In Person Worship Reminder

Hi, Friends-a reminder that we are tentatively resuming in-person worship June 21, not tomorrow. 

Remember this is tentative.  We are monitoring the upswing in Covid cases in Union County very closely.  If our plans change, we will let you know ASAP.  Keep an eye on your emails and Facebook for announcements.

Plan to Return to In-Person Worship

June 9, 2020

Dear Family in Christ of First Presbyterian Church,

The Session has tentatively set a date of Sunday, June 21st at 9:30 AM for a return to in-person worship.  Why “tentatively”?  Although we as a county have entered Phase 2, we are monitoring the situation daily and know things can change.  The Center for Disease Control states that worship “gatherings present a risk for increased spread of COVID-19.”  As our church considers resuming public activities, please know that we will do so through a careful process, with an abundance of caution and concern for those who are most vulnerable, upon consideration of the best scientific knowledge at our disposal, in the spirit of constant prayer, and with full trust in the grace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

Once we open the church for in-person worship, there will surely be awkward moments as we adjust to new protocols and practices. Things will look and be different!  We will have countless opportunities to exercise the spiritual gifts of patience, kindness, gentleness, and self control, with the knowledge that these strange times will not last forever; faith and hope will always be ours through our belief in Jesus Christ.

Some changes need to be made in the way we conduct worship in order to keep people safe from contracting or spreading the COVID-19 virus. 

The Session has approved the following changes to our worship services from June 21-July 12.  In early July we will review and adjust these measures as necessary.

1. The Session STRONGLY urges people who are feeling ill or recovering from an illness to stay home until they are completely recovered.
2. Those who are at risk due to existing health issues should decide whether they feel safe attending worship.  Recorded or online services will continue to be available.  
3. Worship services will be outside on the front yard near the corner of 6th and Washington.  Please bring your own lawn chairs for you to sit on. We will have additional chairs for those who don’t have lawn chairs.  If there is a threat of inclement weather, service will be in the sanctuary.
4. When we sit outside, we ask you to arrange yourselves to allow for 6 feet social distancing. When we are inside, every other pew will be roped off to help with social distancing.  Feel free to sit with family members or with those you are quarantining with.
5. On June 21 and 28, all worship participants must wear masks if we worship inside. Outside, we encourage mask use also.  Please note there is soap in all restrooms and hand sanitizer will be placed in easy to access locations.  The church will have masks on hand in case someone forgets theirs.
6. The church and especially the sanctuary and bathrooms will be sanitized before and after we worship.  We are being vigilant in our endeavor to keep things clean and sanitized for everyone’s safety.
7. All hymnals, Bibles, pencils, and offering envelopes have been temporarily removed from the racks for safety reasons.
8. Worship participants will be encouraged to refrain from hugging, handshaking or touching other persons before, during, or after the service.  During Passing of the Peace, you may bow or waive to your neighbors to share the peace of Christ.
9. Scientific research shows that this virus is easily transmitted by airborne particles.  Therefore, we will need to temporarily refrain from congregational singing.
10. An offering basket will be placed in a convenient location for your offering before or after the service.  We will not be passing the offering plates during the worship.
11. We will temporarily suspend the use of ushers and Worship Leaders.
12. We will temporarily not be using a bulletin.  The pastors will guide the congregation through the service.
13. If we are indoors, the pastors will dismiss congregants by rows so people are not bunched at the door.
14. There will not be Time with the Younger Church nor a Children’s Table.  The nursery will not be available the remainder of the summer.  Children will need to stay with their families.
15. Fellowship refreshments will not be served during this time.  We encourage people to check in on each other after the service outside, always remembering to follow social distance guidelines.
16. People are encouraged to use their home bathrooms before coming to church to minimize the use of the church restrooms.  Worship services will be shorter than usual.
17. Weddings, funerals, and baptisms will require a discussion with the pastors to determine the safest ways to conduct these church functions.

Your Session, and especially your Worship Committee, is acting responsibly, faithfully, effectively, and with your best health and spiritual interests in mind.  We pray that everyone will understand our need to be cautious in our decision making and actions.  All the above measures are being initiated for your safety and the safety of those who worship with you.  Also, these protocols and decisions are subject to change and revision if the need arises.  The congregation will be kept updated on all decisions.

Let us remain faithful to God and to one another.  Let us be guided by the Word, responsive to the Spirit, and open to the grace of God.  Let us remember that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us at the church (541-963-5114) or call or text our cell (541-786-8281) or email us at pastorshudson@eoni.com

Christ’s Peace

Pastors Keith and Laura & the Session

Midweek Connection 6.10.20

Dear Friends-Here is the link to this week's Midweek Connection with a special trip to the Lester's iris garden:

https://youtu.be/X_DyeT_Rq1M

Trinity Sunday Worship 6.7.20

Happy Trinity Sunday!

Here is the link for Sunday's Worship service: https://youtu.be/Q1yhoB6TNmE

Note: This week, a special treat, courtesy of our ecumenical collaboration with  Rev.Roberta Smythe and Zion Lutheran. Keith, Laura and Roberta preside in our local liturgy, but the sermon this week comes from the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton. The ELCA did not want the video released early on social media, however; for this reason, our video will not be available until 9:00pm Saturday night.

