All In-Person Worship and Church Activities Suspended Until Further Notice
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This electronic version of
The Messenger
is all that will be produced in May. No printed version can be produced because the office is closed.
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Live streaming
We are live streaming, or broadcasting, at 9:00 a.m., a form of Sunday service each week, featuring a sermon by Rev. Jim Warren and music. We usually have a Time for Children and will have one more week of Children's Worship & Wonder before summer break. You can watch from our website homepage, as well as on Facebook. On our website, scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and see that the current or most recent broadcast is toward the top of the selections there. You can also watch older broadcasts. If you use Facebook, just go to our Facebook Page and see the broadcast start a few minutes before 9:00 a.m.
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Office Hours
(modified during the quarantine)
are listed at the bottom of each
Messenger
issue.
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June
:
- In-person services are replaced by live streamed worship.
- June 21 Father's Day
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A long obedience in the same direction…
Wearing Masks
As if things couldn’t get any crazier. Now we have store employees being attacked for asking customers to wear masks. All the employees were doing was reminding customers of government and store policy, and they were assaulted for that. I don’t understand.
A friend recently sent me an article written by Ryan Wagner from
The Jesus Film Project Newsletter
. Wagner writes about early 16
th
century Germany when the bubonic plague hit Wittenberg. The people were afraid and panicking. The question arose about whether it would be permissible for Christians to leave the city to spare themselves from the disease.
Martin Luther, the great Protestant reformer, took up the question in a pamphlet titled “Whether One May Flee from a Deadly Plague.” Luther had decided to stay in Wittenberg, but he acknowledged that it wasn’t wrong to flee. The Christian’s primary concern, however, was for their family and community. Luther writes:
Yes, no one should dare leave his neighbor unless there are others who will take care of the sick in their stead and nurse them. In such cases we must respect the word of Christ, ‘I was sick and you did not visit me.’ [Matthew 25:41–46]. According to this passage, we are bound to each other in such a way that no one may forsake the other in his distress but is obliged to assist and help him as he himself would like to be helped.
Wagner explains Luther’s position in these words:
It was Luther’s conviction that instead of asking what Jesus would do in a situation like this, Christians should ask, “What would I do if my neighbor was Jesus?” He says it plainly, “whoever wants to serve Christ in person would surely serve his neighbor as well.” The reformer was open to the idea of people fleeing the disease, but encouraged them to ensure that sick, isolated, or infirm family members, servants, and neighbors would have someone to care for them. Luther urged Christians to look after their neighbors so no one would have to die abandoned and alone.
For us today, Luther's words call into question our emphasis on individual rights over our responsibilities to others. Is my insistence on not wearing a mask and then breaking a Target employee’s arm a true portrayal of my devotion to Christ-like love and compassion? Of course not! My first priority is not to assert what I believe to be my rights, but to love those around me.
We wear masks to protect the most vulnerable among us. As Luther wrote, “We are bound to each other in such a way that no one may forsake the other in his distress.”
This attitude should inform all of our decisions as we begin to open up society. How can we get our economy going again while at the same time protecting the most vulnerable among us? Christ asks us to care for our neighbors and see in them Christ himself.
As we begin to talk about when and how to reopen our church, be assured that this will be uppermost in our discussions. We won’t rush into anything, but will deliberately work to ensure that we do everything possible to take care of the most vulnerable.
Jim Warren
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News from the FCC Board
At the May 2020 church board meeting, we heard reports concerning the life of our church. Yes, even though we are not able to be together physically in worship during this pandemic, our church is very much alive. Live streaming is effective in providing an opportunity to worship on Sunday morning. We receive an inspirational boost given by the additional short messages provided by Rev. Jim Warren on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Small groups continue to meet weekly, which provides not only prayer and Bible study, but a social outlet, as well. I continue to encourage all our congregation to participate in everything we have to offer. All of this can be done from the comfort of your home. If you are having trouble with access, please call or email the church office.
Turning to business of the recent May Board meeting, we voted to allow the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal to use our building for a summer program when they can meet all Covid-19 restrictions of our governor and other appropriate agencies. We also discussed the Congregational Meeting that is normally conducted in April to vote on a slate of officers that would then traditionally take office July 1. Due to the current pandemic and not knowing when we will be able to convene this meeting, the board voted to keep our current officers, ministry stewards, and deacons for a minimum of three months, and then reassess whether we can forseeably have a face-to-face congregational meeting, or to extend for a longer period of time.
The governor expects our state will move into Stage 3 of his plan to re-open Illinois on May 29. As we look ahead to a time of normalcy when we can again assemble in our building for worship and other meetings and activities, we know we will need a plan. A small group will begin looking at re-opening and what that might look like as we move through the remaining stages of the governor’s plan. Expect to hear more about this work in the future. For now, we still have those options I talked about earlier to worship, deepen your faith, and to have that social outlet.
