Grace and peace in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!
March 22, 2020
At this time, we are officially closed to in-person meetings including Sunday worship through March 30. However, given the recent CDC recommendations, I suspect that this time apart will be for a more extended time. I want us to be prepared no matter how long this intentional physical distancing is necessary.
There are several ways that we can keep in touch:
- Social media platforms:
- Our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/lansdowneumc) is being updated daily with information, videos, music, devotions, prayers, or other posts. It’s okay if you don’t have a Facebook account; our page is public so you can access it at the above link without having your own personal account.
- Our new Instagram: (@lansdowneumc). It will have the same information as Facebook, but just on a different platform, if this is something you use more often.
- Emails have been going out every few days or so, but I fear they might be getting caught up in spam filters. Please be sure to add pastoremily@lansdowneumc.org and office@lansdowneumc.org to your “safe” lists or check your spam inbox to ensure you’re receiving church emails sent through MailChimp.
- Admittedly, our website (www.lansdowneumc.org) is a bit out of date. They don’t teach web design or really any technology in seminary, and it’s not something that comes naturally to me. If someone would like to take updating the website on right now, I’d be happy to have the help!
- Lastly, you are welcome to mail any tithes or offerings to the church to help us cover expenses that must be paid even though we aren’t meeting in-person. We will be checking the mailbox daily to ensure your envelopes are not there overnight.
For worship, there will be multiple opportunities for us to be together (remotely). I will be opening a live feed at 10am on Sunday on Facebook so we can gather for a short liturgy and message. If you do not have internet access or cannot join us at that time, enclosed is a short worship service and a list of lectionary-based readings you can engage in at home that mirrors what we will be doing together online. If you need a Bible or a hymnal, please let me know and I will make sure you get one!
For now, we will continue to host our second and fourth Wednesday free community meals through carry-out only for now. There is a district-wide prayer meeting held every weekday at 6 am by the Morning Prayer Group. If you would like to join, dial 605-313-5086, then enter the following password/pin: 710605#. All other activities, small groups, committee meetings are suspended at this time.
If you have prayer requests, need food or medications, or have other pastoral needs, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone/text at 410-231-3447 or email pastoremily@lansdowneumc.org. I will not be monitoring the church office phone as often as usual, so these are the best ways to be in contact.
Finally, please remember to be in prayer for one another, as well as for me and all the other pastors out there who are trying to figure out this new flavor of ministry. These are hard times, but grace abounds. God is still and will always be our Refuge and our Strength!
In Christ,
Pastor Emily
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