First Methodist Church Winnsboro

What a GLORIOUS day it was seeing so many people at the Elementary school praying, visiting, and celebrating the HOPE that the progress we’re making in our fight against COVID-19 is going to lead to change! We prayed at the ELEMENTARY SCHOOL yesterday and will meet closest to the STREET side of the Brookshire’s parking lot this Sunday, May 5, after worship about 11:30ish. You can see ALL the pictures on Facebook!

 

Today, Governor Abbot will announce his updated guidelines for moving forward (today at 2:30 p.m.) so we’ll know more about “what’s next” for us soon. I will also speak with Vic Casad, our District Superintendent, this week on some recommendations our Bishop is making. I will have a call with the Wood County Leadership team on Thursday and then your Church Council will meet Thursday night and start planning the “baby” steps for gathering again! While there WILL be restrictions, I know we’re ALL excited about the possibilities!  

 

WHAT SONGS ARE IN YOUR HEAD in this CoronaVirus time in which we live? For a little levity, I posted a montage of four of the songs your church leaders shared on FACEBOOK. I bet you’d never guess who CHOSE those songs belong to! I’ll post PART 2 tomorrow morning.

 

WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THE PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM ~ If you are a customer of City National, please thank them! The second round of PPP money is to be available today, so please THANK City National for considering our application! On April 3, the first day we were able to apply for assistance, we turned our paperwork into our Bank, First National. Unfortunately, they were not participating in the program so we had to take our application that same day to City National. I’m sure existing customers were processed first, which I completely understand, so we did not get approved to receive the money from the first round of grants. But the GOOD news is we have now had all our bank applications approved, and we are PRAYING we get the loan! If we get it, we will ONLY use it to satisfy the requirements of the money used as a GRANT, any money NOT used will be returned!  

 

Yes, our giving is down but I want to thank ALL of you who have continued to give generously during these seven weeks our sanctuary and building have been closed. You truly inspire me! Not everyone has been able to do this, and I DO want everyone to know as I said on Sunday, if you need any help, PLEASE contact me. I have already seen how God DOES provide! To whom much is given, much is expected and if YOU’RE one of the lucky ones ABLE to continue giving or at least give 10% of your stimulus check, remember what I said a few weeks ago: Generosity is not something God wants from us. It’s something God wants for us. I pray you experience His blessings in a BIG way!

 

DID YOU KNOW? Not only can you watch worship LIVE on Sundays and our weekly devotionals on TUESDAYS but you can also LISTEN from our webpage?  For those of you who still don’t have Facebook, I convert most Sunday messages to make them “small” enough to listen to. And I will also be putting our weekly devotions on there as well! Check it out here – you can go as far back as you want!

  

Thanks to everyone who completed the QUICK, anonymous survey we sent last week ~ It will remain open until THIS FRIDAY! As of this morning, we had 44 people respond (please don’t take the survey more than twice!). 70% of you are able to return when it’s safe, and 30% of you will wisely take the advice of the CDC to shelter at home for a little while longer. PARENTS, there have been no responses that include kids so please let your voices be heard! CLICK HERE if you have not responded!  IF you’d prefer to take a written survey and send it to us, I’ve attached it to the update email.

 

On Sunday I also created a DIFFERENT survey to try and reach those “visitors” who have been watching with us, but do NOT post they are watching with us. I reply to EVERYONE who posts a comment, (and I hope YOU, too, will reach out to people you see online and welcome them!). But I pray that God is already preparing NEW hearts to have a NEW church home with us when this is all over!  I hope we get SOME response.

 

ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS:

– Monday Drive Through, 1-3 pm … drive by and pick up your UPPER ROOM today!  

– Tuesday Devotional … I will post on Facebook before noon and then put them on our website where you can listen to ALL the sermons. 

– Wednesday ZOOM Bible Study, 10 am … WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT THE “EVERLASTING PRESENT” we have found ourselves in?  ZOOM has created some extra safety measures so you’ll need a password now. I PROMISE this is really a great way to learn and connect with others!

FUMC’s Bible Study with Pastor Debbie
WEDNESDAY MORNINGS 10 AM
       
To Join Zoom Meeting (you do not need video) Click This Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/451285222?pwd=aFBPMlFNUkhvS0g4QjdEVzhYVms5Zz09
Meeting ID: 451 285 222
Password: 486447

Or, phone in and listen:  +1 346 248 7799 
       Meeting ID: 451 285 222
Password: 486447

 

(903) 342-6172  (PASTOR EMERGENCY or TEXT 972-896-5254)

I showed a video in our worship on Sunday that I really liked a lot. It’s focus was WE ARE STILL THE CHURCH, and this is so important to remember because the church is not a BUILDING. In fact, these days the church has LEFT the building! So always remember, the church is NOT the building, the church is YOU!

PEW NEIGHBORHOODS ARE UP AND RUNNING ~ As you have all heard me talk in church about the people who sit around you, we have now taken the idea of “pew neighborhoods” to a new place since we can’t SEE each other! Instead, you now have a NEIGHBORHOOD CAPTAIN who will be checking in with you occasionally in hopes of keeping your little group connected. I want to thank JaneAnne Newton and Elaina Ragsdale for helping create the maps (and if you haven’t heard from your Captain, please let me know as I don’t want to leave ANYONE off the list and – you do realize I make mistakes, right?  I want to thank them so VERY much:

Choir – Wanda Simms

Balcony – Tina Satterwhite

Homebound – Angie Hollingsworth

Pulpit Front & Middle – Amy Moss

Pulpit Rear – Wanda Noe

Choir Front – Betty Craddock

Choir Center – Sue Gross

Choir Rear – Joyzelle Davis

TRINITY MISSION ASSISTED LIVING DRIVE BY, Friday, April 24, 3 p.m. ~ Mary White Sr. has been in Trinity for weeks now with very little contact from ANYONE. If you know her or anyone else there, put a HELLO MARY WHITE sign in your window and drive-by!