I hope all of you and your family, friends, and neighbors are staying well. Please drop us a note at
info@blmfcc.org
or
office@blmfcc.org
if you need anything or have prayer requests.
Blessings!
Joe Bandy
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Congratulations, Graduates!
We congratulate our graduates on earning high school or college degrees after many years of hard work and sacrifice. We are so proud and join family and friends in celebrating each grad.
On May 17 we showed pictures of graduates, along with first names, in a slideshow during worship, and below you can see the grads we honored and additional information about each individual.
May God continue to bless our grads in their life journeys, each step of the way!
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Sabrina Campos:
Bloomington High School December 2019 Graduate. Attending Eastern Illinois University in the Fall studying to be a Physician's Assistant.
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Zach Cheng:
Notre Dame University Graduate. Planning to attend medical school.
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Samuel Gustafson:
Lexington High School Graduate.
Planning to study Mechanical Engineering in college.
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Paige Metz:
Southern Illinois University. Continuing at SIU to earn her PhD in Biochemistry.
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Jillian Smith:
Illinois State University Master's Degree in Business Administration. Planning to continue her employment at ISU.
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Claire Stucky:
Bloomington High School Graduate. Planning to study Emerging Arts at University of Central Florida after a year at Heartland Community College.
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Brandon Wilt:
Heartland Community College
Graduate, Associates Degree.
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FCC
Ministry Priorities and News
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Discipleship
— Equip participants for missional engagement in the world
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Analyze Staffing Needs
— Build budgets to address mission, including how we faithfully staff the ministry for it
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Welcome All
–
Begin discernment on building an inclusive faith community
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VBS 2020
has been postponed, but please watch for information about a rescheduling for later in the summer.
Pastors’ Class
will resume meeting when in-person church resumes. Details will be provided when known.
Summer Camps
are being planned (some postponed) and registration is open at the CCIW website. Find dates and details
here
.
Here is a list of dates (new dates in red):
- CYF (9th to 12th Grade): June 14-20 July 12 – 18
- Grandparents & Me: June 21-24 July 5 – 8
- Beginners (K to 3rd Grade): June 24-27 July 8 – 11
- Chi Rho (6th to 8th Grade): July 12-18
- JYF (3rd to 5th Grade): July 19-25
- Post High: August, TBD
- Labor Day Family Camp: September 4-7
An excerpt from the camp page:
Parents, guardians, and churches may register their campers without sending payment immediately. Simply complete the online form and select the “Check Payment” option during checkout. This will ensure we have the camper’s registration in our roster; later, our office will be in contact to arrange payment prior to the beginning of camp. Additionally, there will be no late registration fee, meaning the cost for camp will not increase after May 17. Lastly, any paid registration cancelled at least one week before camp starts will be refunded without penalty (a small processing fee might apply). The registration deadline is two weeks before the beginning of each camp
.
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Spiritual Growth/
Small Groups
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Small Groups
— Build on what we’ve learned and do more of these
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Brown Bag Bible Bunch
This weekly study group meets on Wednesdays 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. using Zoom. The topic is the scripture for the upcoming Sunday. Contact Debbie Stumm at
DStum
m@blmfcc.org
to join!
Small Groups
At least six small groups continue to gather virtually via video conferencing tools like Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts. While these tools may take a bit of initial learning to get set up, they are pretty easy to use once you've attended a meeting or two. If your group wants any help setting up online meetings, please email Bill Robitske at
bill.robitske.jr@gmail.com
.
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Reach Out/Meet the Neighbors
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Meet the Neighbors
— Beginning with existing relationships, take a deeper dive into who God has given us to love in this area – and how our lives might intersect
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Due to the COVID-19 situation
we are not able to have some of our planned events; however, we can still provide food for Abundant Life. They are trying to give out a lunch to those who have no other means to get food. Their food pantry is also open for use at this time. If you would be interested in donating items for sack lunches, please let Julie Robinson know.
Abundant Life
Also, at this time Mike Robinson has been working (safely) at the Abundant Life building on Market Street doing some remodeling on the main floor area. This area includes the kitchen, food pantry, hygiene pantry, clothing shop, and the main worship area. They are working very hard to get these areas up to code for the city. Please pray for those involved as they work on this very important building that serves the homeless and a wonderful church family.
Mission Trip to Appalachia
This summer's trip has been postponed; stay tuned for further opportunities.
Keep your prayers coming.
Thanks,
Mike and Julie Robinson
309-275-5908 (Mike)
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Gifts for Another Table
Please continue to gather items for the Boys & Girls Club, and bring them when we return to church.