Prayer Requests: 

• Prayers for Annette's brother Craig
• Prayers for Teresa's continued healing
• Prayers for Sam's broken heels and upcoming surgery on them
• Thanksgiving for Sherry's double lung transplant and excellent recovery so far; continued prayers for complete healing. 
• For Union County as we enter "phase 2" reopening; may all of us make wise decisions about protecting ourselves and others from COVID-19
• For racial justice and peace in our nation

Zoom Coffee Hour  will happen at 10 am on Sunday, link is below. 

• Please mute yourself upon entry to the Zoom room.  We will be trying to facilitate the flow of conversation, and muting yourself when you are not talking is helpful. 
• We will allow free-flow conversation later in the meeting, but at first we will invite you to share briefly with each other in relation to this question, "Where have you seen God this week?" We will start and then share the opportunity to speak by mutual invitation.
• We will close no later than 11 am with prayer

Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 872 6151 3822
Password: 009418
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Midweek Connection 6.3.20

Here is our Midweek connection from yesterday.  We have been working with some very slow upload speeds so it took longer than expected.  Next week we are getting an phone/internet upgrade through EONI so we will be able to upload faster for videos and it should greatly increase our opportunities to live stream to stay better connected to you!

https://youtu.be/59XxtLkKAFk

Also, a "Give Now" button has been added to the church website.  We have had a couple people who have had a tough time getting their info in for the online giving, so we going to see if there is a help number people can call to set up accounts and get that going.

Worship Info for 5.31.20 Pentecost

Happy Pentecost!

Here is the link for Sunday's Worship service: https://youtu.be/QsJAlt19qXA

Search "Day of Pentecost Worship 5.31.20 FPC, St.Peter's and Zion Lutheran" on YouTube to get there without clicking on this link. 

Special Pentecost Events: 

• Blooming Pentecost Cross: On May 31st from 10am-5pm, you are invited to come to the church lawn at the corner of 6th and Washington to place flame-colored flowers or ribbons (red, yellow, orange) on the cross as a symbol of the Holy Spirit fire. Please park on the Washington Ave. side of the church between the hours of 10am-12pm because the PFC will be occupied.

• Drive-Through Communion: On May 31st, from 10am-noon in the Presbyterian Friendship Center (PFC) parking lot, we will be distributing the Lord's Supper to recipients in your vehicles. The pastors will be taking every COVID precaution in giving out the elements. Please drive your vehicle into the PFC parking lot by way of the Spring Ave. entrance, and turn to the left out onto 6th St. as you exit to facilitate the flow of traffic.

• If you cannot come to the drive-through communion, you are welcome to use your own bread and juice at home and partake the communion elements after the Eucharistic prayer in the video recording. 

Time with the Younger Church Message: Marie Baumgartner, our church nursery attendant, has recorded a message for our young and young-at-heart! Check it out at: 

https://youtu.be/tEVViOwo7Z0

Search "FPC La Grande Pentecost Children's Sermon" to get there without using the link. 

No Zoom Coffee Hour on May 31st. 

Prayer Requests: 

• Prayers for Annette's brother Craig
• Prayers for Teresa's continued healing
• Ongoing prayers for Sherry, recovering from lung transplant
• For Union County as we enter "phase 1" reopening; may all of us make wise decisions about protecting ourselves and others from COVID-19
• For racial justice and peace in our nation

 

Pentecost is different this year--but nothing can stop the coming of the Holy Spirit!  We give thanks for you, the church community of First Presbyterian Church, Spirit-filled blessings that you are to the world! 

May Christ's peace fill you and uphold you. 

Pastors Keith and Laura Hudson

On Line Giving

A great big thank you to all of you who continue to give financially to the church during these interesting times.  We know that the Holy Spirit is still working in and through our church even through we aren't meeting collectively yet.  We are working on plans for that and will keep you posted as things progress.

We wanted to let you know that the church now has an online giving option that is handled through the Presbyterian Foundation.  You can set up your giving through this option, your gift can be recurring or one-time.  Reports are sent to Ellen Barton.  At the end of the month, your gifts are transferred directly into our church General Fund Account.  Here is the link:

https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-bin/Vanco_ver3.vps?appver3=wWsk24ZWJSTZKsGd1RMKlg0BDvsSG3VIWQCPJNNxD8upkiY7JlDavDsozUE7KG0nFx2NSo8LdUKGuGuF396vbY94pmlaj6JG5DLUCX0OYM4iYnTg5dP4O6rpX5QvPEWlBhHDN59kLZFffwKfYERpQq5DdWo2XBL3TFD3PRfAlb4=&ver=3

We will soon have a "Give Now" link on our website that will take people to that sight. Typically, the admin fee is 2% of your gift but right now it has been dropped to 1%.  There is an option to increase your gift to cover that fee so the church gets the entire amount you want to give.

We (the Hudson's) gave our June gift online and it worked very well.  Please note that the first page you go to on the link won't say First Presbyterian Church of La Grande.  At least not yet.  We are creating an image with the church name that will be put on that page soon.

As always, the opportunity to mail your gift to the church or drop it off at 1308 Washington is still available.

Again, thank you to continue supporting the life and ministry of First Presbyterian Church!