Catch up on the happenings of this past Sunday!
November 22, 2020
Worship This Past Sunday
Morning Virtual Worship with Hopkins & South Monterey UMCs
Focus Scriptures: Matthew 25:31-46
Download this week's bulletin and inserts below!
This week's bulletin includes an insert with information about the Food Pantry Thanksgiving basket needs & distribution. Check it out!
Sunday's Message!
This week we remained on Zoom. Below are a video of the sermon, a song, and prayers that we a part of the service and the sermon script.
Here is a text manuscript of the message:
Announcements
We have felt it necessary to make the call to keep our buildings closed through the end of December based on the guidance from our Bishop and state leadership. The full Worship Plan Update, including the announcement from the Bishop, is below.
Advent 2020
Advent starts November 29 this year. As we look ahead to Advent, we know that things are going to feel a little bit different this year, but worship and advent are not cancelled! We are working on new and creative ways to celebrate Advent as a church family. Even though we are Zoom, we will still be lighting advent candles together. Find below a sign-up to do the advent readings yourself or as a family! (You just have to be live on Zoom on Sunday morning to read them through Zoom)
One of the ways we will celebrate Advent together as a church family is by celebrating Advent at home the same way! We have "Advent-at-home" packets for every family, young and old! The packets include a daily advent calendar of short family activities and a weekly devotion to do together. For families with kids there will be a few more low-stress kid-friendly activities.
The packets will be at the church for pick up on next Monday or Tuesday by calling Pastor Kelsey to bring one out to you from the office. Any that we don't have to send would be appreciated savings on postage, but no worries if you cannot make it out. We will mail (or deliver) all the rest on Tuesday and Wednesday to make it in time to start Advent.
Blue Christmas Service
2020 has been a tough year for all. We have all lost something or someone and we know the holidays will be different than usual too. That means that Christmas might bring up some feelings that are not just joy and cheer. And that's okay! All the loss and stress have a lot of us experiencing forms of grief. The holidays especially can stir up feelings of nostalgia and grief as we miss the people or traditions that made Christmas special. We will recognize these complicated feelings around the holidays as a community with a short Blue Christmas service on December 1 at 7:00pm on Zoom. Same Zoom link as usual!
Food Pantry Donation Needs
Thank you so much for your faithful donations!
The needs right now are: Instant Potatoes, Canned Soup (any kind), Canned Pasta, Canned Fruit, Tuna, Peanut Butter, Jelly, Ketchup, Mustard, and Baking Mixes (brownies, cake mix and frosting). Toothpaste. Drop off Wednesdays from 10am to 1pm and 5pm to 7pm. Bring them to church or contact Mitzi or Pastor Linda about a drop off time.
Food Pantry Christmas Basket Time!
What comes right after Thanksgiving? Christmas! The Food Pantry will be starting to collect items for the Christmas Baskets very soon. The list is included in the attached bulletin. You can bring your Christmas donations to church anytime between now and Sunday, December 13th.
Upcoming Dates
Nov 29 - First Sunday of Advent, Zoom Worship at 10am
Dec 1 - Blue Christmas Service on Zoom at 7pm
Dec 6 - Second Sunday of Advent, Zoom Worship at 10am
Dec 13 - Third Sunday of Advent, Zoom Worship at 10am
Dec 20 - Fourth Sunday or Advent, Zoom Worship at 10am
Dec 24 - Christmas Eve, Details forthcoming
Dec 27 - Post-Christmas Pajama Party Worship, Zoom Worship at 10am
Highlights:
"Today, I am asking you in the strongest way possible to refrain from in-person indoor worship for the Advent and Christmas seasons."
"Remember, the Christmas story is about a God who arrives in surprising places and in surprising ways. When there is no room in the inn, a manger will have to do. When being together inside is not safe, good news of great joy still arrives."
If you would rather read the Bishop's statement you can read it here. I strongly recommend reading it as the Bishop's words have brought me some needed peace and comfort as we have had to have some tough discussions.
Taking the Bishop and Governor's recommendations seriously, the Ad Boards of Hopkins and South Monterey have come to the tough decision to remain virtual through the end of December. This means that Advent through Christmas will be held on Zoom. This is disappointing for all of us. I know how much we would all love to be back to normal inside worshiping like we are used to. Zoom worship is not the same and does not spark the same joy and comfort, but we are working to bring some joy, cheer, and advent feelings to you at home and during our Zoom services. We will try some new things and find Christ's peace in new and important ways during this year of ongoing upheaval.
Some of the ways that we are staying connected and alive as a church during this time include:
- Advent-at-home packets
- DIY Advent Wreaths
- Ongoing Advent Calendar on the church Facebook
- Different ways to have Blue Christmas and Christmas Eve services (more details soon)
I know we are all exhausted with this year and all that it has brought with it. That said, I hope we can all find some ways to bring Advent and Christmas cheer into our lives in new ways. How can we connect with each other and still make the holidays special even though we cannot gather together? How can we come together as a church family like never before during this time? COVID has brought us a lot of losses, but we can still find and create joy. Perhaps we need that Christmas joy more than ever this year. Come, Holy Spirit, come and help us make that happen.
As we will remain on Zoom for the next few weeks please let Pastor Kelsey know if you need any help figuring out the technology. We would love to have you with us on Sunday morning whenever you can. It feels more like home the more of us that are together.
How to Join Zoom
If you've never used Zoom before and want to participate on your desktop or laptop, simply click the join link below, and you will be prompted to download and install a quick software package. The software is safe and helps ensure that your connection is as stable and reliable as possible. You can download and install Zoom at any time before the gathering begins. You should not need to create an account to do so. See the 60-second video above for additional instructions.
Joining Worship on a Smartphone
Download the Zoom mobile apps (iOS, Google Play) and click the join link above after installation has finished. Or, join worship by using the instructions below
Joining Worship from Any Phone
Call (312) 626-6799.
Enter meeting ID 768 555 3158 followed by #
If asked for a participant ID, just enter # again.
If asked for a password, enter 2697937323 followed by #.
In the event that you encounter a busy signal, try these alternative phone numbers:
1-646-558-8656 or 1-301-715-8592.
The Meeting ID, password, and joining process will be exactly the same.