March 31, 2020 www.presbyws.org

Our Life Together

A Note From Erik: As a reminder, we’re shifting to sending you emails on Tuesday and Saturday in order to keep you informed and to provide current information on the weekend about upcoming worship. I hope you were able to join us on Sunday morning. Please, if you’re having any challenges, do reach out and we can help! We have friendly folks who can help you get connected and walk through it with you. Also, if it is easier, you can view last Sunday’s worship service at  this link . Our format on Sunday was a technological experiment! No one ever told me in seminary that I would need to be a TV producer/editor/director while also preaching! But we’re making it work. Thank you for your patience as we brought you into the living rooms of our members! I hope that it was a meaningful way for your family to connect with one another and with God. Our musicians and liturgists were also patient with my repeated insisting that we "test things one more time" - thank you to Stephanie, Maddie, Kara, John, and Walt for your worship leadership! As we look toward this Sunday's worship, it is Palm Sunday! Now, I know it is going to be quite different, but I promise we've got some great surprises in store . We also need your involvement, though ... we will have palms available for you to pick up from PCWS on Friday or Saturday outside the church office . Stop on by and take some home for your family and neighbors! If you would like a palm delivered locally, just email me and one of our palm helpers will drop the palms on your doorstep. If you're far away, go outside and clip something green. Connection is so important right now and I hope that in between the activities of your day you are taking some time to make and maintain the connections in your life. Like other times of struggle, and even grief, it is important for us to lean onto others and lean into our faith . As I say so often, we bring all of who we are to our relationships with God and one another - and this includes all of our fears, our hopes, and our desires. If you’re looking for a way to break up your day a little bit, I hope you’ll consider joining us for midday prayers. All are welcome and you can share the information (found below) with your friends. We’re also starting to plan some fun virtual gatherings … so stay-tuned! There’s more information below about ways to stay connected. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or should you need anything. Know that you are in my prayers regularly and I long for the time when we will return together. Peace,

Pastor Erik

Until further notice, the Session has determined that our PCWS community will continue to worship … but online only! You are encouraged to worship from your computer, tablet, or phone through the Facebook website. You do NOT need to sign-up for Facebook to participate. If it asks you to sign-up, simply cancel or select the option to do so at a later time. Our PCWS Facebook page can be found at  www.facebook.com/presbyws , by clicking on the graphic above, or by clicking on the graphic on the PCWS website. We will begin the live feed at about 9:20 a.m. and the prelude will begin at a few minutes before 9:30. I encourage you to grab a cup of coffee, light a candle or two, gather your family, and enjoy our time of worship. We’ll have the bulletin available so that you can join in the singing and responsive prayers. The weekly bulletin will be available on the PCWS website and will be emailed to this distribution list on Saturdays (see Pastor Erik's note above). We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Sunday Sermons Available Online

Click the button above to listen to last Sunday's sermon, or click the button below to view last Sunday's Worship. No matter where you may be in the world, you can feel close to PCWS!

View Last Sunday's Facebook Life Worship

Let’s Fill the Can! During Lent it was our plan to increase our contributions to the Second Baptist Church of La Grange food pantry. Your response has been amazing! We've made two deliveries - let's keep it up. Please come by and do a “drive by” drop-off and give a short "honk" to say hello!  Click here  for a fun video announcement. Let’s fill the can!

Weekday Mid-Day Prayer Please join Pastor Erik for midday prayer via Zoom each weekday. Please visit  zoom.us  and sign-up for Zoom. It is very easy to do, but  here’s a good how-to document to help you get setup .   Whether you are working at home, or out and about, take a break and join Pastor Erik as we center ourselves on God, hear some scripture, and engage in some ancient and modern spiritual practices. It will be brief and a chance for you to see the faces of people you love. Set-up your Zoom account and if you need help, please email Pastor Erik ( erik@presbyws.org ) and he can help walk you through it! Here’s the link to the midday prayers . This is open to anyone. All are welcome. You can also join directly through the Zoom app on your phone, tablet, or computer by entering this Meeting ID: 571 092 483. If you would prefer to just join with audio through your telephone (landline or mobile) you can call 312-626-6799 and enter the Meeting ID when prompted (571 092 483).

