from a different perspective. What follows is a lengthy article posted by the Upper New York Conference. I encourage you to read it with an open mind and a prayer that the Holy Spirit guide and direct your thoughts. God’s blessings on your work.

In Gentleness and peace,
Pastor Sue

Systemic vs Institutional Racism

January 13, 2021 / By Georgia Whitney,
Conference Commission on Religion & Race

When did you last use an offensive term referring to someone of another race? Refuse to sit next to a person at church whose skin color is different from yours? Told a racist joke?

It's probably been a while — or maybe you've never done these kinds of things. Because as Christians, that's just not how we behave. And in the U.S., that's how white people tend to see racism – as individual acts of discrimination and prejudice. People who commit hate crimes are "bad people." If you don't use racial slurs or commit a hate crime, you're one of the "good people."

Unfortunately, it isn't that simple, and acts of individual racism are only a small part of the problem. Racism goes way beyond cross burning or not hiring someone because of their skin color. It's deeply embedded into the normal functioning of our society, showing up as discriminatory treatment, unfair policies, or biased practices, all based on race.

Years ago, Jim Crow laws legalized racial segregation. Although these laws are no longer on the books, there's a basic structure in place, and it stands to this day. This is institutional racism, and it's entrenched and usually invisible to white people in institutions such as businesses, government, housing/real estate, employment, news media, banking/finance, healthcare, education, and the law enforcement and judicial systems. Unlike individual racism, which is easier to address directly, institutional racism is embedded within the historic and current fabric of our society. And because entire organizations are involved, institutional racism negatively affects People of Color on a large scale.

But we passed civil rights legislation, and repealed Jim Crow laws, right? So why does institutional racism still exist? There are two factors.

The first is implicit bias, which comes from the messages, attitudes, and stereotypes we pick up from the world we live in. They're unconscious preferences for one thing over another. For example, in many career-related stereotypes, unconscious bias favors men over women. However, our world is full of excellent male nurses—and physicians.

So it's no surprise that race is a prime area for implicit bias. Implicit racial bias tends to work against the same groups that are the victims of overt racism from white supremacists, or the bigotry of people who actively defend racial and ethnic stereotypes.

Remember, though, that because these biases are unconscious, they can affect the minds of "good" people who would honestly say that they are horrified by racist attitudes. That's because the implicit associations we hold often don't align with our declared beliefs. Implicit biases have a profound effect on:

who we hire for a job or select for a promotion;
who we sell real estate to;
who we see being stopped by police;
which students we place in honors classes and who we send out of the classroom for behavior infractions; and
which treatment options doctors make available to their patients.

The second factor in creating institutional racism is power, power that grows when these institutions or processes are carried out by people—"good people"—who are in charge. Since the inception of our country, white men have been in charge. And People of Color have been consistently devalued in our society by the white population. As late sociologist Arthur Stinchcombe explained, “The key to institutionalizing a value is to concentrate power in the hands of those who believe in that value.”

How does all this play out for People of Color? Let's take a look at a study published in 2016 regarding employment. In it, researchers created resumes for Asian and black job applicants, sending the resumes to 1,600 entry-level U.S. postings on job search sites in 16 different metropolitan areas. These resumes included contact information so that the employers could reach the applicants. While some of the resumes made no attempt to hide the race of the applicant, others were ''whitened''—altered so that it was not apparent that the applicant was a Person of Color.

The result? Twenty-five percent of the black applicants with "whitened" resumes got called for an interview, while only 10 percent who did not attempt to hide their race were called back. Other studies indicate that black job applicants are only about 40 to 60 percent as likely to be called back for an interview as are white applicants.

The ramifications are dramatic. You can't build wealth without steady, rewarding jobs. As a result, you may not be able to afford to live in a community with quality schools, and access to grocery stores, transportation, parks, or safe environments. Poor education further limits job prospects. Oh, and without steady employment you can't afford healthcare, which leads to poorer health outcomes—further limiting upward mobility and economic opportunity.

All of these institutions are interrelated. Working together, they create a system of racism, or systemic racism.

This system of unequal power gives privileges to white people—and profound disadvantages to People of Color. Because in this system, white people have the power. "Good people" like us.

So, while white people may not be committing individual acts of racism, we are most definitely a part of the many institutions that create systemic racism. And we can help dismantle it.

