Saturday, March 14, 2020
16 of 40
Today's readings: Acts 3 and page 50
in Terry Teykl's book: Acts 29
Dear Prospect, Trinity, and Asbury Church family,
Yesterday (on Friday the 13th)
I consulted with key leaders at
Prospect, Trinity, and Asbury.
Together we decided to suspend Sunday
worship services in our three churches
for the next two weeks.
So Sunday worship services
on March 15 and 22 are cancelled.
We will consult and reevaluate
as we get closer to Sunday, March 29
and let you know if we plan to
continue services.
It isn't difficult to figure out why
we took this step, especially since
thousands of churches across the US
are doing exactly the same thing.
We are encouraging everyone in our
church family to stay home if you can
and ride out the Coronovirus pandemic.
By doing this, we hope
to lessen the crisis, and save lives.
Here are some practical steps
you can take over the next two weeks.
1)
Include prayer and Bible reading
in your daily routine.
God will honor you for that.
2)
Check in with people by phone.
Call your family, church members,
and your neighbors to see if they are OK.
Chat with them and practice active listening.
If there are genuine needs, do what you can
to help, and make referrals when needs
are greater than your resources.
None of us are alone in this crisis.
3)
Remember to continue supporting your
church with your tithes and offerings.
You can mail a check or even start using
Bill Pay with your online checking account.
Here is the mailing address for your church:
Prospect UMC PO Box 342 Harrington, DE 19952
Trinity UMC 63 Commerce St Harrington, DE 19952
Asbury UMC 200 Weiner Ave Harrington, DE 19952
4)
Participate in the Neighbors Network.
This is our response as a church to the
Coronavirus crisis. We are organizing
Prospect, Trinity, and Asbury churches
into small groups, and including our
neighbors for the purpose of mutual
support. This practical step helps us
to do Pastoral Care and Outreach
at the same time.
With God's help, I hope to start making
YouTube videos to encourage and train
everyone who is participating in
our Neighbors Network.
I want you to know that Sue and I
are happy and well at the parsonage
today, and that we are so grateful
for the love and support we continually
receive from you.
We are calling family and friends,
and staying in touch.
My visitation ministry is now on hold,
but my caring ministry just got
increased ten fold. :-)
I am also in touch with other pastors
who are going through exactly the
same experience now. God is watching
over us as a people, and we have
so much to thank and praise him for.
Prayer by Larry Jameson
In the name of Jesus
I pray that the people of Prospect,
Trinity, and Asbury Churches
will be filled with the power
and authority of the Holy Spirit
to do tremendous good during this
2020 Coronavirus crisis.
Bring many people to a saving faith
in Jesus, and set us free to love
you and one another effectively. Amen.
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Neighbors Network FAQ
The Neighbors Network is a way
for people to check in with their family,
friends, and especially nearby neighbors
as we face the 2020 Coronavirus emergency.
Participants are invited to join a small group
made up of approximately 7 households.
A household is any number of people
living a home or apartment.
You will be called once a week
by a volunteer from your small group
to see how you are doing.
When the Coronavirus begins to affect
our local area, you will be contacted
once a day until the emergency is over.
The idea is to facilitate neighbors
helping neighbors. We want to work
cooperatively so we all
get through the emergency together.
Each small group will be associated with
a nearby faith based group that is providing
training and organizational support.
Prospect, Trinity, and Asbury
United Methodist Churches in Harrington,
Delaware are helping to form the network
in their area. Everyone is welcome
to participate in this community based
organization. Everyone is welcome to be trained,
to volunteer, and to provide leadership.
You don't have to go to church to be in
a small group.
Who chooses what group you belong to?
You get to decide that.
Participation in the Neighbors Network
is completely voluntary.
You may choose to be in a small group
with your immediate neighbors,
or you might want to belong to a group
of family or other friends
who might be further away.
There are no strict rules about this.
Ideally, people who live nearby
will be part of your small group.
Does our group have to have exactly
seven households? If you want, you
can have more or less than
seven households in your small group.
Experience has taught us that
larger groups require a lot
more work for their leaders.
It is easier to call, text, email
or visit a few people.
That task gets more difficult
when the group is larger.
Who will the leaders be?
Your small group of households
will decide who the leaders will be.
We encourage every small group
to choose a pair of co-leaders.
Leaders do three things:
1) they take advantage of training
to help them do a good job,
2) they check in with small group members
weekly before the emergency,
or daily during the emergency
to see how they are doing,
and 3) they check in with volunteer
coordinators who provide support
and accountability.
What happens when there is a need?
Most of us know how to isolate ourselves
if we become contagious. And most people
have experience getting through an illness.
The challenge we all face from the
Coronavirus is that symptoms might possibly
exceed someone's ability to cope effectively.
We expect to see a variety of needs such as:
1) loneliness, 2) running low on supplies,
or 3) symptoms that require calling for help.
Whatever the need, you will be trained to
respond appropriately. No one will be asked
to take risks or solve someone else's problems.
By being in a network we can tap into a
wider range of resources and be able to
help one another effectively.
The Neighbors Network is all about
keeping it simple, cultivating relationships
of integrity, and making a difference.
If you would like to participate in the
Neighbors Network you may send an email to
one of the following coordinators.
Prospect UMC 5183 Vernon Rd Harrington DE 19952
Lorraine Keller stubby1995@yahoo.com
Jeanne Camper jeannecamper@aol.com
Trinity UMC 63 Commerce Street Harrington DE 19952
Caryl Warren cwarren528@aol.com
Jim Callaway cabboc@msn.com
Asbury UMC 200 Weiner Av Harrington DE 19952
Franklin Hendricks fhendricks@comcast.net
Brenda Wyatt bln_256@hotmail.com
Please feel free to contact me if you
have any questions or suggestions about
the Neighbors Network we are forming.
in Christ's love,
Larry Jameson
203 Weiner Ave.
Harrington, DE 19952
larryjameson@gmail.com
home 302-786-2642
cell 302-519-1025
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Acts 3 (NIV)
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
17 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’
24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
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