Story Time With Pastor Erik & Friends The children of the church are invited to join Pastor Erik (and some of his - and your! - friends) for evening story time on Zoom Thursdays and Mondays at 7:00 p.m.! Gather your family around a computer or TV, get your jammies on, and join me for  Story Time with Pastor Erik ! I’ll read a book, share a few encouraging words, and close in prayer. Setup your Zoom account and  click on this link  to join the story time. This is a fun and encouraging way for us to stay connected with one another.

PCWS Office Closed The PCWS office remains closed for the immediate future. Our office staff are still working remotely and on a limited basis. You can continue to email Patrick with any questions about financial issues, including setting up electronic giving on a one-time or recurring basis. If you need immediate assistance, please email Pastor Erik or leave a message for him on his church extension which he checks regularly, or call his cell - ‭(708) 505-5409‬ . Pastor Erik is checking the U.S. Mail daily. The mailbox is also now a locking box, so please feel comfortable dropping off correspondence directly (including contributions). Please do not come to the church office.

Online Giving Have you ever considered using online tools as a way to manage your contributions to PCWS? You can have your bank send contributions directly to PCWS or you can use our giving site to set-up recurring or one-time payments. Since we’re not gathering in-person each week, this would be a good time to get yourself set-up with electronic payments. Please contact our Financial Secretary Patrick Rivers , with any questions or instructions for setting up payments through your bank. Thank you for your ongoing support of our ministries, particularly during this uncertain time.

Donate Online

Please Pray for:

First Responders, nurses, doctors, and others providing care to others. Our siblings at Nueva Paz Presbyterian Church in Cuba  Our men & women serving our country in the Armed Services  The people of Syria, and especially the relatives of PCWS’ Interfaith Women’s Book Group Betty Toft  Betty Anderson Billye Dvorak  Brent Young, son-in-law of Larry & Becky Glasscock  Brian, f riend of the Smyers family   Cheryl Donchez, friend of Theresa & Condy Dixon   David DeFrance, nephew of Becky &  Larry Glasscock  David Young Dorcas Dvorak, friend of the Merrifield family  Elsie Anderson, mother of Michelle Hennessy Gary Mirlenbrink, uncle of Lori Carsten   Holly Oliver, daughter of Mary Kae Headland   The family of Inez Martinez, friend of the Merrifield family  John Kregg  Joshua Haberkorn, grandson of Shirley Pine Joyce Mildred Kathleen Kircher Laura Querry, daughter of Becky & Larry Glascock Linda Bell, daughter of Margot Walsh Marc Goldstein, friend of Carol Ulreich   Marc Ladene, friend of the Slezaks   Marge Sandrik  Mary Kate Miller, step-mother of Julie Garino   Mary, dear friend of Bruce Geary   Michael De Vries  Michael, friend of Jane Norman   Mike Slesicki, cousin of Barb Farr & Joe Benson   Nate & Joann Dardick, friends of Laurie Merrifield   Norb Mirlenbrink, Uncle of Lori Carsten   Pat McTiernan, friend of Phyllis DiFrancesco   Pat White, friend of Becky Glasscock   Paulette Erickson, friend of Carol Ulreich   Peggy Mirlenbrink, aunt of Lori Carsten   Peter Wilkie  Phil Kasik  Ruth Kaduke, niece of Herb & Joyce Smyers   Teri Tuffner, aunt of Candice Mares   Theresa Ybanez, great niece of Laura Fruit  The family and friends of Toni Potenza Moya, daughter of Harriett Potenza & Craig Harris  Parents of Tiffany Sellman   Paul, cousin of Elizabeth Slezak

3/29 - Rachel Galloway 3/30 - Stephanie Carlisle  3/31 - Frank Adelphia 4/02 - Laura Cordell 4/02 - Allison Neal   4/03 - Grayson Tester 4/05 - Stephanie Coates 4/05 - Addison Cushman 4/06 - Jake Tinaglia 4/07 - Andy Hanson 4/08 - Win Murray 4/09 - Eric Boeckmann 4/10 - Mac Weber 4/11 - Carolyn Bozek 4/11 - Jessie Fronk 4/11 - Dom Garino

Remember PCWS in your will and estate planning.   Please contact Pastor Erik for more Information.

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