First United Presbyterian Church
406 North College Street – Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 – Telephone: (704) 376 – 8014
Fax: (704) – 376-8329 website: fupcc.org
Rev. Lorenzo R Small, Sr., Pastor
“For God has not given us a spirt of
fear
, but of POWER and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND.” -2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
March 31, 2020
Dear Congregation,
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! It is safe to say that these past few weeks have been among some of the most challenging, tumultuous and emotional times that many of us can remember. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak has been felt by all – individuals and families, corporations and communities – across our great country and all around the world.
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The response to this crisis has been extraordinary; as much for what it has required from our society as for what it has revealed of us as a people. It is perhaps easy for us to be tempted to become fearful and overwhelmed as we suddenly navigate employment challenges, virtual technology, and managing usually simple daily tasks that have suddenly become very complex. Yet, we know that we serve a God of restoration, a God of hope, a God of love. Our faith therefore reminds that this, too, shall pass.
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In the meantime, First United is certainly not immune from the present challenges impacting so many others. The impact of the COVID-19 has caused us to review all components of our ministry -- our daily operations, our programs, and our weekly services. What was once face-to-face has temporarily become virtual, as we conduct meetings, Bible studies, and worship services via streaming technology services. Additionally, out of safety and concern for our church members and staff, our church office will operate at a significantly reduced schedule for the foreseeable future. Our office manager, Catherine Logan, will only report to the office to perform essential duties as deemed necessary by our leadership team. Similarly, our security officer, Jose Lopez, will perform necessary security checks on our property and grounds throughout each week. Despite these adjustments, it is the desire of the session to continue to compensate all staff at their regular pay rates, eliminating the need to apply for unemployment.
While the aforementioned is much different than our usual operational procedures, we believe these changes are necessary to encourage the health and safety for all. We encourage all of you to be safe during these times. Please heed the advice of our government officials by restricting your activities to essential matters only. We also encourage you to participate in our virtual services as much as possible. While the COVID-19 has certainly changed many things, it has not changed our liturgical calendar. We are still in the season of Lent. Thus, our weekly Bible Study and worship services will continue to place proper focus on this time of prayer, pause, study, and reflection. Information for all services will be distributed via email, so please continue to watch for details.
Lastly, we encourage you to continue to financially support our church during these times. While much has changed, our expenses (personnel, utilities, building, etc.) remain virtually unchanged. Thus, the need for our membership to financially support our ministry remains vital. Checks can be mailed to the church office. Online donations can also be made via our website, www.fupcc.org, by selecting the “Give Now” button. Using your method of choice, we implore you to financially support our ministry during this time.
As always but especially now, thank you for your continual support for the work of our church. Your contributions of time, talent and financial resources will allow First United to not only survive, but also thrive, as reinforced in our 2019-20 Homecoming Theme, “Growing Stronger, Growing Deeper, Reaching Further”!
Yours in Christ,
Stewardship Ministry Team
