ARE WE OPEN?
NO!
March 30, 2020
Hello, friends and members of UIF!
As we continue during our Stay-At-Home time as a state, we face more time without the opportunity to worship in-person. It appears that this strange time of wandering in the wilderness may follow us well into the Easter season, as we try to do our part to “bend the curve” of Coronavirus cases in IL. There is a grief we carry with us as we adjust to what is our current reality.
We are still trying to find ways to be together as church members – whether in ZOOM meetings to keep ministry tasks rolling, or through a streaming video online worship service (where people gave a verbal “check in” when they “arrived”), or through phone calls to one another to provide support. Please do reach out to me by email (revctp@unitedinfaith.org) if needed, as I’m working from home most days.
I haven’t yet found a way to share communion with any theological integrity and safety across distances. For now, we are in a season of refraining from this important communion meal of love. God’s promises are still just as real now. In fact, perhaps our refraining will lead us to a season of new appreciation of our shared communion meal. For now, we will not be sharing communion at our virtual and online worship services.
Although Governor Pritzker has not announced an extension of the stay-at-home order, we are moving ahead with Holy Week and Easter plans without in-person worship. Even if we are allowed to go out by then, we probably shouldn’t. Even when we return to weekly in-person worship, it will take a long while for things to feel “normal” again. For now, let’s focus on all the great ways that God is present with us where we are and how we can be there for each other in the meantime.
See below for the updated Holy Week schedule as it stands today (March 30, 2020).
With sincere hopes for peace, Pastor Carla
NEWLY UPDATED HOLY WEEK AND EASTER 2020 SCHEDULE
Family/Kids Holy Week Path – request from Pastor Carla – with activities for families to do each day from April 5-12.
Sunday, Palm/Passion Sunday – April 5
9:30am Facebook live-streamed video worship service at facebook.com/uiflc
Bulletin for at-home worship available here: https://f3851eea-e2a3-4ea2-a678-047790da24c1.filesusr.com/ugd/b0fabc_9c063f7e57364a68bca108ac97540c59.pdf
Please find something green that you can wave (scarf, tshirt, piece of paper) while we sing the opening song, All Glory, Laud, and Honor. Or use the attached palm frond coloring page.
Maundy Thursday, April 9
11am Facebook live-streamed video worship service at facebook.com/uiflc
Bulletin for at-home worship will be available at www.unitedinfaith.org
7pm ZOOM Maundy Thursday scripture, reflection, and prayer – contact Pastor Carla at revctp@unitedinfaith.org to get the link for the ZOOM audio/video conference.
Good Friday, April 10
Videos will be posted at www.facebook/uiflc and on our UIFLC YouTube channel by 10am. Feel free to watch/participate whenever you can on Good Friday. They will be set up as separate videos for each “station of the cross.”
Easter Sunday, April 12
9:30am Facebook live-streamed video worship service at facebook.com/uiflc
Bulletin for at-home worship will be available at www.unitedinfaith.org
[no Easter flowers from Preston’s FYI]
WORSHIP
YouTube link for March 29, 2020 service.
Sunday April 5th, meet us here for a live-streamed worship service at 9:30am central time at www.facebook.com/uiflc.
Here is the Worship Bulletin - Worship Plan for Sunday, April 5, 2020.pdf, Passion Sunday Reading, Palm Coloring.
See YouTube for services and songs.
Each Wednesday in Lent that we can't meet, I'll post on Facebook something from the Lenten materials we were using. Visit our virtual prayer wall on our UIF Facebook page (www.facebook/uiflc - you do not need to have a FB account to read and pray). Each Sunday until we can meet together again, I'll post a 9:30am streaming worship service using Facebook live (with a PDF bulletin posted earlier). Throughout the week, I hope to post uplifting posters and images and songs, me reading a prayer, me singing from our hymnal and more.
Please keep in mind that UIF’s bills and expenses will continue during this time, even if we aren’t meeting. If you would like to mail in a check for offering, you can do that.
If you need to request a prayer or if you have a desire for a spiritual check-in, please let me know by emailing me (revctp@unitedinfaith.org) or leaving a message on the church's voicemail (772-283-2326).
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.
-Pastor Carla (written on 3/21/2020)
LINKS
WHO - https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
CDC - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/uiflc
Martin Luther and His Incredible Response to the Black Plague - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/chorusinthechaos/martin-luther-and-the-black-plague/