Author: John Collins

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Livestreaming Tomorrow

We’ll resume in-person worship tomorrow morning at 10:30, but that doesn’t mean other worship options are going away.

We livestream our 10:30 Sunday morning service. You can watch at facebook.com/abilenefirstumc/live. You don’t have to have an account with facebook to watch our livestream.

If you want to avoid facebook, you can go to abilene-first-umc.freeonlinechurch.com/live. If the video doesn’t start automatically, you may need to refresh the page.

For a higher resolution video after the fact, you can go to vimeo.com/abilenefirstumc.

You can also listen to our 10:30 service live on KABI 1560 AM.

If you want to follow along with bulletin you can follow this link.

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Wednesday Evening Activities

I’m someone who regularly loses the invitation to Zoom meetings, so I’m reposting this information:

We have Wednesday evening Holy Communion tonight at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening Bible Study will follow at 6:15 p.m. To keep things simple, I’m just going to use the same Zoom meeting, but you can come and go as you please. Here’s the information to log on, let me know if you need tech support.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://bit.ly/2Wdiguc
Meeting ID: 918 7453 9985
Password: 67410

One tap mobile
+13462487799,,91874539985#,,1#,67410# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,91874539985#,,1#,67410# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 918 7453 9985
Password: 67410

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The Little Free Pantry is Almost Bare

The little free pantry is almost empty. We especially need Energy/Snack/Granola bars, peanut butter and jelly, pancake, toilet paper, macaroni, canned meat/fish, individual cereal packets, pasta, spaghetti sauce, fruit snacks, snack bars and canned fruit. Lisa Divel suggests thinking of things you would like to eat in the heat.

The best option for goods is probably to leave them on the Divel’s front porch (the two story pink house on Cedar street across from the church—you can’t miss it) or simply keep them in the car and restock the little free pantry when you drive by. If you do the latter, please send me an email or text so we can keep track of how many times it is refilled.

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Reservations for Worship (June 14, 2020)

The Church Council met this evening and approved opening the church building to in-person worship. In order to better love one another we’re continuing to practice social distancing, wear masks, and take reservations.

You can request reservations for next Sunday, June 14, 2020, here: forms.gle/AzTr54tVq78Gk9qu6.

The service will continue to be available online—indeed we intend to continue to make improvements.

The policy the Church Council adopted is as follows:

  • Reservations will be needed and by this method names and addresses will be obtained for contact tracing. Reservations will be received on a first come, first serve basis. A few spaces in the Sanctuary and Wright Fellowship Hall will be kept open for those unaware of the need for reservations who show up. Their contact information will be obtained when they arrive. 
  • Whichever service (8:15 or 10:30) has more reservations will be held in the Sanctuary, the other in Fellowship Hall.
  • Those who feel ill are asked to stay at home. Temperatures taken when congregants arrive. No one with a temperature that persists at 100.1 or above is allowed remain.
  • All present, with the exception of infants, will wear masks. Those speaking or leading worship will temporarily remove theirs for the sake of the deaf and hard of hearing. The song leader will wear a mask while singing. Others should sing along silently or under their breath.
  • Participants will leave at least 18 feet between the pulpit and lectern and the first row of the congregation. The same principle shall apply in Wright Fellowship Hall.
  • Participants will leave at least 12 feet (at an angle) between the pulpit and lectern and the piano player and song leader on the sanctuary floor. The angle should prevent the liturgist and preacher from facing the the piano player and song leader directly while speaking. The song leader shall not face the congregation while singing and shall remain at least 12 feet away (at an angle). The same principle shall apply in Wright Fellowship Hall.
  • All participants are to maintain a social distancing of six feet from one another, with the exception of those living in the same household.
  • For safety’s sake, no nursery will be provided.
  • The same principles will apply for funerals, weddings, and any other event held in the church.

 

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A Devotion from Rev. Rick Saylor

A few days ago in the Great Plains Conference daily email there was a devotion from your former pastor, Rick Saylor. With his permission I’m sharing it here.

