Health Crisis Update - March 18, 2020

In keeping both with the recommendations of the CDC and our own Bishop’s office, McKendree UMC’s facilities will continue to remain closed through at least the end of March. The very first of the three “General Rules” of early Methodism was to “do no harm.” Suspending in-person worship and other group gatherings at our facilities is one way we are doing that, and it’s also a way for us fulfill 1 John 4:7 (“love one another”) by being considerate of others’ concerns for medical safety. We will be constantly re-evaluating things in the midst of this fluid and constantly changing situation, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

In the meantime, please join us for several opportunities for virtual worship and ministry, including:

1) Online worship experiences

Join us ONLINE each Sunday at 10:30am for a live-streamed, hope-filled, interactive worship opportunity. We’ll have music, prayer and opportunities for family interaction, and an inspiring message. Worship with your family, and invite your friends and neighbors to do so as well! Bookmark your browser and join us each Sunday on McKendree’s LiveStream Worship YouTube channel HERE.

2) Community Care

Between now and the end of March, I and Pastor Ryan will be reaching out via phone to check on our Homebound members and those of whom they are aware are “at risk” medically and/or economically. During these calls we may discover needs for various forms of assistance.

If you are healthy and willing to assist in this ministry by possibly doing simple errands like purchasing food or medicine that can be dropped off at someone’s doorstep, please contact Pastor Ryan so that we can compile a list of volunteers.

Related to this, if you or someone in your social network or neighborhood needs any kind of basic help, please let Pastors Brian or Ryanknow so that they can be added to the list of those needing assistance.

3) Creative ways to stay connected

Our staff is continually discussing creative ways to minister to our church family and community. Check the church Facebook page and the church webpage often for more information and opportunities on creative ways that we can "Do life together, Connecting all through Christ"! (Families of our Preschool will also want periodically to check out our Preschool Facebook site for information, news and ideas, as well),

4) Daily Family Devotional Time

One thing this crisis encourages us to do is reconnect with those closest to us in our family. What better way to do this than to read a daily devotional together? "The Upper Room" devotional has been around for 84 years in over 100 countries, offering daily hope through scripture readings and stories of God's work in the lives of ordinary people.

So each day, I invite you to start off your day together in your home either in person or via Skype, Facetime, or some other social media platform and take turns reading (out loud) to each other that day's daily scripture, devotional and prayer from the Upper Room website HERE -- you can also sign up to receive it via email daily, and there is an app for it for both Apple and Android devices. Allow this crisis to help you start a new family tradition of faith with this simple act.



Finally, please know we understand that some may feel the efforts we are doing as a church to address this crisis are too extreme, while others will feel that they are not extreme enough. We ask for your grace and understanding as we try to navigate and chart the best and most faithful response to this crisis.

God is “bigger” than this virus or this crisis, and even though it may cause disruption to our ordinary routines, always remember that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!