If you want to find out more about just how to do this, we invite you to experience the Imagine No Racism (INR) Small Group Curriculum. It's meant as a starting point, a set of small-group sessions to launch the ongoing work of addressing, and ultimately, dismantling racism. You can find out more about it on the Conference website.

January 2021

8/22/2020

From the Pastor’s Pen

We have turned the page on the calendar and are now confronted with what many are hoping will be a better year than 2020.

Although New Year’s celebrations and resolutions can seem like a lot of hype, I must admit there is contained within the turn of the calendar a promise of hope. There is an expectation for what may be called a do-over, a re-start, a new beginning.

Our United Methodist hymnal contains the song “This is the Day of New Beginnings” written by Brian Wren and Carlton Young, The hymn seems to capture what many of us are feeling as we end this year of the Covid Pandemic and start a new year. It reads:

This is the day of new beginnings, time to remember and move on, time to believe what love is bringing, laying to rest the pain that’s gone.

The calendar’s page turn does not end the pandemic’s continued impact on our lives or alleviate the sorrow for the loss of loved ones, ease financial concerns or heal health issues. Our strength to face the future comes from feeling the deep comfort of our Savior’s calming presence, for we know who holds us close and walks with us through all trials and tribulations.

For by the life and death of Jesus, God’s mighty Spirit, now as then can make for us a world of difference, as faith and hope are born again.

Christ is alive, and goes before us, to show and share what love can do. This is a day of new beginnings; our God is making all things new.

May today indeed be a day of new beginnings for you, days of peace, comfort and quiet joy as we step out in faith into a new year of promise.

In Gentleness and peace,
Pastor Sue

October 2020

5/28/2020

It’s autumn and the leaves are just spectacular this year so far… and I love it! Generally, the fall is the time of year when we slow down from the frenetic pace of summer activities packed into three short months of warmer weather. This year is very different. The pandemic remains present and activities look very different with virtual races, physical distancing and no singing in church. Like many of you, I long for a return to what is familiar, what I have loved, and what I truly miss. That said, I must remind all of us that we are blessed. I see new appreciation for family and friends, a reaching out to those we love and hold dear, and neighbors helping neighbors. The different pace has promoted dinners together, creativity in how we do things, and humor. As the church, we are moving forward in the work of the Kingdom in new ways which are both exciting and unnerving at the same time. The Holy Spirit does not rest and makes sure we do not rest on our laurels as well. We have work to do!

I would like to discuss two things with you in this message today. The first has to do with Imagine No Racism. In the last Pastor’s Pen, I suggested an article series that spoke on this issue and encouraged you to read and learn. I then promised that we will be exploring the topics of racial barriers in person because I do not feel they can be tackled on-line. In the meantime, we can begin preparation for this delicate subject by educating ourselves prior to our trainings. This month I would like to suggest a book entitled Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria by Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD. It is a national Best Seller and a sensitive look at racism in America and is considered to be a classic read on the subject. My hope is that you will read it and prayerfully explore the messages within it.

The second item in this message has to do with the piano in the sanctuary. It is a wonderful instrument and almost 100 years old. Work is needed to keep her at her optimum performance level…(just an aside… why are cars, trucks and pianos referred to as “her”?) This restorative work is to start in January and will be expensive. If you are moved to offer funding towards the work, it will be much appreciated! We are working on some fun, creative ways to help with this expense and Judy Knopp has some great ideas which I will allow her to share with you personally in another article.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Sue

MAY 2020

4/23/2020

From the Pastor’s Pen

During this time of sheltering in place, I am often amazed at the creativity and resiliency of the human spirit. God truly has created us and we are “fearfully and wonderfully made!” I believe this is especially true when it comes to ways to cope with adversity. Each of us deals with stress in different ways, and we look for methods that are healthy and fulfilling. For me personally, music is one good way to get through things and humor is another.

Like many of you, I have turned to technology to help stay connected with the world. In my searches for information on the condition of the country and the progress made on the Covid 19 front, I came across some wonderful videos put together by talented musicians – just ordinary folk having fun in creative ways. Rather than sitting and moping, they have used this down time to tap into their talents as a way to help others deal with the uncertainty of the future.   These good folk reached out on social media and shared their musical creations - complete with positive messages and a healthy sense of humor. Parodies of classic songs with comic messages that poke fun at our narcissism, our ego-centric selves have made me laugh, and laughter is a great way to release anxiety and stress.

