In This Issue
Church Calendar
We are doing our best to bring worship & other church activities to you virtually.

August 2020
23rd - In Person Service Cancelled            
          Recording will be made available via online 
          Facebook

30th - In Person Service Cancelled            
          Recording will be made available via online 
          Facebook

September 2020
6th -  In Person Service Cancelled            
          Recording will be made available via online 
          Facebook

13th -  In Person Service Cancelled            
          Recording will be made available via online 
          Facebook

20th -  In Person Service Cancelled            
          Recording will be made available via online 
          Facebook

27th -  In Person Service Cancelled            
          Recording will be made available via online 
          Facebook
Welcome to another week of: 'Tracking the Numbers'; yet again, we continue to see even more steep rises in the number of daily cases in Florida & throughout the USA.
 
It is sad to say but, whilst this trend continues, the church will remain closed. Here are the latest figures for the last week:

As of August 16th 2020, the total number of Florida COVID cases stands at 569,637  - another increase of 43,060 cases since last Sunday (9th August).

The death toll now stands at 9,345 which is yet another massive increase of 2,261 deaths since last week. 

Marion county now has 7,147 cases, which is a slightly lower increase of 650 since last week; confirmed deaths have risen by a further 24 to 113. 

In the church zip code (34482) the number of cases stands at 1,814; an increase of 135 new cases since last Sunday.

Please check out the graphic below, which shows the risks related to a variety of activities; please be aware & take extreme care.

Source: Florida's COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard

Please remember:
Wear a mask, when you go outside, 
Keep washing your hands
Keep a social distance of at least 6 ft from anyone not in your household
Avoid crowded places 

This is a seriously dangerous and deadly virus.


As always, Rev. Janice continues to monitor & check the figures every day; she continues to have weekly contact with MCC Head Office, clergy pastor colleagues and our own board; she also continues to review all official guidelines.

So, we will keep offering the weekly recorded services online, until it is safe to meet back in person. The church building remains closed for now.
Please keep checking your inbox for the weekly newsletter, as well as our God's Acre MCC Facebook page for the weekly newsletter, daily prayers & reflections, check-ins & other important information via our Facebook page. With so many of you on Facebook, please take a few minutes to drop a comment in the box, 'like' a post or just say 'hi'.

Please keep Rev. Janice, the board and your church in your daily prayers, during this time.

Big thanks to everyone who faithfully continues to send in their financial gift, to support God's Acre MCC - we really cannot Thank You all enough. 

Because of YOUR continued financial support, we are able to continue to reach beyond our walls and minister through the medium of YouTube, Facebook, Text, Email, Zoom, Phone, Newsletters & Mail

You bless us every week, with your gifts, which enable us to keep paying our bills, for unseen repairs & to ensure that our doors can open when we resume meeting in person.
If you haven't done so already, it's really easy to give your weekly offering; you can donate online, by clicking on the button below, or you can mail your offering check, payable to God's Acre MCC, to our PO Box mailing address.

God's Acre MCC
PO Box 770240
Ocala
Fl 34477-0240

It really does mean a great deal that you continue to support God's Acre MCC.

Board Members & 
Lay Delegate Info
ModeratorRev. Janice Bowker
Vice Moderator: Alan R
Treasurer: Maureen P
Clerk: Gena T

Lay Delegate & Social Media Admin: Marina L
Next Board Meeting 
27th September 2020
Board members will meet virtually for the foreseeable future; there will not be any meeting in August
GOD'S ACRE
SHOE DRIVE UPDATE

The Shoe Drive is on a PAUSE right now.

The team at Funds2Org have kindly extended our deadline, until we are able to get back together again, to finish what we started & reach our goal of 2,500 pairs.

During the current outbreak, we are asking folks to please hold onto shoes; please don't drop them off at church, as we are not able to process them right now. As soon as we can get back together in person, we will finish what we started.
17th August 2020
 

On Sunday I was preaching about having faith and understanding that we are not perfect people; our world is not perfect and it's really important to understand, that we will make mistakes. However, we are able to rectify those mistakes by having Faith in God, who will forgive us when we repent. 

