Suspension of Corporate Worship in Chapel Hill
As religious communities, we are entrusted with the temporal and spiritual care of our neighbors. The past week has brought rapid developments. We do not know what the full scope of this pandemic will be, but as people of faith we have an obligation to operate in the best interest of the wider community, especially on behalf of those most vulnerable.  

Yesterday, a group of clergy met to discuss an appropriate, unified response that our respective faith communities might make in response to this ever-changing situation. While there is much to learn about COVID-19, the most important thing we as a community can do right now is minimize the spread of this virus through effective social distancing.  

Out of our common conviction, the Chapel Hill faith communities listed below have decided to suspend corporate worship and larger gatherings in order to slow the rate of COVID-19 transmission and support the work of our medical community. In two weeks’ time, we will reevaluate this suspension and determine next steps. In these days of uncertainty, we are grateful for the courage, wisdom, and common witness of our ecumenical and interfaith community.

Kehillah Synagogue ** University United Methodist
Love Chapel Hill ** University Presbyterian
Holy Trinity Lutheran ** Binkley Baptist
University Baptist ** United Church of Chapel Hill
Chapel of the Cross, Episcopal ** Church of the Holy Family, Episcopal
Amity United Methodist ** Christ United Methodist
UPC Details
In addition to corporate worship and funerals, UPC will suspend Sunday School and Choir Rehearsals. The PYPS Movie Night and Preschool Carnival have been cancelled. Junior Choir Musical will be shifted to a later date. We encourage small groups and committees to either suspend or move to online meetings (the church has a Zoom account). The online calendar will be frequently updated.

UPC has a new page on our website which seeks to both inform and equip during this time. On Sundays it will contain online worship resources. This Sunday you won't want to miss our Youth as they lead us in preaching and prayers. They have worked faithfully and diligently to prepare. Tune in, please, anytime, even in your pajamas (no one will know!).
Give Thanks, Not Germs
Fun Fact:  About 75% of the generous souls who give to UPC write checks
and either put them in the plate or put them in the mail. 

Hooray for them and their deep commitment to stewardship. 

Did you know? The best way to give is through your own bank’s bill pay system. 
It means your bank writes and sends the check, even on a recurrent day of the month. 
This saves you checks and stamps and memory space. . . 
and saves UPC having to worry about what happens now that we're not passing the plate.

The second best way to give is through UPC’s online giving  site , 
where you can also set up a bank draft (free to all) 
 or set up gifts through your credit cards (hello, points!). 

Instructions for this are  here .
If you do not yet have a member login to our database, it will ask you to create one. 

If you are new to our family or have not yet pledged for this ministry year,
we invite you to join in on the work God is doing in us, around us, and in spite of us. 
Final Thoughts (for now)
In the days of the early church, a plague of dysentery racked the Roman Empire and out of fear, the infected were turned out of their homes and left for dead. Christians, however, would take in those with dysentery and keep them warm and offer them plenty of fluids, which is actually the proper treatment for the disease. When lives were saved, the people thought it was a miracle, when in fact it was simply the act of offering loving care. Regardless, it turned out to be one of the single greatest evangelism efforts of the early church. We wonder what loving and creative ways of being church will emerge in these days? Let us be watchful for opportunities to serve.

Jarrett and Meg Peery McLaughlin
Co-Pastors 
Weekly News