Returning Back To Worship/Survey
Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ,
I pray that the grace and peace of our Risen Lord continues to dwell within your heart and mind. The past few days have provided beautiful weather to enjoy God’s magnificent creation, even if we only feel completely safe doing so in our own back yards. Take some time to listen to the song birds, to smell the flowers, to walk barefoot in the grass. Despite any frustrations we may have about the COVID-19 pandemic, we are blessed.
I am writing you on behalf of the Ad Council and Worship Committee to invite your participation in a brief survey related to opening the church for Sunday Morning Worship. It will take very little time, and will be a significant help to us in understanding what we can do to best serve all of our members and friends as we seek to return to a more “normal” worship routine. Parts of the service are again being live streamed, and as we open the sanctuary in the coming weeks the entire service be live-streamed. Live-streaming of worship will remain a permanent option anytime you are feeling a bit under the weather or are away for the winter or a vacation.
Before completing the Survey, I encourage you to read the two documents linked below that address our shared expectations for how we will welcome one another back to the sanctuary safely, and how we plan to sanitize the building and sanctuary on a routine basis. We hope these are just the first of several steps that Ad. Council will affirm over the coming weeks and months.
Return to Worship Plan for Congregation
Once you have a sense of our plans, please use this following link to complete the Survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DBJKZVW
We thank you in advance for sharing your input through this survey. Please have it completed by Monday, June 22nd, so that the Ad. Council has the data for our June 23rd meeting when we will be making decisions about the timing of our reopening of the sanctuary.
On behalf of the Ad Council and the entire staff, we look forward to seeing and welcoming back to your church home and we thank you for your patience as we have navigated these odd and challenging days. God has remained with us throughout, but we know how much we have all missed coming together in person.
Blessings & Peace, Pastor David
“THE CURIOUS GIFT OF LIMITED TIME”
June 21
Join us Sunday Morning for our live-stream of music, prayer and praise.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:55am with gathering music.
Order of Worship and hymn lyrics can be downloaded here: June 21 Order of Worship
Read Pastor Hills’ message below about today’s Virtual Sunday Love Feast
ANNOUNCEMENTS
New Offering Envelopes – are here and will be placed in front of the door by the office. You may come and pick them up during the current office hours MWF 9:00am-12:00pm. Please use only the door that is by the front office. Call me ahead of time and I’ll bring them out to you.
Thank you!
Movie Night Double Feature TONIGHT, June 19
The first movie will be Frozen 2 and start at 9:30pm. The second movie will be Rogue One and start at 11:30pm. We will have parking spots set up. You can get out of your car if you want however, you may not leave your parking spot. You do not have to stay for both movies. The church will not be open so please be aware we do not have restrooms for people to use. Contact Jesse Robbins with any questions at: saves6363@gmail.com
The Monthly Mobile Food Pantry – Thank you to Everyone who helped with the Mobile Food Pantry this past week. We served 114 Households, 296 Individuals, 117 Seniors, 89 Veterans and 89 Children. We would like to thank Prairie Farms for their Dairy Donation and Family Farms LLC in Byron Center who supplied the produce.
CARING MINISTRIES THOUGHT
Please remember we are in this together and are here for you. You can send Nancy Mead an email at caring.stevensvillechurch@gmail.com and she will gladly respond to you. The office hours for the church are currently M,W,F 9:00am-noon. You can call 429-5911 or email at stevensvillechurch@gmail.com
“Sickness, Aging & Death”
Sunday June 14
Today we conclude our six-week worship series:
Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Anxious Times
This week’s study guide for the series can be downloaded here
Order of Worship can be downloaded here
Join us for worship online as we continue to explore the most common worries and fears experienced by Americans today, consider practical steps for overcoming these fears, and reflect upon fear in the light of scripture and a faith that promises again and again that we don’t need to live in fear. Let’s live with courage and hope.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:55 am with gathering music.
