Sunday, April 2, 2023
Worship – In-person and Streaming at 9:30 a.m.
The image is “Entry into Jerusalem,” by Wilhelm Morgner, in the Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, Germany.
Sunday will begin beautifully as we gather in the Narthex with our palms in hand. We will say together, as did those first disciples, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” We will process into the sanctuary together, re-enacting in our small way along with Christians all around the world, the Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. That’s when the tone of the service will shift from the joy and celebration of the entry, to the drama of the passion of Jesus. All along, the disciples have misunderstood who Jesus really came to be and how he would accomplish our salvation. They were anticipating the victorious Messiah. Jesus came to be the Suffering Servant. Join us on Sunday to hear a portion of Matthew’s Passion Narrative, and to mark the shift from the joy of Palm Sunday to the passion of Holy Week.
Pastor David
In-Person Worship: Masking is strongly encouraged, especially if you are singing, (masks remain available in the Narthex if you do not have one), but is no longer required. We continue to strongly recommend that you keep up with boosters. Please plan to maintain social distancing and to hand sanitize often. During fellowship time when you are in close proximity to others, masking is highly recommended. If you are feeling unwell for any reason, please remain home and enjoy the services of worship online. Please understand that the pandemic is not yet over and conditions may require a return to masking at some point in the future.
In the Church Offices: Masking remains required when in the church offices and the Chapel.
The Church Office is usually open Mondays – Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. with Tracy working from home on Thursdays. Masking remains required when in the church offices. Staff requests that you continue to practice masking, social distancing, and hand washing when you visit the office.
Join Us for Sunday 9:30 a.m. Worship, in-person and streamed online.
1. Facebook:
www.facebook.com/FirstPresChurchUrbana/
Scroll down to the post from that morning
2. Zoom click on: zoom.us/j/8144246357
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
3. Landline or phone that is not a smart phone:
1 (312) 626-6799.
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
Midday Prayer will not meet this Maundy Thursday, April 6 (join us for the evening soup supper and service instead). Midday Prayer will resume April 13. Join us Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., in the Chapel, for sharing of concerns and joys, hearing and contemplating scripture from the daily lectionary, and the offering of intercessions.
Food & More Program Item of the Month: For April the item is Single Roll Paper Towels. Please place it in the Food & More box near the church office.
Easter Sunrise Celebration at Meadowbrook Park – 6:30 a.m. at the Race Street Shelter. As we journey through Lent, we look forward to joyous celebration of the Risen Lord on Easter Sunday, April 9. An early morning service of readings, song and communion is planned. (Individually packaged communion elements will be used.) Light refreshments and fellowship at the shelter will follow. (Note: Participation involves a bit of walking in the area near the Race Street Shelter; if you would like to come, but would benefit from use of a transport chair, please let us know in advance.) In the case of rain, we will remain in the shelter for the service. If you are planning to attend the service and would be willing to serve as a reader, please notify Liz Greeley: egreeley@illinois.edu.
Wellness Lenten Activity: For the season of Lent, The Wellness Committee is challenging you to consider how your food choices can help improve your own health and the wellness of our planet. We have compiled a list of weekly suggested activities. Below is Week 6. See the February 19 bulletin or March 1 Open Door for the complete list.
Week 6 – April 2 – 8: Pledge not to drink bottled water. According to Eat This Not That (8/13/2020), “While municipal water systems must notify their customers of test results showing contamination that could pose an immediate health risk, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, companies that bottle water don't operate with the same safeguards in place.” Some of these contaminants can include arsenic, plastic particles, E. coli, mold, and carcinogens. When you add in the environmental impact of single-use plastic bottles, regular use of bottled water is just not worth the risk to your health and the planet. Try filling your own re-useable bottle from our delicious local regulated tap water (even better – use a filter).
Welcome!
Love, hugs and prayers for you this day!
Hi Iris! Hugs!
Iris Marcum is watching!
