Tucker First UMC News
March 21, 2020
Coronavirus Awareness Update
Tucker First clergy and staff continue to monitor the latest updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the outbreak of COVID-19. These organizations recommend you to use general precautions such wash hands regularly, avoid handshaking, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, maintain a safe social distance of at least six feet, and stay home if you feel unwell. Individuals with compromised immune systems may choose to take additional precautions.

At this time, all in-person worship services, small groups, and other activities have been suspended through the end of March.

Be Supportive | Be Careful | Be Alert | Be Kind
Worship With Us on Sunday
Sunday Worship With Tucker First
Sunday, March 22 @ 11:00 am
Rev. Gerald Varner, Preaching

"Snowblind"

Please join your Tucker First family in online worship this Sunday, March 22 at 11:00 am. We have a special web page setup for the Sunday service and it will be live starting at 11:00 am on Sunday. All of the videos are pre-recorded (no news of a blooper reel yet).

The webpage will also include a Sunday bulletin and the Spotlight bulletin insert. This will help you follow along to the series of videos. All the video messages will be stored on the church website.

You can find the Sunday videos (starting at 11:00 am on Sunday) at this link:

United Methodist Women Baby Recognition
While we cannot worship in person, we can keep some celebrations going. This Sunday, the Spotlight will include a listing of all babies born to the Tucker First family in the past year (thirteen!). The United Methodist Women recognize these babies and provide a gift to missions in each child's name.
Upcoming Video Messages and Events
We hope you have been enjoying the messages from our pastors this week. The staff plans to have messages on Tuesdays and Thursdays and of course Sundays. All video will be posted on our church website at www.tuckerfirst.org,

The weekday videos will be general information and may focus on prayer, in-home activities, and general church information. Watch for event announcements in the your email. Here are some upcoming messages:
Tuesdays with Pastor Gerald
Tuesdays @ 12:00 noon

This Tuesday message will include a devotional as well as general church infiormation, prayer, and in-home activities suggestions.

The message is pre-recorded and when available, will be on the church website at www.tuckerfirst.org .
Prayer Time With Pastor Anne
A Facebook Live Event
Thursdays @ 12 Noon



Note: you do not have to be a member of Facebook or the church Facebook page to view this Facebook Live event. Click on the Facebook logo to go to the Tucker First Facebook page. The message will also be recorded and stored in the sermon archive on our website.
Alternate Offering Options Helps Your Church
In suspending services due to the global health crisis, our church is now seeing the immediate loss of the majority of our regular giving. We need to make up this loss, and since we do not know when services on site will resume,   we are asking that each of us  now  take the steps below.  In these current circumstances, we can continue to fund our regular financial obligations for staff, maintenance, and programs only if everyone does their part.
 
If you normally give your offering during Sunday morning worship, we want to make it as easy as possible to continue that contribution. Here are some options:
 
  • Drop your offering by the church office or slip it into the church’s (locked) mailbox located in the front of the church near the portico.

  • Mail your check to the church at Tucker First UMC, 5095 Lavista Road, Tucker, GA, 30084.

  • Add Tucker First to your banking bill pay. This allows you to set it and forget it. Use the address above.

  • Consider making online offerings. You can either set it up to make a contribution on a recurring basis (you choose the frequency) or on a one-time basis. Either way, the set up takes just a minute and contributions take seconds. We have three options for online giving – all of these are secure methods of online giving. If you’d like assistance setting any of these options up, please call the business office at 678-325-4035 and Cindy Petersiel, our Church Administrator, will be happy to walk you through it.
 

  • The Give+ app on your phone or other mobile device. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play. Setting up and making payments are quick and easy.

  • Text-to-Give at 833-488-6350. Simply type in the amount you would like to give and you will be prompted on how to complete the donation. 
 
If you’d like assistance setting any of these options up, please call or email Cindy Petersiel, our Church Administrator, at 678-325-4035 or cpetersiel@tfumc.org. She will be happy to walk you through it.
 
Your contributions are important to the health of Tucker First as we move through this crisis and beyond. Of course, the Finance Committee and the staff have and will cut back on as many costs as possible, but a large portion of our expense budget is fixed. This budget requires regular giving to continue our ministries and regular operations. We will keep you up to date as to our progress in shifting to online and other alternate methods of giving and the financial situation on a weekly basis. We need everyone to do all they can today before the situation quickly deteriorates and we must face difficult decisions based on the loss of necessary giving and depletion of our resources. Please, please do not put it off, if you can continue your giving in this new way.
 
We pray the Holy Spirit will guide us through these times and enable us to share God’s word and love and fulfill His work in this world which we share with our brothers and sisters.

Don Andersen, Tucker First Finance Chair.
Submit Your Prayer Requests Online
Our prayer ministry lifts your concerns in prayer. You can now submit prayer requests online at www.tuckerfirst.org or you may contact the church office at 770-938-3030 with your prayer request..
Virtual Sunday School for
Children With Mrs. Mimi
Hey Kids! This is just for you!