“The Sky is Falling”
Sunday June 7
Sunday begins Week 5 of our six-week worship series:
Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Anxious Times
This week’s study guide for the series can be downloaded here
Order of Service can be downloaded here
Join us for worship online as we continue to explore the most common worries and fears experienced by Americans today, consider practical steps for overcoming these fears, and reflect upon fear in the light of scripture and a faith that promises again and again that we don’t need to live in fear. Let’s live with courage and hope.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:55 am with gathering music.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CARING MINISTRIES THOUGHT
Please remember we are in this together and are here for you. You can send Nancy Mead an email at caring.stevensvillechurch@gmail.com and she will gladly respond to you. The office hours for the church are currently M,W,F 9:00am-noon. You can call 429-5911 or email at stevensvillechurch@gmail.com
“Fear of Failure”
Sunday May 31
Today begins Week 4 of our six-week worship series:
Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Anxious Times
This week’s study guide for the series can be downloaded here
Order of Service can be downloaded here
Join us for worship online as we continue to explore the most common worries and fears experienced by Americans today, consider practical steps for overcoming these fears, and reflect upon fear in the light of scripture and a faith that promises again and again that we don’t need to live in fear. Let’s live with courage and hope.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:55 am with gathering music.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
AN OPPORTUNITY AND A FAREWELL
We are sad to say farewell to our Christian Education Director, Ashlei Horn, who has been appointed and accepted to be the pastor at Gobles UMC effective July 1, 2020. This isquite the opportunity to further her walk in the ministry of the United Methodist Church and her walk with God. Ashlei’s last day with us will be May 29, 2020. As we cannot hold a reception for her at this time, SPRC encourages you to send her cards and well wishes to her current address:
Ashlei Horn
29680 County Rd. 687
Bangor, MI 49013
CONGRATULATIONS ASHLEI, YOU WILL BE MISSED!!
CARING MINISTRIES THOUGHT
Please remember we are in this together and are here for you. You can send Nancy Mead an email at caring.stevensvillechurch@gmail.com and she will gladly respond to you. The office hours for the church are currently M,W,F 9:00am-noon. You can call 429-5911 or email at stevensvillechurch@gmail.com
“Friendless and Alone”
May 24
Today begins Week 3 of our six-week worship series:
Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Anxious Times
This week’s study guide for the series can be downloaded here
Order of Service can be downloaded here
Join us Sunday Morning as we celebrate the Risen Christ! Join our live-stream for a time of music, prayer and praise.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:55 am with gathering music.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thank you to everyone who helped with the Mobile Food Pantry this past week. We served 111 Households, 297 members in the households, 85 children, 105 seniors and 13 Veterans. We would also like to thank the Van SolkemaFamily Farms LLC in Byron Center MI who supplied the produce this month for our Feeding America Truck.
AN OPPORTUNITY AND A FAREWELL
We are sad to say farewell to our Christian Education Director, Ashlei Horn, who has been appointed and accepted to be the pastor at Gobles UMC effective July 1, 2020. This isquite the opportunity to further her walk in the ministry of the United Methodist Church and her walk with God. Ashlei’s last day with us will be May 29, 2020. As we cannot hold a reception for her at this time, SPRC encourages you to send her cards and well wishes to her current address:
Ashlei Horn
29680 County Rd. 687
Bangor, MI 49013
CONGRATULATIONS ASHLEI, YOU WILL BE MISSED!!
CARING MINISTRIES THOUGHT
We are now entering week 9 of our Stay at Home order.Please remember we are in this together and are here for you. You can send Nancy Mead an email at caring.stevensvillechurch@gmail.com and she will gladly respond to you. The office hours for the church are currently M,W,F 9:00am-noon. You can call 429-5911 or email at stevensvillechurch@gmail.com
“Fear of the Other”
May 17
Today begins Week 2 of our six-week worship series today:
Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Anxious Times
This week’s study guide for the series can be downloaded here
Order of Service can be downloaded here
Join us Sunday Morning as we celebrate the Risen Christ! Join our live-stream for a time of music, prayer and praise.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:55 am with gathering music.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Youth Mission Trip to Guatemala has been re-scheduled for summer of 2021. We appreciate all the support and look forward to continuing our work next year.To participate in “UnAfraid” Zoom Group Studies please see the instruction sheet that was emailed along with the Order of Worship.
CARING MINISTRIES THOUGHT
We are now entering week 8 of our Stay at Home order.Please remember we are in this together and are here for you. You can send Nancy Mead an email at caring.stevensvillechurch@gmail.comand she will gladly respond to you. The office hours for the church are currently M,W,F -9:00am-noon. You can call 429-5911 or email at stevensvillechurch@gmail.com
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER WORSHIP
“An Age of High Anxiety”
May 10
We start a new, six-week worship series today:
𝗨𝗻𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱: 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲
This week’s study guide for the series can be downloaded here
Order of Service can be downloaded here:
https://tinyurl.com/SUMCMay10
Join us Sunday Morning as we celebrate the Risen Christ! Join our live-stream for a time of music, prayer and praise.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:55 am with gathering music.
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER WORSHIP
May 3
Join us Sunday Morning as we celebrate the Risen Christ! Join our live-stream for a time of music, prayer and praise.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs.
The service will begin at 9:57am with gathering music.