Sunday, March 26, 2023
Worship – In-person and Streaming at 9:30 a.m.
The image is “Ezekiel in the Valley of Bones,” a wooden panel in St. Nicholas Church, Deptford Green, England.
Although we are rapidly approaching Easter now, we must go through a graveyard to get there. The experience of death cannot be gone around nor by passed. Just like our Lord, we get to new life by going through death. That’s harrowing for all of us. So as we approach the cemetery, we tell ourselves beloved stories of resurrection and new life. There is no place where God is not, even the grave. As Psalm 139 assures us, “if I make my bed in the grave, you are there.” Join us on Sunday as we contemplate together two of the best resurrection stories in scripture.
Pastor David
In-Person Worship: Masking is strongly encouraged, especially if you are singing, (masks remain available in the Narthex if you do not have one), but is no longer required. We continue to strongly recommend that you keep up with boosters. Please plan to maintain social distancing and to hand sanitize often. During fellowship time when you are in close proximity to others, masking is highly recommended. If you are feeling unwell for any reason, please remain home and enjoy the services of worship online. Please understand that the pandemic is not yet over and conditions may require a return to masking at some point in the future.
In the Church Offices: Masking remains required when in the church offices and the Chapel.
The Church Office is usually open Mondays – Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. with Tracy working from home on Thursdays. Masking remains required when in the church offices. Staff requests that you continue to practice masking, social distancing, and hand washing when you visit the office.
Join Us for Sunday 9:30 a.m. Worship, in-person and streamed online.
1. Facebook:
www.facebook.com/FirstPresChurchUrbana/
Scroll down to the post from that morning
2. Zoom click on: zoom.us/j/8144246357
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
3. Landline or phone that is not a smart phone:
1 (312) 626-6799.
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
Midday Prayer: Join us Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., in the Chapel, for sharing of concerns and joys, hearing and contemplating scripture from the daily lectionary, and the offering of intercessions.
Food & More Program Item of the Month: For March the item is water-based tuna. Please place it in the Food & More box near the church office.
Lenten Book Study: “Meeting Jesus at the Table” 10:45 a.m. in the Chapel. On Sunday, March 26 we will be continuing sessions engaging the Lenten study, Meeting Jesus at the Table. The Gospels are full of stories of Jesus sharing meals with disciples, friends, even tax collectors and Pharisees. Whether multiplying bread to feed a whole crowd, relaxing with his inner circle, or telling curious elites stories about even greater banquets, Jesus imparts wisdom as he shares the wine and grants forgiveness as he distributes the fish. This study provides biblical insights along with thought-provoking questions regarding our own time, such as whom should we invite to Sunday dinner and who is left out and left behind in our culture today. Illustrations by artist Kevin Burns complement each chapter and invite further meditation on the Gospel story and its meaning for our lives. Purchasing a copy of the book is suggested. If you would like the office to purchase a copy for you, please let Pastor David know. For All Seminars in the Chapel: Chairs are spaced which will reduce capacity to about 30, two Corsi-Rosenthal filter boxes ventilate the space, and masking is required.
Wellness Lenten Activity: For the season of Lent, The Wellness Committee is challenging you to consider how your food choices can help improve your own health and the wellness of our planet. We have compiled a list of weekly suggested activities. Below is Week 5. See the February 19 bulletin or March 1 Open Door for the complete list.
Week 5 – March 26 – April 1: Pledge not to purchase pre-cut fruit or vegetables. According to The EcoBaby (1/4/2023), pre-cut fruit—while convenient—can come with a host of undesirable issues. Pre-cut fruit is often treated with chemicals to prevent browning and is often less fresh (= less vitamins). Pre-cut fruit is more likely to be contaminated with Listeria and Salmonella. The plastic packaging that these items come in is also an environmental concern.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
Worship – In-person and Streaming at 9:30 a.m.
The image is “Blind Man Washes in the Pool of Siloam,” by James Tissot, in the Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York, New York.
