Easter, Tornadoes, and a Global Pandemic
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As much as my faith has grown and evolved since I was a child, I’ll admit that my first thought when we cancelled church gatherings was this:
How are we going to celebrate Easter in the midst of something like this?
I even saw one church leader on Facebook call for churches
not
to celebrate Easter until the threat had passed, acknowledging that, like it or not, we’re still in Lent until we made it out of this desert. That was a tempting idea. I soon realized, though, what a privileged line of thinking this was.
We celebrated Easter this year, like many of you, taking shelter in a closet as a tornado swept through parts of our town, in the middle of a deadly global pandemic. I doubt many of us have ever had to tell the Easter story under such circumstances, but I don’t think I’ll ever celebrate it quite the same way again.
Easter, I realized, is not about the proclamation that all threats have passed and all suffering is ended.
It is about telling the story of how things really are.
It is about new life breaking through the shell of death that seeks to cover it up.
It is about joy tearing through the veil of fear behind which it has been obscured.
How many generations before us have celebrated the Feast of Easter in the middle of national persecutions, natural disasters, or intense personal suffering? How many have learned the truth that Easter is about looking that which is
not okay
in the eye and boldly proclaiming:
This will not have the last word.
In this season when the celebration spills over into seven weeks, may we be a people grounded in that reality. May we be a people that faces the suffering, knowing it does not have the last word. May that realization give us the hope and strength to move, to push back the darkness, and to embody the Spirit of Love in this world.
May we be an Easter people.
With defiant peace and love,
Zach
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Artwork: "Resurrection" by Dr Oliver Pfaff
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The Prayers of the People
An opportunity to celebrate and pray alongside siblings in our community.
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We pray alongside...
Everyone suffering from or affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly those medical caregivers facing the wave of cases. We commit to giving hands and feet to this prayer this week by picking up the phone and connecting with someone who may need to hear a friendly voice, and by "loving those in our backyard" through our resources.
Those in our community affected by the tornadoes on Easter Sunday in an already anxious time, and all those who seek to help them while maintaining health and safety.
Justin Overacker's
mother, Monica Mayo, who tested positive for coronavirus. She is alright, but in quarantine. She is a traveling nurse in Shreveport.
We celebrate alongside...
Charlott Eich
(18th),
Ali Owens
(18th), and
Camille Peterson
(23rd) as they celebrate their birthdays.
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If you have concerns and celebrations you would like us to add to the newsletter, please call the church office or email
office@northmin.org.
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The Work of the People
How we are responding to the Spirit of Love
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Scheduling a Pastoral Care Call
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Friends, it is one thing for us to call folks to check in, but if you're in need of pastoral care, if you're feeling afraid or ungrounded and would like to have an intentional conversation about what it means to be human right now or how your faith can inform what you're experiencing, please don't hesitate to give us a call. It is, in large part, why we're here. If what you need in this season is a deep and honest conversation, please help us help you by reaching out.
With so much love,
Zach and Claire
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With the onset of the virus and the close quarters at Richwood, ICE has made the decision to release large numbers of detainees each day. Northminster Advocates for Immigrants in Detention have identified the following needs for detainees who are being released on short notice:
Ways to help:
- Transportation: If you are healthy & able to drive folks short or long distances from Richwood to their destination, this is a huge need. Donations to cover taxi rides, bus or plane tickets are also a big help.
- Lodging: Since most volunteers are unable to offer lodging in their homes right now the group is seeking donations to cover hotel costs.
- Supplies: Claire Carrington is collecting & assembling travel kits with clothes, money for food, snacks, overnight items, masks, and cell phones as they are available. Any donation toward this effort is also appreciated.
For more information or to share how you can help, contact Mara Loeb or the church office and we can put you in touch.
For detainees who have not yet been released, Mara also writes:
"Letter writers, please keep up this mission as outside contact is more important now than ever!"
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We'd love to see your face in worship!
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One of the best ways we can remind ourselves we're not alone right now is by seeing one another's faces as we ground ourselves in our sacred stories and prayers.
Please send in a video of yourself reciting the Lord's Prayer (you can use cue cards, we won't know!). We need as many as we can get! You can
email your video to Zach.
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Do you need help getting groceries?
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Do you need help getting groceries this week? Don't be a hero! If you're in the more vulnerable population, please stay where you are and let us help.
There are church members who have offered to meet this exact need. Contact your care group leader or
office@northmin.org
and we can connect you to someone that can make sure you have what you need!
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Have you lost your source of income?
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If you've lost your source of income because of COVID-19 and find yourself in need of food, assistance, or money, please contact your care group leader or
office@northmin.org.
We can help you navigate your options and connect you to folks to ensure your needs are met.
No one is alone in this.
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If you are interested in meeting with your Sunday School over Zoom at 10am on Sunday morning, contact your Sunday School teacher. They should be able to give you a link to follow to gather on Sunday morning.
If you're not already a part of one of these classes, feel free to drop in anyway! Contact Craig Henry or Zach & Claire.
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Holy Ideas
How might we respond to the Spirit of Love?
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In this new season of social distancing, we need holy ideas to help stretch our imaginations for what is possible within this community more than ever.
Since we can't make use of the physical "Holy Ideas" board in the hallway, we'll maintain it virtually and keep it updated here in the newsletter. If you have an idea for a way the church can be church in this season, or if you see an idea you'd like to support to help it become reality,
email the office
and Renee will virtually post or sign your name to it.
If you have questions about an existing idea, email the person listed as its sponsor.
Our usual system is as follows: If the idea gets the support it needs (3 signatures) within 3 weeks, the supporters will meet with the appropriate commission to clarify and refine the idea into a specific, time-limited plan. If adjustments to this system are needed given the novelty of this new situation we find ourselves in, we will reevaluate as needed.
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No submissions at this time.
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No submissions at this time.
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No submissions at this time.
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No submissions at this time.
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Giving to Northminster
Practicing Stewardship in an Uncertain Time
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We are sensitive to the reality that financial uncertainty is one of the side effects of the spread of the coronavirus. However, if you find yourself in a position to continue or increase your contributions to the church, know that your donation will be greatly appreciated. We have made the decision to honor our commitments to all those on our payroll (ministers, staff, choral scholars, childcare) who are relying on this income in an anxious time, and we cannot do that without your continued support.
To support Northminster financially, you can
click here
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Around Town
How can we be present in our community?
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Just about everything is cancelled for the next several weeks to contain the spread of COVID-19 and "flatten the curve." If you
must
go out into the community, please remember best practices.
Use tissues to avoid touching door handles and gas pumps, try to stay at least 6ft away from others, and wash your hands for the full 20 seconds when you return home.
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Sunday 4/19
10am - Digital Sunday School
10:45am - Preludes and Pre-Worship Chat
11am - Worship
12pm or close of worship - Narthex Chat
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Worship This Week
The text for this week is:
Zach Helton will preach Sunday's sermon, which will be streamed on our YouTube channel.
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