Order of Worship and hymn lyrics can be downloaded here: May 3 Order of Worship
Read Pastor Hills’ message below about today’s Virtual Sunday Love Feast
A Virtual Sunday Love Feast
May 3, 2020
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Ok, we are going to try this again, especially given that the first Sunday of the month is when we would normally include communion in our worship.
As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across parts of our nation, on the United Methodist Clergy Facebook page a conversation was happening. “Can we have communion online?” Not surprisingly, the thinking on this was all over the place, from “That would be an absolute travesty!” to “People have their bread and juice or wine with them as they worship, the pastor blesses it as she or he might on any other Sunday. What’s the problem?”
Some Bishops took positions in favor because of the “exceptional times” in which we are living. Other Bishop’s let their clergy know in no uncertain terms that they did not think it should be done, because Communion is rooted in Community. I’ll turn my cards and note that while Communion and Community both have the same root word, who says a family, or even a single person, can’t be considered a community when the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are present with them?
Fortunately, one of the things John Wesley did that remains a part of our Wesleyan tradition is the “Love Feast” which looks very much like communion, but doesn’t involve the same liturgical formality as Communion. Bread is still present and recognized as a staple of life. Wine, juice, or even water, coffee or tea, may be present because drink is necessary for life as well. The table(s) may also be full of other food which we will be sharing around the table. (I once did this for a Thanksgiving Ever potluck).
In the Love Feast we recognize that our food and drink, whether literally only bread and water, or a Sunday brunch buffet with champagne, is all a life giving, life sustaining gift of God, which makes it a gift of Christ and the Spirit. So we remember it is a blessing, we give thanks for it, we eat knowing they are present, but we stop short of the words that some of us believe make it fully sacramental.
So, with that background, your worship team and I looked at the scripture texts for this Sunday, particularly Luke 24:13-35, and we decided we would invite you all to share in a Stay at Home Love Feast, using some resources that had been made available to us in Lent, but hadn’t found the right time or way to share.
Here is how we invite you to prepare for our Virtual Sunday Love Feast:
- Prepare a simple meal or feast, even just a muffin or toast if you will have eaten earlier.
- Have OJ, Coffee, Tea, Grape Juice, or any beverage you prefer, ready as well.
- Set the table – be it your dining table or a coffee or even a card table near your computer.
- If you are having something hot, you will want it to be done around 10:30, or you can get it done earlier and let it rest in a warm oven until the time comes.
- When the time comes near end of worship, we will give you a couple of minutes to prepare, then we will pray together, bless the feast of love before us, bless one another, and I will offer the benediction & blessing.
- One more thing…. You are encouraged to use the comment box on Facebook to share what you are having. You can even upload pictures if you want!
- May this be a foretaste of God’s Kin-dom Banquet, and sustain us until we can share communion together in our sanctuary.
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER WORSHIP
April 26
Join us Sunday Morning at 9:55 am as we celebrate the Risen Christ! Join our live-stream for a time of music, prayer and praise.
Watch Worship on the big screen. Try the Facebook Video App on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Samsung Smart TVs. The service will begin at 9:55am with gathering music.
Order of Worship and hymn lyrics can be downloaded here: https://tinyurl.com/SUMCApril26
Read Pastor Hills’ message below about today’s Virtual Sunday Love Feast
WEEKEND UPDATE AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
APRIL 26, 2020
Ashlei will be posting weekly children’s church videos on the SUMC Kids Facebook page Sunday mornings. Be sure to get the kids together to check those out and have them comment on what they liked most about the videos. If you are looking for some free printable resources for the kids go to https://tinyurl.com/yaquxefu
A weekly Adult Bible Study will be taking place on Zoom starting Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30pm. Participants will get their weekly readings through email and will discuss them when we gather via Zoom. You can access Zoom by internet, Smartphone, or dial in from a regular phone line to participate. Email Ashlei with any questions at AshleiUMC@yahoo.com
Caring Ministries Thought
We are now entering week 5 of our Stay at Home order. Please remember we are in this together and are here for you. You can send Nancy Mead an email at caring.stevensvillechurch@gmail.com and she will gladly respond to you. The office hours for the church are currently M,W,F -9:00am-noon. You can call 429-5911 or email the church at stevensvillechurch@gmail.com
Blessings To Everyone!
A PRAYER FOR ANXIOUS TIMES
Dear God, In these trying times, be with each of us and show us your presence and give us strength and keep us all safe. In your name we pray, Amen
COVID-19 Information
You may find up-to-date information on the COVID-19/Coronavirus by clicking the links below: