Dear Friends in Christ,
As the coronavirus situation continues to worsen, state and local governments are urging that all gatherings of people be cancelled. It is with very heavy hearts that the congregation has made the decision to cancel all services at this time in order to safeguard the health and wellness of all our friends and members. Below are a number of resources and suggestions on how we may stay healthy in mind, body, and soul, and continue being Church together, even as we are forced to separate.
First, for yourself and others, please take precautions to stay healthy while we all work to minimize this health crisis.
- Stay away from gatherings when at all possible.
- Minimize shopping trips to the necessities.
- Wash your hands often with both soap and water. When soap and water are unavailable, use hand sanitizer with a high alcohol content.
- Use this time at home for things you enjoy and which enrich your life .
- Go for a walk
- Spend time with your pets
- Read a book (we know a good one!)
- Call or write friends, family, and neighbors
Though we cannot gather in worship and fellowship, we are still a family of love and care and support for one another, and can each do our humble part to keep the spirit of connection alive and shared.
Pastor Paul will be sharing a sermon, delivered at the Church on Sundays at our usual worship time, which will be offered as a recording and corresponding essay form. We will share these through our email list, as well as on our Facebook site.
And as always, we are available and willing to share. Pastor Paul can be reached via cell phone at 218-349-0143 or email pastorpaulvanantwerp@gmail.com. You can also call the office to set up a time to chat with Pastor Paul. Karen Robnik, the council moderator, is available for any church questions or concerns you may have. If you have any concerns you’d like prayers for, we have prayer chain plans in place as usual. For any of the above, please call the office at (218) 626-2570. If no one is in at the time you call, please leave a message. Messages will be checked frequently.
But more importantly, we encourage each of you to reach out to one another and check in, even if you suspect that somebody else has done so. The more we share, the more love is expressed…and maintaining that shared love is what is most important at this time.
The church will also be sharing regular email messages and posts. You are encouraged to contribute as well! Please send any message you’d like to share with fellow members (joys, concerns, well wishes, sources of comfort and inspiration, pictures, jokes, etc.) to pastorpaulvanantwerp@gmail.com or to office@unitedprotestantchurch.org. We will consolidate these messages and share them in a digest form on a regular basis.
Also, as many of you are aware, the majority of our income here is based on the offering we receive on Sundays. Without meeting, there is concern that we will significantly diminish our financial resources. We kindly ask that, if possible, you continue to contribute as you would during worship. You can mail any offerings directly to the office at 830 88th Avenue W., Duluth, MN 55808. Unfortunately, the bulk of the church’s operating expenses (insurance, utilities, etc. ) will continue even while we are forced to suspend services.
As a further note, our church leaders are working diligently to provide resources for “direct deposit” for folks that cannot attend but are still interested in giving offering. We are still at least a month away from implementation, but as soon as that resource is available, we will share that information with you.
We will keep everyone posted as soon as anything changes and services can be resumed, but in the meantime, remember that we are still one united family in friendship and in Christ. Faith and fellowship remain, even if we cannot congregate. We need one another for friendship as well as support. We love one another!
Stay healthy, friends, and God bless!
United Protestant Church in Morgan Park