Friday, November 13th, 2020 |
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Back to June COVID19 Protocols
We continue to be blessed that the diligence of our efforts over the past many months has kept our onsite ministries very safe. However, because the county has returned to the orange safer at home level like we were in June, we have changed some of our protocols back to how we were operating then:
- We will continue worshipping Sundays onsite at 8:30 and 10:30, keeping in place the high safety protocols we have been using. The online worship service will continue to be posted Sundays at 9. If we start to approach 50 at either service {we have been averaging 27 at each}, we would go to a worship reservation system.
- Kids will go directly downstairs to Everkids at the 10:30 service rather than coming first to the Sanctuary.
- Youth group won’t include lunch, and will meet for a shorter time from 1:30-3:00, with all the expected safety protocols observed. Youth should bring their own water bottle in addition to their mask.
- All other activities, meetings and classes will be held remotely.
- Scheduled outside groups will wait until we are back at the safer at home yellow level in order to use the building.
- Jessica will be working from home starting 11/20 through the end of the year due to JeffCo schools moving all students to remote learning. She is available via email and her cell: 303-720-9187.
- Pastor Deb will primarily be working remotely from home.
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Ministry Jottings
Why a Pastor Stopped Attending College Football Games
Remember in the pre-COVID world when we didn’t think twice about going to watch a football or soccer game in the fall? For me it meant attending the annual University of Wyoming game between either CSU or Air Force. Here’s a classic column about why a pastor said he stopped attending college football games in the fall.
- Every time I went, they asked me for money.
- The people with whom I had to sit with didn’t seem very friendly.
- The seats were hard.
- The coach never came to call on me.
- The referee made a decision with which I couldn’t agree.
- Some of the games went into overtime and I was late getting home.
- The band played some songs I had never heard before
- The games are scheduled when I want to do other things.
- My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up.
- Since I read a book on sports, I feel that I know more than the coaches, anyhow.
- I don’t want to take my children because I want them to choose for themselves what sport they would like to attend.
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Wreath Fundraiser Update
Because the wreaths are shipped in cases with 5 wreaths to a case, we are required to order by case, not individual item. As a result we will have 7 extra wreaths at the church to sell. Just wanted to let you know in case you missed ordering or decide that you need another one.
If you didn’t get a chance to order or if you’ve thought of someone else you’d like to give a wreath to, there is still time. Online orders for wreaths and additional Christmas evergreen products may be made through November 30th. The web site for online orders is GiftItForward.com. When you order online be sure to use our fundraising code of UNITEDCO002 and the church will earn $8 on every item ordered.
Thanks again to all of you for your support of this fund raising effort.
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Note from Nathan Jensen
Thank you UMCE congregation for the card and gift card you all presented me on my first Sunday. Anna, my fiancée, and I celebrated our 7 year Anniversary of our first date on November 9th and we used the gift card to get some cheesecake and have a little date night at home. I appreciate all of your support that you have given me from the first day at UMCE. And feel very blessed to have a loving church community. Many thanks from Anna and Nathan.
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New Email Address for Nathan Jensen
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Advent Study “Light of the World” Begins November 23
Pastor Deb will facilitate a 4-week Zoom Advent study, “Light of the World: A Beginner’s Guide to Advent”, beginning Monday evening, November 23 at 7 p.m. Author, professor, and biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine helps us explore the biblical texts surrounding the story of the birth of Jesus. The class includes discussion based on a class book and a DVD with the author. Dr. Amy-Jill Levine’s studies continue to be popular short-term studies in our congregation. Please register through the church office. The cost is $15. |
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Silent Night Choir Recording
This Advent season Nathan is putting together a recorded choir singing Silent Night, and needs your help! Due to COVID-19, we are holding off on in-person choir for the rest of 2020. However, you all have the opportunity to participate in a choir activity before the end of the year as part of this virtual choir.
There is still time to participate, please email Nathan for all of the details! |
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United America Prayer
by Member Dianne Donelson
One listens to CNN and NPR; the other to Limbaugh and Fox
Our county is polarized and according to the news, we are on the rocks
Imagine if we chose to move forward for unity and to show that we care?
Step, by step with compassion, listening and prayer?
It won't be easy with Facebook and Twitter and twenty-four hour news
First we need some respite, quite, reflection and rest from the blues
Challenges we face are immense with a pandemic,
just trying to help each other through
What possibilities we can tackle if our mutual efforts grew?
Unsure how to start the conversation after this close election?
My mother used to say, "How do you think the other person might feel?"
In today's world, this simple phrase could help the process to heal.
The United States of America is a land of good and honorable people,
with a history of standing together when disasters strike our home land.
What we face now is not a dress rehearsal; pandemic and fear
Arise to the occasion and start the healing process
Our best hope is to reach out with respect and yes, maybe just maybe spread some cheer!
