ACC Weekly Announcements
May 5, 2020
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Pastors, Church Administrators and Secretaries, Bulletin Editors:
These weekly announcements are meant to be a helpful resource, especially for those of you who put your congregations' bulletins together on a weekly basis. If there are ways we could present this information more effectively please don't hesitate to pass on your ideas or give feedback.
Some churches forward the following information and community life announcements to their members using email while others post various events in their weekly bulletin, on their church website, or Facebook page. This and past columns are available on the ACC webpage at
atlanticcoastconference.net/ba.
Please let us know if there are additional ways we can assist you as we serve together.
Brook Musselman
Conference Coordinator, Atlantic Coast Conference
(717) 394-8107
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Thoughts for church leaders on reopening
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With COVID-19 restrictions beginning to ease, how do we transition from reacting in crisis-response mode to engaging a more measured and reflective response mode for this next phase?
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ACC staff is planning a worship service and inviting all ACC congregations to use the prerecorded service on or after May 17. Our hope is to give a break to congregational pastors and worship leaders. The video will include times of traditional and contemporary worship, a scripture reflection and short sermon. Congregations will be encouraged to continue any practices of meeting together virtually after viewing this service. This prerecorded service will be available for congregational use on May 17 or on a later date. More information will be sent to pastors in the coming days.
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Participate in ACC's Virtual Choir
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Join a virtual choir with others from Atlantic Coast Conference congregations in singing Praise God from Whom. Up to four choir members from each ACC congregation may sing and record themselves singing their part in their own home. Their submitted video will be combined with others' to create the virtual choir. Video submissions should be received by May 10. If interested, email
choir@foresthillschurch.org
to receive instructions.
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We pray for chaplains who are providing compassion and support to those who are afraid, sick or dying. In this time of grief and loss, we pray that God’s love strengthens and holds each chaplain, especially in their hardest moments. God, abide with our chaplains in comfort and hope.
John Bauman
Judith Bohlen
Steve Crane
Keith Espenshade
Nan Garber
Ginny Hartman
David Heineman
Ulrich Klemm
Jon Landis
Joyce Martin
Donna Shenk
Ann Kaufman Weaver
Sarah Wiegner
Sandra Wiens
Dawn Winey
Lori Witmer
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New Resources for Congregations
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New onlnie resource from DovesNest:
Creating Safety for Children and Vulnerable Adults
Bring a Dove's Nest speaker to your faith community — virtually! In this time when so many churches are meeting online, Dove's Nest is excited to be able to offer a new sermon / short training resource. Find more info at
https://dovesnest.net/Create-Safety-Online-Training.
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Teaching Peace online series
The new Brooklyn Peace Center is partnering with NYC Council of Mennonite Churches and Groundswell to provide an eight-week online series called Teaching Peace. Every Tuesday (in May and June) at 5 PM, learn from leaders in the field of peacebuilding. Guest speakers include ethicist Stanley Hauerwas, general secretary of the Mennonite World Conference Cesar Garcia, practitioner Elizabeth Soto Albrecht, and more. This is free and open to all.
We hope this series might further strengthen and inspire you to commit to the work of building peace in your heart, your home and our world.
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Love Beyond Distances Day
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With everyone's safety at the forefront of our minds, we have decided in place of our in-person annual benefit Golf Tournament and LMMS Service for Learning events for 2020, we will be hosting a new virtual event, Love Beyond Distances Day, of service and giving on May 13, 2020.
As part of LM's #LoveBeyondDistances Day LM students, families, faculty, and staff will be sharing a Christ-like act and creative message of hope, love, and peace within their community incorporating LM's hashtag, #LoveBeyondDistances on their social media posts. In addition, it's an invitation to give financially to LM, if supporters are able to on this day of service and support.
Funds raised by #LoveBeyondDistances Day benefit LM's annual fund, which supports our teachers and student aid, of whom we could not be prouder of during this time! Find more information about Love Beyond Distances Day
here.
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Landis Communities Announcements
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Landis Communities and Friends Life Care have collaborated to offer flexible and comprehensive long-term care plans, including expert care coordination and financial benefit, for those aged 40-85, living in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties. You are invited to attend an Online Live Seminar on Continuing Care at Home. Thursday, May 21, 2020, 10:00 am – 11:30 am. RSVP to Joy Albright at 717-381-3500 or reserve at
https://www.friendslifecare.org/landis/. Online pre-recorded webinars are also available.
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Help the New York Mennonite Immigration Program
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Many people are asking how best to help those who are truly in need. New York Mennonite Immigration Program has partnered with five NYC shelters to offer services for undocumented residents.
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Ervin Stutzman Cancer Diagnosis
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Ervin Stutzman, former Executive Director of MC USA, has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. ACC congregations are invited to pray for Ervin and his family during this time. A
CaringBridge account has been set up for those wanting to assist the family with costs.
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Mennonite Church USA is offering free videos for ministry leaders. Topics include Technology Best Practices (series), Virtual Tools for Real Youth Ministry, Financial Resources Through the CARES Act, Rituals Around Death and Dying and more.
http://mennoniteusa.org/leadership-development/webinars/
Menno Snapshots
Chances are that we may still be socially distancing to some degree for a while. The team of The Corinthian Plan, Mennonite Church USA’s health plan for church workers, provides some creative ideas for those at-home days.
http://mennoniteusa.org/activities-ideas
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