Thank you to all of the staff who covered for me last week. Cindy and I are in self-quarantine because we traveled out of state. This is a best practice to follow. We were in Midwest for my dad’s memorial service with our children and grandchildren who live in Oklahoma and Texas, and changed planes in Denver and Phoenix. Several of those places are currently Covid-19 hotspots. We will continue to monitor our health and take appropriate actions as needed. But to be on the safe side, we are self-quarantining.
This past week, this story appeared in my daily devotional:
A change of fortune strikes the hardest when it strikes unexpectedly. But to him who anticipates the blow and guards himself against it beforehand, can it be unexpected? The Emperor Charlemagne ordered his sons to learn a trade and his daughters to learn to spin wool, so that they would be able to earn a living, should their fortunes change. The famous and renowned Belisarius, a great general and a great conqueror, was slandered before the king by envious men, and on the basis of these slanders he was blinded and his estate was taken away from him. The blind Belisarius sat before the gates of Rome and begged for alms, saying to passers-by: “Give alms to Belisarius, whom fortune raised on high but envy struck down, depriving him of his sight!” The righteous Job said: Is not a man’s life on earth a trial? Are not his days as those of a hireling? (Job 7:1). Therefore, one must be as a watchful guard and be prepared for all that may happen. What is there that cannot happen to a man? Yet in every suffering one must have hope in God. Covered with festering sores and seated in his humiliation upon a dunghill, the righteous Job cried out: Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him! (Job 13:15).
Covid-19 was an unexpected event that continues to change our fortunes. What gets us through is hope. Not hope that everything will return to back to how it was because it won’t. It is hope in God. Every morning, I pray two prayers written by Metropolitan Philaret, the first hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia (1782 - 1867). One of the prayers is “Prayer to Accept the Will of God.” Part of it says this “Your destiny for me is beyond understanding. I offer myself as a sacrifice to you. I have no other desire besides the desire to carry our your will. Teach me how to pray - and you yourself pray in me! Amen.” In these trying times, may we only desire to carry out God’s will.
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8:30am Drive-In Worship, East Parking Lot
Join us for a Drive-In Worship Service in the East Parking Lot of CUMC.
You will be guided off of the University Entrance into a parking space. Please turn your radio to FM 88.1 and open your smart phone to our website or FaceBook page where you will find the Order of Service. Relax and enjoy this informal style of worship! Once the service concludes, you will be asked to exit out of the parking lot onto Copper. Please Note: No building/restroom access will be available and you will be asked to remain in your vehicle at all times.
10:00am Streaming Worship,
Join us for our On-Line Worship Service as we continue to explore the Scripture Lessons found in Genesis.
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- Central will be pushing back its reopening date until September 13. This is not an easy decision to make. All of us want to be able to gather again in worship. But the current trends does not make that possible. New Mexico is on an upward trend with new cases. The current scientific thinking is that the virus is most likely spread by aerosols - talking, singing, coughing. The last survey indicated over 50% of you were going to livestream the 10:00 service and not come to in person worship. So, after discussion with other colleagues and the program staff, we believe that waiting until September is the best option for the safety of everyone involved. Many of you are disappointed. So am I. We are living in a new and different time for many of us.
The program staff is working on a new and creative way for small groups to meet. As we get better clarity on how we can make this happen, we will keep you informed.
- Following the CDC, DOH, State, and insurance recommendations, the nursery will remain closed and children 8 and under are asked to remain home and safe, and children/youth 9-17 are asked to remain with their parent or guardian at all times during the worship service and anywhere in the church facility.
- Due to social distancing and sanitary requirements, and under the advice of the Department of Health, Center for Disease Control, and insurance guidelines, we will not be hosting small groups, Bible Studies, ministries, outreach, or programming on the property of CUMC for the time being. When these guidelines change, we will be in contact with all Sunday School, ministry, outreach, and program leaders regarding a reopening plan.
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Children and Youth Ministries
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- Church 4 Kids Daily Devotional will continue M-F for the month of July and will then move to a Weekly Church 4 Kids format and will be available to view on Sunday’s at 10:00am. We will continue to post the video on our website and FaceBook page, with a link to a YouTube Channel.
- Youth are invited to join Pastor Kelly for a youth zoom meet-up every Thursday at 7:00pm. Please contact Pastor Kelly to be included in the zoom youth meet up at kellyb@centraltolife.org.
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Pastor Greg’s Wednesday Bible Study will be taking a break in July!
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All Third Space Devotionals will be taking a break in July!
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September 2020 Educational Opportunities Journeys of Paul Cruise has been altered
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Unfortunately, due to CoronaVirus and travel restrictions, the September 2020 Educational Opportunities Journeys of Paul Cruise has been altered. A fall 2021 Footsteps of Paul Cruise featuring guest speaker Rev. Susan Robb from Highland Park UMC in Dallas TX is currently being finalized. More information to be available soon. Please contact Pastor Kelly with questions.
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This ministry helps keep members in contact with each other by writing notes to
someone in the congregation. If you would like to receive a note from a member of the Circuit Writers or be part of this ministry, please contact Cindy at
pwcin1963@gmail.com.
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July 19, 2020
10:00am Order of Service
Welcome with Centering Words
Prelude
Call to Worship
We wait with hope, for God’s promises are sure.
We wait with patience, for God’s time is a mystery.
Come and worship.
We will wait upon the Lord together.
Opening Hymn Standing on the Promises (vs 1,4) 374 UMH
Opening Prayer
Central to Life
Introduction to the Word
Scripture Reading: Genesis 28:10-19a
Anthem “My Good Lord’s Done Been Here” arr. Moses Hogan
Sermon “Works in Progress”
Catalytic Generosity
Offertory Response Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow 94 UMH
Offering Prayer
Hymn to Engage the World How Firm a Foundation (vs 1,2,5) 529 UMH
Blessing
Dismissal
Musical Benediction “Shalom” Israeli Folk Melody
Postlude
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- Mobil – Text #505.384.7589
- Online – centraltolife.org
- Mail a Check – 201 University Blvd, NE Albuquerque NM 87106
- Bank Draft – Contact your bank directly
- Recurring E-Giving Through Employee or United Way
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For more information about the ministries of Central United Methodist Church,
email info@centraltolife.org, call the church office at 243-7834
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201 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 • (505) 243-7834 • www.centraltolife.org
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