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Ministry Teams Service Opportunities
As we look ahead towards 2021, our program ministry teams thank all those who continue to join them in carrying out their varied and important ministries. They also welcome anyone who might like to be part of the team itself which visions and implements their ministries each year. If you have an interest and feel God might be calling you to become a part of any of these ministry teams, please contact Pastor Deb or the current chairperson. We would be thrilled to have you serve in this new way!
Adult Learning & Fellowship: Pastor Dean Penrod
Children & Youth: Sarah Sailor
Church & Society: Carolyn Hohne
Lay Care: Jo Ann Dunn
Membership: Terry Vogt or Jim Ament
Missions: Bill Graf or Michael Eaton
Worship: Marleen Eggers
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Christmas Toy Drive
The UMCE Missions Team is again collecting new, unwrapped toys for EChO and Mountain Resource Center Christmas gifts this year. Collection boxes will be in Fellowship Hall from November 15th through December 6th for gift drop off. Christmas will be an especially challenging time for many this year, made more so for EChO and MRC clients by Covid-19 restrictions that have affected contributing communities. If you are coming by the church in the next few weeks, won’t you think about bringing a new toy to help lighten and brighten a child’s holiday? If you would like to drop your gift off during the week, please call or email the church office ahead to ensure someone is available to accept it.
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Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
SOME PEOPLE DREAM THE DREAM
SOME PEOPLE LIVE THE DREAM
SOME PEOPLE DEFEND THE DREAM
GOD BLESS THE DEFENDERS
At UMCE we are familiar with the lifesaving work carried out by Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. A few years ago many of us helped to equip new apartments for 100 chronically homeless persons. This month CCH is opening the Renaissance Veterans Apartments at Fitzsimons that will provide permanent supportive housing for 60 Vets.
The 60 new residents will bring almost nothing with them to their new homes; we can help them with the difficult transition from the streets to apartment living. There has already been much preparation, so at this point financial support to complete the furnishings is most important. Here is a link for giving monetary gifts.
Some basic things are still greatly needed; items may be new or very gently used and clean: flatware (forks, knives, spoons), twin blankets, and pillows. These donations may be brought to the church and left in the Library on two Sunday mornings, November 15 and November 22. Members of the Mission Team will deliver the donated items to CCH the afternoon of November 22.
As we remember the service and the sacrifices of our military veterans, this is an opportunity to extend our gratitude in a tangible way, to indeed WELCOME THEM HOME!
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Alternative Gift Fair is open through TOMORROW!
The event will be virtual this year. Shoppers can buy from individual vendors online at the Alternative Gift Fair website through Saturday, November 14. Shoppers can look through the online directory (non-profit charities will be listed by category), make their purchases, and arrange for shipping or pick up. Pick up will be on Saturday, November 21 from 10 to 2 at the Lutheran Church.
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MOUNTAIN RESOURCE CENTER OPPORTUNITY |
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As you may know, Mountain Resource Center has a resale store. The sales from this store help to fund MRC programing, which in turn helps the Mountain Community with services that support and empower. Though we have two staff that work daily in the store, we rely heavily on volunteers to help us run it. As I’m sure you can imagine, COVID has impacted not only how we run things in the store, but also the amount of volunteers who can share their time with us. In order to reopen safely this past summer, we shortened our store hours drastically, and have made many changes to how the store is run. Things have been going very well, and we are now hoping to increase our hours and open the store on Saturdays. Saturdays are not only an important day for sales, but also for community access. We’ve heard from several customers who want and need to visit the store, but can’t because they work during the week.
Even before COVID, Saturdays were a challenging day to staff with volunteers – and rightfully so! I think we’ve come up with a creative way to offer a weekend volunteer opportunity that would just require a commitment of one Saturday every couple of months.
Our Saturday store hours will be 10:00am-4:30pm and the day will be split into two volunteer shifts. The first shift will be from 9:45am-1pm and the second shift will be from 1pm-4:45pm. We are hoping to have two volunteers at each shift. That would be just 4 volunteers a month! These volunteers would help to sort donations, price items, set-up store displays, and support the store staff with other projects. We’re requiring everyone to wear face coverings – Staff, Volunteers, and Patrons. We are limiting the amount of people in the store to ensure plenty of space for social distancing. Whenever possible, both doors are open for proper ventilation, and we clean and disinfect on a regular basis. Safety is, and will remain, our highest priority! It’s also important to note that volunteers of the store get 25% off everything, an added bonus for sure!
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PURA VIDA ANNUAL GATHERING & SILENT AUCTION |
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Monday, November 23rd through Christmas |
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Staff Working Remotely; Church Office Closed |
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Onsite worship: 8:30 & 10:30
Online worship: Available from 9 on
Online Kid's Sunday School: 9:30
Onsite Kid’s Sunday School: 10:30
Onsite Youth Group: 1:30 - 3
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THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EVERGREEN
Growing a community of faith by serving a world of need and changing lives. We affirm a spirit of openness and hospitality to all, including persons of all races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, financial strata, and abilities who seek a closer walk with God.
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