Being troubled has taken on a life of its own in these pandemic times. It creates various intense emotions and disturbances. Mental preoccupations and confusion as well as a general sense of unsettledness. Everyone is living with being troubled in one way or another. It’s a new global normal! And we struggle with managing our “troubles” and our inner reactions to them like never before.
 
Our Judeao-Christian Biblical tradition often addresses human troubles, fears and anxieties with realism yet hope. A familiar verse of the Gospels addressing human difficulty records Jesus saying “let not your hearts be troubled.” Note he addresses our hearts not our minds. Troubles will always create stress and conflict in our thinking. It’s the way of things. But Jesus points to our hearts – the core of our being and the essence of who we are. He seems to be saying do not let your God given self, your identity, your spirit be “troubled” – Greek word “tapassestho” – which translated may mean don’t let the essence of who you are (your heart) be “stirred up, disturbed, unsettled or thrown into confusion.”
 
Jesus is appealing to our higher nature – our better angels if you will – to rise above being troubled – by being “trustful.” “Believe in God, believe in me” are the next words of the verse. Jesus says believe in me, believe beyond you, in times of overwhelming difficulties that a power of love and benevolence holds me, holds you, holds the world. Even now in this global COVID-19 pandemic. So, choose trust not troubles as your inner default. A trust that affirms who you are and who’s you are, that is a reality beyond any troubles and any experience of “being troubled.”

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Prayer for NAACP Prayer Vigil

PRAYER FOR NAACP PRAYER VIGIL — Last Saturday (May 30, 2020) Jenny, Liz, and I went to a NAACP Prayer Vigil in Salina. The vigil was in response to the death of George Floyd and countless others. I was invited to give a prayer. Here is what I prayed:

Gracious God, you created humanity as a multi-racial, multi-ethnic family, intending that we live in peace with you and harmony with one another. We have fallen short of that vision.

Today we remember those who have suffered the most because we have fallen short of that vision. Those who have suffered even unto death. George Floyd is only the most recent in a very long list. We will name only some of them here tonight. Yet you have known them all, you have called them by name, and you will never forget them

Lord, for my black and brown siblings I pray your presence, your power, your comfort, and your consolation. Help them as they continue their journey on a long and difficult road.

Lord, help those of us who are white to choose to walk beside them. Not to turn away, but to face the truth. The hard truth that racism and prejudice are still alive and well and killing your beloved children today. Help us to face the even harder truth that things aren’t going to get better on their own.

Lord, help those of us who are privileged by the color of our skin to realize that the racism that continues to surround and dwell within us is corroding our souls, stunting our discipleship, and keeping us from you.

We know that no one can truly, fully flourish until everyone can flourish. Lord Jesus help those of us born to a place of privilege, to remain silent no longer, help us to find the strength to speak up—even to our family and our friends. Help us to act—even when doing so is unpopular. Guide us, prod us, push us to work for your justice, to strive for your righteousness, and to build for your kingdom. Amen.

Note: When I say “privileged by the color of our skin” I don’t mean that all of those of us who are white have it easy, or that our lives are a cakewalk. What I do mean is that our lives are easier than they would be if we were African American.

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Zoom Communion and Bible Study

I’m someone who always loses the invitation to Zoom meetings, so I’m reposting this information:

We have Wednesday evening Holy Communion tonight at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening Bible Study will follow at 6:15 p.m. To keep things simple, I’m just going to use the same Zoom meeting, but you can come and go as you please. Here’s the information to log on, let me know if you need tech support.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://bit.ly/2Wdiguc
Meeting ID: 918 7453 9985
Password: 67410

One tap mobile
+13462487799,,91874539985#,,1#,67410# US (Houston)
+16699006833,,91874539985#,,1#,67410# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 918 7453 9985
Password: 67410

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Voices: I’m Not Wise Enough To Know The Road

My colleague is serves in Nebraska and I’m in Kansas, but this is exactly where I’m at:

“I’m praying for justice and for peace, though I’m not wise enough to know the road to walk to get there.” — Rev. Amy Lippoldt [1]

I don’t know the road, but I’m called to keep walking.

[1] Lippoldt, Amy. 2020. “Pray for Omaha tonight, friends.” Facebook, June 1, 2020. https://bit.ly/2XrzzZ8.