Good Afternoon People of God,
Things continue to change as we consider what it means to be "church" in a world and in a community that is encountering a pandemic illness. Let's be God's faithful people who make decisions and take action based upon God's amazing grace, and in light of Christ's call to care for "the least of these" who are most vulnerable and most at risk in times like this. See below for the latest on how we will move forward.
Many of our Methodist and Episcopalian sisters and brothers have suspended worship and other gatherings. Governor Roy Cooper has recommended no large gatherings take place statewide, including worship, until further notice. Mayor Nancy Vaughn supports that request. Today, our North Carolina Synod of the ELCA Bishop, Tim Smith, is asking all NC Lutherans to suspend worship and gatherings for a minimum of three weeks. In this document, he also provides a list of helpful websites and online resources to cope with COVID-19. Please take the time to read his letter by clicking on this link to the "Special E-News from the Bishop":
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Special-E-News-from-the-bishop.html?soid=1101477504383&aid=oj4_pmQO0NY
Today I convened our newly forming "COVID-19 FLC Response Team," currently consisting of Debbie Sivret (President), Bill Fields (Vice President), Pastor Jay, Pastor Emily, Dan Basinger (Director of Administration), Melissa Burris (Worship Staff Coordinator), and Raechel Biggs (SFYC Co-Director). As an act of prayerful and faithful living, we made the difficult but important decision to heed both the Bishop's and the Governor's recommendations.
+ Beginning at 1:00 PM today, Friday, March 13, 2020, the building will be closed at least through Saturday, April 4, or until further notice. All activities in the building are suspended, effective immediately.
+ Worship is being planned to take place ONLINE ONLY for at least the next three weekends.
This Sunday, March 15, we are planning to live stream worship at 10 AM. Please join me and a few other leaders, LIVE, to worship God, pray together via the gift of Social Media, pray for our world, sing songs of inspiration, and hear the Good News of God in Christ. Please make sure you are following our First Lutheran Facebook page. You can do that here: https://www.facebook.com/FirstLutheranGreensboro/
+ I, Pastor Jay, will be available as the Pastor-On-Call until further notice.
I will be available to be present with any who have urgent pastoral care needs. All non-urgent visits will be limited to phone calls and emails only. (email: [email protected] ; cell: (336) 339-2666 )
+ Pastor Emily will work from home only, until further notice.
We hope to keep her unexposed as long as possible, and in case something happens to me. She will be interfacing electronically with our children, youth, and their families as her primary field of ministry until further notice. She is available for pastoral care by phone or email. (email:
[email protected]
; cell: (919) 609-9805 )
+ No chaplain or home communion visits will be made until further notice.
We have asked them to stay in touch with their people, and make "visits" by phone and other electronic means only.
+ For those of you with keys, or with entry cards, or with any access to the building:
Please do not attempt to enter the building for any reason. If you have an urgent need to access the building, please Contact Dan Basinger (email:
[email protected]
, cell: (336) 580-0666 ) or Pastor Jay.
+ Of special concern to us is the 12-Step and Support Group community
who use our building. Many of them depend on their group participation to get through life one day at a time. Dan Basinger is contacting each of their leaders, to see how we can offer any resources or help to make sure their needs are addressed and met. Fortunately, many of their national groups and regional leaders are also walking with them at this unusual time, to help them shift and adapt and maintain care. Please hold in prayer all our 20+ Recovery and 12-Step groups, and our 30+ Community groups who meet in our building. Your prayers will offer strength to their journey in these uncertain times.
+ Some Contacts in the meantime...
+ Building, Office, Giving, Financial and Accouting: Dan Basinger
+ Contemporary Band and Contemporary Worship Leaders: Luke Bump or Pastor Jay
+ Traditional Choir: Jeremy Truhel
+ All Other Traditional Worship Leaders and Matters: Melissa Burris or Pastor Jay
+ Faith Formation for All Ages, Children's & Youth Ministries, VBS & Day Camp: Pastor Emily
+ Issues pertaining to Call Process of Faith Formation Director: Pastor Jay
+ Publicity, E-News, Newsletter, Website: Barbara Sasser and Lisa Whisenant during regular office hours, M-F (working from home).
Thanks for your prayers, your care of yourselves and each other, and for your faithful partnership in ministry for the sake of God's World.
God's Peace,
Pastor Jay
