News and Dates
Fruitland United Methodist Church
March 26, 2020
Good morning from your “working from home” pastor.
These are historic and life changing days for our world. The impact of the COVID-19 virus has reached the ways our congregations are “doing business”. For the third Sunday in a row we will not be gathering in our buildings for worship, Christian education, prayer meetings, community activities, or faithful interaction.
This will be the case through the month of April.
Your congregational leaders have been meeting to plan adjustments. Questions about worship resources, building usage, Bible studies, human connections, financial stability, and basic congregational communication are being asked and answered.
Worship and communication resources have become my priorities. Both congregations were technologically unprepared for this crisis. But we are catching up.
This Sunday’s worship service will be recorded (audio only) and available on several formats. The recording will be ready by Saturday. The availability of this audio recording will be communicated to you through our email lists, Facebook pages, telephone networks, and websites.
I am impressed with the creative and thoughtful ways you are caring for one another. These are times for us to actively follow Jesus.
Wash your hands and “be not afraid”,
Pastor Jim
-—————————————————————————————————————————
Fruitland United Methodist Church
317 SW 2nd
Fruitland ID 83619
March 21, 2020
Dear Fellow Pilgrims,
We will, again, be unable to gather in our building tomorrow for worship. At the direction of our Bishop and with the guidance of state and national leaders our worship services are suspended for the time being. I am missing you and our gatherings.
However, this is not just a time of closure and suspension. It has become a time of innovation. We are learning how to “deliver” worship experiences, Bible studies, personal visits and compassionate ministries in creative new ways.
An audio recording of this Sunday’s sermon and Sunday’s bulletin have been delivered to you by email. Use them as they suit your situation. Share them with other people who may not be on our mailing list. If you know someone who doesn’t have internet access you should work at finding a way to let them experience this Sunday’s worship service.
The Lay Leaders and Council Chairs of our congregation and the Payette United Methodist Church met Thursday afternoon to coordinate our methods and mission challenges during this viral crisis. You will be hearing more from our Councils, Trustees, Worship Committee and Lay Leader about some innovative ways to “be church” when we cannot gather.
Please be encouraged. When we come through this – and we will – that first Sunday we are back together will be filled with joyful celebration. Pray for one another. Pray for those who lead our congregation, our states and our nation. Keep washing those hands!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generation, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20
Be not afraid,
Pastor Jim
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Time, Talents & Tithes
We may not be having in-person services now, but we are very busy working for you.
Exploring, planning, praying and caring. We will still need your time, talent, efforts, gifts, and especially prayers.
Please stay in touch and stay current with your offerings.
Email your “joys and concerns” to harbar02@gmail.com or fruitlandumc@fmtc.com They will only be published on the Church’s new Facebook News page.
Donations can be mailed to:
Fruitland United Methodist Church
P.O. Box 353
Fruitland ID 83619.
Pastoral Letter: Suspending worship services and other gatherings
We are learning more and more about COVID-19. Although there is much to learned we no longer do we have to depend on hearsay. We know that someone infected with the virus is exposing others to infection without knowing it. We know the virus is highly contagious. We also know that cautious measures can slow down the rate of spread.
We know, as well, that those over the age of 60 or those who have compromising health conditions are advised not to attend gathering of more than ten people.
So, at the direction of United Methodist Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky (Greater Northwest Area) we are “suspending in-person worship and other gatherings of more than 10 people for the next two weeks, starting today.”
Bishop Elaine notes in her letter, “Some people wonder if this strong action is warranted in Alaska, where the first case was just confirmed and Idaho, where COVIS-19 has not been detected yet. I am asking you to adopt this disciple as a courageous act of prevention.”
Folks, we should not be a party to the spread of this virus. So we will suspend our worship gatherings and other meetings for the next two weeks.
With a later letter I will be bringing you up-to-date on our local efforts to connect with one another, provide material for Bible study and family worship services, make your financial contributions, and suggestions for extending Christian grace to your neighbors.Please pass this information along to others in our congregations.
Let's look at this health crisis as a way to display actions and attitudes that reflect our decision to follow Jesus.
Be not afraid,
Pastor Jim Hardenbrook
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GALLERY OF THE STATION OF THE CROSSES EXHIBIT 2018
For the SEASON OF LENT . . . Fruitland United Methodist Church presented to the community a visual journey featuring Stations of the Cross.