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Property Use
– Help our property become a resource to the community and an entry point
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Various groups
are discussing or being considered for future use of our building. We will be hosting the Boys & Girls Club, who have designated areas of the building to use, this summer. Stay tuned for further developments.
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Nominating Committee News
- The committee, led by Chip Jamerson, continues to work toward finding members to fill officer and other leadership positions. If you are interested in holding an office at FCC, please contact Chip at cjamerson@gmail.com.
- The congregational meeting that would have happened in April will be postponed until further notice. Officers will be voted on at that meeting. In the meantime, the current officers will continue to serve, as voted on in the May Board meeting.
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FCC Grounds Clean Up
This was a successful socially-distanced project. Thank you to all who participated in late April and early May.
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THURSDAY FOOD & FELLOWSHIP
is cancelled for June.
Watch for updates after the stay-at-home order is lifted.
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Disciples Women's Ministries
Please continue to collect your plastic lids and caps, and then bring them with you when we return to church. Thank you!
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Blood Drives
We have a couple of drives scheduled to take place at FCC this year. Please put these dates on your calendar and consider being a blood donor. We will keep you updated on whether these drives will happen.
-- Wholistic Health Council
- July 10 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Friday)
- October 20 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. (Tuesday)
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Fathers
will be honored in June on Father's Day. Please send father photos (we will use last year's if you do not send anything) by June 14 for the June 21 slideshow.
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Looking Ahead...
- The Cornbelters have been planning to play their regular season and are now evaluating whether the schedule will be changed. Please watch for news about a possible FCC "See You at the Game" night, possibly in July. One of our own is preparing to throw out the first pitch!
- An FCC t-shirt has been designed and production plans are in process. Watch for an opportunity to order yours SOON!
- More red FCC grocery bags have been ordered (can you believe we have sold out?) and will be ready for purchase at $5 as before, for your use and for ministry projects. Watch for more information about those efforts.
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Deadlines for Publications
Please follow these deadlines for publications to ensure that your item is included!
The Messenger
(mailed last Wednesday of the month with some exceptions)
Deadline Friday at noon before mailing date as a general rule (verify with church calendar on FCC website or in previous issue of
The Messenger
)
Upcoming
Messengers
:
- June 19 deadline for June 24 mailing
- July 24 deadline for July 29 mailing
The Bulletin, Moments for Mission/Ministry
Deadline Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
The Friday Email/FCC Connected
Deadline Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.
Announcements/Prayer Concerns
Deadline Thursday noon, unless it is an emergent prayer concern
Worship, Pre-Worship, Centrum, and Foyer Screen Items
Deadline Thursday, 4:30 p.m. (note these include Time for Children and Moment for Mission/Ministry screens)
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Serving Schedule
Serving Schedules
are normally included in each
Messenger
and in the Friday Email (sent via email to all who have subscribed) two days before worship services when in-person worship is planned.
Note: No in-person worship is planned through May and likely some Sundays beyond. We will publish serving schedules when it is determined we will resume in-person worship.
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Contact Us
Senior Pastor:
James Warren
Minister Emeritus:
John Trefzger
Dir. Music & Youth Ministries:
Holly Irvin
Organ/Piano:
Lou Ann Fillingham
One and All Music Coordinator:
Bill West
Communications Coordinator:
Jenifer Petri
Office Receptionist:
Maggie Burton
Financial Secretary:
Deborah Stumm
Child Care Coordinator:
Trish Logan
Worship and Wonder Storyteller/Sexton:
Susan Sanders
- 217 931-2430
- suznwally@hotmail.com
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Witness of the Faithful
Attendance and o
ffering numbers are currently unavailable and will be published later.
Prayer Concerns
Advocate BroMenn:
Niola Daily
Treatment:
Justin Cox
Awaiting Tests/Surgery:
Richard Malone
Aftercare:
- Sabrina Campos
- Phyllis L. Miller (Heritage, Blm. rehab)
- Connie Rapp
- Brennon Reed
- Ethan Rocke
- Mary Smart
- Jan Violano (Heritage, Normal, rehab)
Hospice:
Marilyn Kopp
Military:
- Sean Montoya (Air Force, Belgium)
- Harley Scott (Phillis niece/Navy, VA)
Sympathy
to
Dorothy Sallee, and Marty and Kathy Sallee and family, on the May 20 death of Neil Sallee.
Please be in prayer for essential and emergency workers, of which our congregation has many.
Reminder
:
Please let the church office know if there’s someone who needs a call or is in the hospital. Email
office@blmfcc.org
.
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Office Phone
309 829-9327
Fax
309 829-2865
Address
401 W. Jefferson St. Bloomington, IL 61701
Hours
The office is currently closed every day out of caution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff members are working from home as needed.
Normally, t
he office is open
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m.
The office closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m. The best times to contact the church office are while Maggie is there, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
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