We are reminded that “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” in Proverbs 17:22. The Bible further instructs us that laughter is of God.   The Lord “… will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy” Job 8:21. Keeping a sense of humor is imperative during these stressful times as decisions are made on how to re-open our country and our lives. Finding comedic release helps us to cope with life. There is a poster that I enjoy that says “What is important is not that the glass is half full or half empty. What is important to remember is that the glass is refillable.” Right now things seem rather bleak, but we will get through this with God’s help. We will refill our glasses as the curve continues to flatten and we learn a “new normal” way of life.

Please know that we hope to see you face to face in the new future, and that we are here for you. If there is a special need for prayer that you have, please call the church with what your needs are and I will add them to my prayer list. If we can help with food or running for prescriptions or medical needs, please let us know. In the meantime, use your masks, wash your hands, and keep your sense of humor and delight… it is a gift from God.

In gentleness and peace,
Pastor Sue

April 2020 _________________

4/7/2020

Hello everyone!
I was recently reminded of the Dr Seuss movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas as I was reading about Holy week and empty churches, and the sorrow on faces over the loss of the traditional joining of hearts and hands as we proclaim that Christ is alive. Friends, the Grinch didn’t stop Christmas from coming and the Coronavirus can’t stop Easter from coming either! The real reason we celebrate this coming Sunday remains - the tomb is empty and Christ is alive, He is risen… He is risen indeed!

During this time of sheltering in place, it is important to remember that self-denial is a Christian attribute. We are called to care for our neighbors and show Christian love by staying home. We miss our family and friends, we chafe at the loss of our freedom to go places, and for many of us this is indeed a form of self-denial. Here at Christ First we love our church family, we enjoy our gatherings, potlucks, studies, and our worship together as one body in Christ. Be assured that we will do all of those things again in the future! Our first Sunday together in worship will be a glorious homecoming and we will celebrate the resurrection with joy in our hearts! In the meantime, stay home and stay safe.

As a denomination we have listened to the CDC guidelines and I applaud the efforts of our Cabinet, Bishop and District Superintendents to keep our congregations safe by not gathering in any form and encouraging everyone to stay sheltering in place. To that end, WE WILL NOT HAVE DRIVE THROUGH COMMUNION EASTER SUNDAY.

We have learned that the next several weeks will be critical to the safety and well-being of our community, so please be careful and be safe. We will meet using Zoom and not in person for all leadership teams. Please check your email for your invitation to join. If you do not have a computer and are a member of a team, you can join by phone. We will be happy to walk you through the process and are only a phone call away!

I hope you have been able to access our “new and improved” Website and Facebook pages! The way we do business is changing at a rapid pace, and we are learning as we go, it is a work in progress and it is definitely a work of love. Please know that we have heard your suggestions for improving our sites to better serve you. We will be implementing as many new suggestions as possible.

We have been blessed during this time of self-imposed exile through the talents of our church family. Please give a shout-out to Connie and Tony for all of their IT support and creativity. Virtual church has become a reality through the wonders of technology and hopefully has been an exciting and rewarding way for you to connect with our church family during this difficult time. Our musicians have given of themselves to enhance our services and deserve a big “thank-you” for all they do for us. We are blessed with the commitment to do the work of our Lord and Savior by all of our staff – Kim, Charlie, Kenzie, Andy and Steve and also our trustees and laity who have been diligently working to be the hands, face and feet of Christ. All of you rock!

The Upper New York Conference has been diligent about sending out notices and helpful suggestions to the local churches as we face what may be a new normal. One resource sent is a prayer adapted from the Houston, Texas church - St Luke’s UMC that I would like to share with you now. It is entitled A Prayer for a World Facing the Coronavirus, and it speaks to many of the concerns we have:

Dear God,
It seems like lots of uncertainty around us.
So many people who need prayers.
Today, I pray…
For those whose health is compromised by the coronavirus or other health issues.
For those who suffer from the economic impact of the virus, in travel, manufacturing, hospitality, energy or so many other industries.

For healthcare workers and first responders, and other public servants who put themselves in harm’s way for us.
For our leaders of the world, our countries, states and cities, as they seek to help manage this challenge.
God, it can be overwhelming. But you tell us over and over again not to be afraid.

Show me how to trust in you. As I examine my heart this Lenten season, help me to turn away from my concern with self, and turn my heart, hands, and prayers toward the concerns for others.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen

Friends, lean into the Lord and he will lift you up. Trust in the power of prayer and be at peace.
In Christian love,
Pastor Sue