Getting out for needs

Hi, Friends-we have a great group of people that have volunteered to help folks who may not want to leave their homes due to CV-19!  We were thinking this would be a great way to to get people groceries and household goods.  Not sure how it would work for prescription drugs, but it we can pick up over the counter meds easily. 

Here is what we will have you do.  If you have email, send me an email with your needs, your phone number, and your address.  If you don't have email, call our cell phone 541-786-8281 and leave a detailed message if we don't answer.   I'll forward your info out to the volunteers and hopefully get someone on it pretty quick.  The person getting your items will give you a call to go over your list to make sure they get the right items.  They will keep the receipt and when they come to your house to deliver, you can pay them back.  If for some reason you can't pay them back at that moment (you are out of cash or have run out of checks), we will work something out through the church's HELP fund until later.

Remember to plan ahead!  Line this up before you are on your last roll of toilet paper.  We will try to get someone out shopping for you ASAP, but we can't guarantee it!

Church, Coronavirus and You Update 3

Hi, Friends-The grace and peace of Christ be with you during these interesting times!  Session met Sunday and made some decisions and we have spent the last few days implementing those plans and working on the details.

Sunday Morning Worship: We have suspended in-person Sunday morning worship for the rest of the month of March.  The Worship Committee will monitor the situation closely as we move through the month to determine what we may do in April.  But between now and then, we are working with our fellow pastors from the Methodist Church and Zion Lutheran/St. Peters Episcopal Church to provide a 'virtual' worship service.  We will record the service on Fridays and then upload it to YouTube.  We will email out the link to watch it either on Friday or Saturday.  You will be able to watch it at your convenience, but we are encouraging people to watch it Sunday morning.  If you would prefer to receive a printed copy of the sermons, let us know and we will add you to a mailing list.

Office Hours:  Starting Wednesday, March 18, the church office will be closed until March 31.  Donna will work from home and is able to check her work emails.  We (Laura and Keith) will still be in the office regularly monitoring the phones and working.  Feel free to call the church and if we aren't around, leave a message and we will get back in touch with you as soon as we can!

Assistance:  Since this weekend, a small group of church members have reached out to us to let us know they would be available to help other church members if they had needs and were unable to go out to take care of those needs.  Would you like to help with this spontaneous outreach ministry?  Let me know as we will coordinate what this will look like over the next couple of days.

We are monitoring this situation closely and it seems like things change daily.  We invite you to watch your email, Facebook, and mailbox for updates from the church.  Do not hesitate to contact us as the need arises.  Also, reach out to each other!  If you missed Keith's sermon on Sunday, he stressed the importance of staying in contact.  Use the phone, send an email,or send a card.  Remind each other that you are not alone in all this.

This morning in our inbox we received a delightful email from former church member Chuck Choate letting us know they were "mostly hunkered down but doing well in Minnesota."  He sent us a copy of a poem that their pastor shared on Sunday that we now share with you:

Pandemic

What if you thought of it

as the Jews consider the Sabbath—

the most sacred of times?

Cease from travel.

Cease from buying and selling.

Give up, just for now,

on trying to make the world

different than it is.

Sing. Pray. Touch only those

to whom you commit your life.

Center down.

And when your body has become still,

reach out with your heart.

Know that we are connected

in ways that are terrifying and beautiful.

(You could hardly deny it now.)

Know that our lives

are in one another’s hands.

(Surely, that has come clear.)

Do not reach out your hands.

Reach out your heart.

Reach out your words.

Reach out all the tendrils

of compassion that move, invisibly,

where we cannot touch.

Promise this world your love–

for better or for worse,

in sickness and in health,

so long as we all shall live.

–Lynn Ungar 3/11/20

Christ's peace be with you!

Keith and Laura

Community Fellowship Night March 18 Canceled

Due to the ongoing concerns about Covid-19, we have decided to cancel the dinner Wednesday night on the 18th.  Please communicate this to people you may know who come to the dinner who don't have access to this email or other church communications.

Coronavirus, Church, and You update

Hi, Friends-If you have followed the news, a lot has happened in the last few days because of Coronavirus and the work people are doing to keep it from spreading.  Know that we are monitoring events and will keep you posted on church activities as necessary.  Session is meeting Sunday after church and we will continue to discuss these important topics then.

For now:

We are still having church!  9:30AM.  If you are not feeling well or for whatever reason you need to stay home, please do!  But don't be afraid to worship if you feel up to it.

Passing the Peace.  We are still going to have the Passing of Peace.  Remember to respect the wishes of those who do not want to shake hands or hug.  Do an air hug, cross your arms across our chest and bow, or just say,"Christ's peace be with you," while doing a slight bow.  I read that elbow taps may not be the cleanest thing to do as you are supposed to cough into your elbow!  

Communion.  Communion was scheduled for Sunday, but we have decided not to have it until we have a better plan in place on how to serve the elements in way that is the most hygienic.  We will be prepared for the Holy Week and Easter celebration!

Offering.  We are going to place a collection plate in the back of the sanctuary where the small baptismal font sat by the info table.  You are invited to place your offering in the plate before or after worship where it will then be picked up.  During the Offering, Mary Helen will play and you can meditate on how you can respond to the gifts of God in your life.  We will still sing the Doxology, but the plate will still be available in the back at the end of worship in case you didn't get your offering in at the beginning.

Stay tuned!  Things may change as we move forward and we want to make sure you are informed along the way!

Church, Coronavirus, and You!

Hi, Friends-With the recent news filled with information about the Coronavirus, we wanted to let you know some important things you can do to keep yourself healthy and what the church recommends you do to keep others healthy while at church. 

If you are not feeling well, stay home!  Yes, you might not get the chance to see your brothers and sisters in Christ, but it is better that you take the time to let your body heal from whatever is making you not feel well.  And remember, do not hesitate to call your doctor or go to the walk in clinic if necessary.  We want you taking care of yourself!  This is an important recommendation even if the Coronavirus wasn't out there!

You don't have to shake hands during Passing of the Peace.  If you have concerns about picking something up, feel free to just cross your arms across your chest, do an elbow bump, or some other way to share Christ's peace.  If someone else doesn't want to shake hands or hug, respect their wishes and space.

There is hand sanitize in the back of the sanctuary.  Feel free to get up anytime during the service to use it.  

Even though our current way of doing communion is one of the most hygienic,  we are reviewing to see if there are ways that we can make it even less likely someone will spread a bug.

Also, if you didn't get a chance to read it, Robin wrote a great article on the Coronavirus in the most recent newsletter.  Here is the link-http://fpclagrande.blogspot.com/

Last, but not least, don't be afraid!  We haven't counted it ourselves, but we have heard that "Fear not!" and "Don't be afraid!" are in the Bible 365 times.  One for everyday of the year!  Assess your current situation and use common sense. If you are feeling well, come to church and other church events!  If not, stay home and contact your health provider if necessary.

Blessings,

Pastors Keith and Laura, Parish Nurse Robin 

Ash Wednesday February 26, 2020

Come to Community Fellowship Night for pancakes and sausage to celebrate Shrove Tues on Wednesday.  Then join us across the street in the sanctuary for our ecumenical Ash Wednesday service at 7PM.

Scout Sunday! Support Troop 514

Hi, Friends-A reminder that this Sunday is Scout Sunday!  Come to the PFC between 8 and 10AM for their pancake fundraiser.  The Scouts then lead the worship at the church at 10AM.  This year, Scout Master Steve Koza is preaching.  Also, some of the boys will share their musical talents during the service. After worship, pancakes will still be served until noon.  Come support the Scouts and you can get breakfast and lunch if your really like pancakes and sausage!