The one thing we can be sure of is that we are serving a loving God, who is ready willing and able to forgive us; it's that faith that will keep us going through times of struggle and uncertainty. 

I was reflecting yesterday in my sermon, on the changes that will be happening with the children, grandchildren, teachers and bus drivers going back to school. I place my trust in God every day and I have been praying, very hard, for all people returning back to their places of work and, especially the children. I place my trust in God, which has strengthened my faith to understand that, if we're surrounded by God, we will be well.

We all still have to be careful and follow the protocols of wearing a mask, washing our hands and keeping a distance of at least 6 feet between one another. We have to understand this is our new reality now, at least, until this is over. 

I've been writing many prayers since lockdown; I've been putting them on God's Acre Facebook page; each time I sit down to write a prayer, I ask God to guide me; sometimes my prayers are thanking God for the beautiful earth we have; sometimes they are for healing, but each time I let God guide me and I felt the Holy Spirit.
I want to urge you all to place your trust in God; pray daily, have faith and understand that our faith will find a way, especially through this difficult time. Place your trust in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit; allow them to strengthen you through your prayers this week. May God bless you this morning and through the week ahead, Amen.


In Christ
Rev. Janice

Rev. Janice Bowker
Senior Pastor | God's Acre MCC 
This Week's Sunday Service

God's Acre MCC - Sunday Service - 16th August 2020
God's Acre MCC
Sunday Service 
16th August 2020

To ensure the best quality sound, please make sure that your volume is turned up, or your speakers/headset are plugged in.

If you have a SMART TV, you can also view this service directly on your TV, by going to our: 
God's Acre MCC YouTube Channel
Song After Sermon

Shall we gather at the river - Burl Ives.wmv
Shall We Gather At The River
Burl Ives
As we are called to prayer this week, we ask for the following prayers:

*Continued prayers of thanks for Rev. Janice; every week, she works tirelessly to bring us spirit filled worship, reflections & prayers; we thank her for her continued hard work, guidance & strength; for her leadership & for being our shepherd in times of trial
*For continued strength & guidance for all of our members & online viewers.
*That we may all hear the call of God; that we may follow what God is calling us to do; to be the hands & feet of Jesus & the Holy Spirit every day
*Prayers for all teachers, bus drivers, school children, care givers, first responders
*Continued prayers for Florida, as our COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise, we hold all the medical teams in our prayers as they work tirelessly to treat people. May our state & our country see a decline in cases as soon as possible
*We pray that all people will act responsibly around COVID-19 & think of others, when out & about.
*We ask for peace to settle in the country & around the world
*Help every person to know peace, patience & kindness in these coming weeks
Service Sheet for Sunday 23rd August
If you'd like to follow along, with the service and readings, please click on the blue link below, where you be able to view a condensed copy of the service sheet for next Sunday 23rd August.

We have attached it here, so that you can join in with the responses & follow along with the readings:  Worship Sheet for 23rd August 2020
 

August Birthdays
4th - Charlotte K
12th - Alan R
15th - Lou B 

If you have a birthday or anniversary, and it is not listed, please let us know, so that we can add you to the list.
Please check out our website; it is regularly updated & we have the links to all of our online services now listed; we also have our COVID-19 page & information about the church & how you can donate online.
Ongoing Fundraiser at 
Racewash 
Just enter the 4 digit code: 7070 
when you select your preferred wash 
God's Acre will 10% from every wash

You can still help God's Acre & still maintain a safe social distance!

TWO GREAT LOCATIONS
3065 SE 24th Street
5199 SW 49th Court
Yard & Garden Landscape Team

Alan R | Gena T | Keith S

Special thanks to Alan & Gena, for keeping our beautiful garden watered & looking stunning each week. It is a joy to see it bloom.
Don't forget to 'Like' and 'Follow' our God's Acre MCC page, to receive our posts directly into your daily feed
God's Acre MCC  

Worship Address:
700 NW 57th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34482

Mailing Address:
PO Box 770240, Ocala, 
FL 34477-0240