Join Mrs. Mimi Sunday mornings at 10:00 am for Virtual Sunday School and ​Sunday evenings at 5:00 pm for Family Bible Study. To go to the Facebook page, click on the link below.



Questions? Contact Mimi Sanders at mimi_sanders@tfumc.org.
One commentator reminds us in these times of "social distancing", we should not be "social disconnecting". We need to be more connected and relying on our communities for support and encouragement.

Our Sunday night youth and weekly in-home youth groups are scheduling Zoom meetings to replace regular in-person small groups. If you have a youth in your house and you are not receiving youth emails with these meeting links, please contact Chris Moss, Youth Director, at cmoss@tfumc.org.
A Message From Pastor Anne
As you know, in the coming weeks we are having to adjust the ways we connect with each other in light of COVID-19. One of the concerns that has been weighing on my heart is how we will reach out to those in our congregation who rely on church for social connection, those who are most at risk because of age or preexisting conditions, those who are not connected to the internet and anyone else who is at risk of being extremely isolated during this time. I’m writing to ask for your help in two ways.

  • Please send me a list of anyone the congregation who may fit this description and would benefit from regular phone calls and/or cards and other encouraging mail.

  • Also send me a list of anyone you think would be willing to make phone calls or “adopt” a member or members to reach out to over this time period. 

My goal is to create a team of volunteers that will each be given a few names to call a minimum of once a week. Our Care Team has agreed to step up their efforts with sending cards. Also, Mimi Sanders is organizing ways for the children to send pictures and cards to our church family members who could use the extra attention. 

Please contact Pastor Anne Cumings at anne.cumings@ngumc.net with the names in our congregation that would benefit from this ministry and those who may be willing to help.

Thank you all for helping with this effort. As always, please be in touch if you have any questions or need some extra care yourself.  Pastor Anne
Spring Break Date Change Affects
Lunch Buddys Deliveries
Our Lunch Buddys program was scheduled to begin taking "Spring Break" sack lunches to the children at the Tucker Mobile Home Park, April 6-10.

However, the Gwinnett "Spring Break" is March 30-April 3, so the online signup has been revised to include the updated schedule.

This is still going to happen. Additionally, since schools are closed, a small part of the mission team began delivering lunches sack lunches to the mobile home park starting last Monday.
 
If you would like to volunteer to pack and deliver the sack lunches during "Spring Break", you can sign up by going to https://tinyurl.com/lunchbuddysspring2020 .

If you would like to help pack and deliver the lunches for March, please contact Robin Pounds at robinpounds631@gmail.com or call 404-918-0069.
Tucker First Helps Trinity House and
Trinity Kitchens During This Crisis
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, all TEAM dinners at Trinity House have been cancelled in addition to their weekly Friday Fish Fry fundraiser. This has caused a real financial strain for Trinity House, which provides a safe place for homeless men in recovery to transition to their communities.

This week, Tucker First donated surplus frozen food stored for the cold weather shelter recipients. There was enough food to feed all residents and staff for several days. Trinity House was so appreciative of our donation and love that was extended to the residents and staff.

The Trinity Table Community Kitchen, run by Action Ministries, has also been negatively impacted by the cancellation of multiple church and civic groups’ commitment to prepare and serve hot meals to the undeserved community. Through an email vote, the mission committee authorized a donation of $500 for the program to distribute approximately 400 to-go meal bags.

“And do not forget to do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” Hebrews 13:16
Tucker First Helping the Red Cross
With Emergency Blood Drives
Through March 19, more than 5,000 Red Cross blood drives have been canceled across the country due to Coronavirus concerns, resulting in some 170,000 fewer blood donations.

Local numbers: In Georgia, 254 cancellations and counting, resulting in 9,264 units not collected.

Tucker First has agreed to be an emergency Red Cross Blood Drive location. The dates will be Thursday, March 26 and Wednesday, April 1 from 2:30 pm - 7:30 pm. The Red Cross has implemented process changes to ensure required social distancing, which mean fewer person per drive and therefore the need to host more blood drives.

To schedule an appointment to donate, please call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: tuck1umc.
Follow Us on Social Media
How Did You Give Today?
On the web: Use this link to get started - https://tinyurl.com/TFUMCgive

The Give+ app on your phone or other mobile device. Look for it in the App Store or Google Play. Setting up and making payments are quick and easy.

Text-to-Give at 833-488-6350. Simply type in the amount you would like to give and you will be prompted on how to complete the donation.
The church office is operating normal business hours. If you have a need, prayer concern, question, or wish to talk to a pastor, please do not hesitate to contact the office or a staff member.
Tucker First Weekly News is a publication of Tucker First United Methodist Church.
 
Tucker First UMC
5095 LaVista Road, Tucker, GA 30084
770-938-3030
Church Office Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8:30 am-4:30 pm
Closed on Fridays