The ninth chapter of the Gospel of John washes over the reader in waves. We hear of the travail of the man born blind, as well as of his parents who are placed in the awful position of fearing the authorities because their son is healed. We hear of the harsh understanding of the disciples regarding why the man was born blind. We hear with deep gratitude about the boundless compassion of Jesus. And we hear of the merciless legalism of the religious leaders. Join us on Sunday as we contemplate this marvel of biblical story telling together.
Pastor David
In-Person Worship: Masking is strongly encouraged, especially if you are singing, (masks remain available in the Narthex if you do not have one), but is no longer required. We continue to strongly recommend that you keep up with boosters. Please plan to maintain social distancing and to hand sanitize often. During fellowship time when you are in close proximity to others, masking is highly recommended. If you are feeling unwell for any reason, please remain home and enjoy the services of worship online. Please understand that the pandemic is not yet over and conditions may require a return to masking at some point in the future.
In the Church Offices: Masking remains required when in the church offices and the Chapel.
The Church Office is usually open Mondays – Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. with Tracy working from home on Thursdays. Masking remains required when in the church offices. Staff requests that you continue to practice masking, social distancing, and hand washing when you visit the office.
Join Us for Sunday 9:30 a.m. Worship, in-person and streamed online.
1. Facebook:
www.facebook.com/FirstPresChurchUrbana/
Scroll down to the post from that morning
2. Zoom click on: zoom.us/j/8144246357
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
3. Landline or phone that is not a smart phone:
1 (312) 626-6799.
Meeting ID: 814 424 6357 (if necessary)
Password 475210
Midday Prayer: Join us Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., in the Chapel, for sharing of concerns and joys, hearing and contemplating scripture from the daily lectionary, and the offering of intercessions.
Food & More Program Item of the Month: For March the item is water-based tuna. Please place it in the Food & More box near the church office.
Lenten Book Study: “Meeting Jesus at the Table” 10:45 a.m. in the Chapel. On Sundays, March 19 and 26 we will be continuing sessions engaging the Lenten study, Meeting Jesus at the Table. The Gospels are full of stories of Jesus sharing meals with disciples, friends, even tax collectors and Pharisees. Whether multiplying bread to feed a whole crowd, relaxing with his inner circle, or telling curious elites stories about even greater banquets, Jesus imparts wisdom as he shares the wine and grants forgiveness as he distributes the fish. This study provides biblical insights along with thought-provoking questions regarding our own time, such as whom should we invite to Sunday dinner and who is left out and left behind in our culture today. Illustrations by artist Kevin Burns complement each chapter and invite further meditation on the Gospel story and its meaning for our lives. Purchasing a copy of the book is suggested. If you would like the office to purchase a copy for you, please let Pastor David know. For All Seminars in the Chapel: Chairs are spaced which will reduce capacity to about 30, two Corsi-Rosenthal filter boxes ventilate the space, and masking is required.
Wellness Lenten Activity: For the season of Lent, The Wellness Committee is challenging you to consider how your food choices can help improve your own health and the wellness of our planet. We have compiled a list of weekly suggested activities. Below is Week 4. See the February 19 bulletin or March 1 Open Door for the complete list.
Week 4 – March 19-25: Try a new local vegetable. Yes, local vegetables are available in the winter! (try Common Ground Food Co-Op). According to the Food Revolution Network (12/21/2017), locally grown produce “is allowed to ripen naturally, while food that travels long distances is often picked before it’s ripe.” Food that is ripened naturally has been shown to contain a greater amount of nutrients. Other reasons to buy local include reduced CO2 emissions from decreased travel distances, and an added bonus of supporting our local community farmers.
Please keep the people of Malawi and Mozambique in your prayers. We are hearing from our friends in Domasi that they are safe, but some have had to leave their homes.
Cyclone Freddy wrecks Malawi and Mozambique, killing more than 200 people
www.npr.org
Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by heavy rains that triggered floods and mudslides in southern Africa. The death toll is expected to rise.