FACEBOOK AUDIO ATTACHED ~ I’ve attached the audio of the FACEBOOK post I did yesterday, but I’ll recap the highlights here … In the waters of baptism, WE were claimed as children of God, as part of God’s family. And THIS means we don’t live in this world separate from one another and we DEFINITELY don’t live without Jesus walking right beside us! That’s why I was so excited to see SO MANY PEOPLE in the parking lot at the hospital in Winnsboro PRAYING together! In the pouring down rain, we were ALL THERE, together!  

SUNDAY FLASH “MOB” PRAYERS ~ For the next few Sundays, we’ll be meeting after worship on Sundays, usually around 11:30-12:30 to pray for others. THIS Sunday, April 26, we’ll be praying in the elementary school parking lot. PLEASE observe social distancing and please post your pictures on our FACEBOOK page, and on your OWN page so we can create a NEW contagion – let’s spread the contagion of HOPE!

DEVOTIONAL ~ The third chapter of Ecclesiastes begins, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (NIV).

Sometimes, it’s hard to figure out what DAY it is let alone what SEASON we’re in. And as far as ACTIVITIES go when we’ve been sheltering at home? We are being VERY creative in finding meaningful activities!

BUT I SEE A NEW SEASON COMING ~ Monday night our church leaders had a zoom meeting to look NOT at the past but to the future. We’re looking to the future because this isolation period WILL end and we WILL be together again someday, and we want to be READY! Yes, it will be different for a while. And yes, it won’t be like it was before for a while, but sometimes change can make us appreciate what we DO have and make us flexible about what we don’t HAVE!

We don’t know WHEN restrictions will be loosened for worship. We don’t know WHAT those restrictions will look like, but it appears that in the next few weeks those who are NOT vulnerable will be able to start coming back to church in SMALLER groups, maybe 50 or less. Vulnerable means seniors and/or those with underlying health conditions. Vulnerable adults will all be encouraged to REMAIN at home until the virus gets more and more under control.

But IF we maintain STRICT social distancing and other precautionary hand sanitizing and disinfecting guidelines, would you feel safe coming back, sitting apart from your pew neighbors, having your hands sanitized when you come and go, perhaps having your temperature taken? Would you be willing to come to a DIFFERENT worship time if we have to have TWO services to accommodate everyone? 

PLEASE TAKE THIS ANONYMOUS SURVEY NOW: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z7TP6PJ

Please complete before May 1.

So our online worship continues for a while longer. We are making a BETTER BAD CHOICE right now, and we feel BLESSED we have the ways to BE “together” on FACEBOOK! But to be able to SEE each other and feel the energy of the spirit working among us? Yes, a new season IS coming!

Until then, stay connected! Since digital communication has caught up and most people are being INUNDATED with messaging, I’m only doing one devotional each week on Tuesday or Wednesday and also every Wednesday at 10 a.m., we’ll have a zoom CONVERSATION.

ZOOM CALLS WEDNESDAY MORNINGS AT 10 AM ~ Set the timer on your phone to remember!

 To join Zoom Meeting … click this link:

https://zoom.us/j/451285222
Meeting ID: 451 285 222

Sermon Series, Late for Easter ~ This Sunday join us as we continue in our NEW sermon series, LATE FOR EASTER. We’ll talk about the foundational ROCK of the church and how even HE Was late for Easter. Peter came around though. I think you’ll love his story!

We’ll drive to the elementary school AFTER church to pray, pray, pray.

Then MONDAY, I’ll be at the church street door from 1-3 p.m.

GRACE AND PEACE!

Pastor Debbie

I have been feeling reflective this week. Since we learned of the seriousness of COVID-19 in mid March, I’ve been extremely focused on staying CONNECTED to each other and working to encourage everyone to STAY SAFE. I felt like I had so many new things to learn and all my energy was geared toward EASTER! Then Easter came, and we were STILL not together! So now, I’m reflecting on WHAT’S NEXT. And I’m getting excited!

Governor Abbott is to release the new guidelines for WHAT’S NEXT for Texas today, and our Church Council will be ZOOM meeting on Monday night. I’ll let you know as SOON as we have any new plans! But until we know what and how to start planning, let’s please stay diligent in our hand washing and social distancing.

On a call with Wood County officials yesterday, they confirmed that there are six cases in Wood County, all at home in self-isolation – all from community spread. Cases are DECLINING in Wood and surrounding counties; however, in TEXAS confirmed cases showed a 65% increase in last seven days; deaths increased over 100% increase in the last seven days. These percentages are much LOWER than they have been in the past few weeks, but Face masks/coverings ARE recommended while in public following the guidelines from the CDC.

I have felt a deep need for us to all have a common purpose, something we can do TOGETHER, something that will make God smile and something that will benefit our community until we can gather again … and we can PRAY! Won’t you please join me???

THIS SUNDAY, April 19, NOON-1pm ~ Christus Mother Frances Hospital Parking Lot ~ FLASH “MOB” PRAYERS in WINNSBORO ~ We’re ALL in this period of isolation TOGETHER so let’s PRAY together, every Sunday after worship! We’ll get in our cars and drive to a specific place TOGETHER, and we will park in the parking lots honoring social distancing rules, not getting out of our cars, but we can wave to each other! Please find our FACEBOOK posts and share them with all your friends or forward this message to people you know!

SUNDAY, April 19, NOON-1pm: Christus Mother Frances Hospital Parking Lot

SUNDAY, April 26 ~ WISD Elementary School

SUNDAY, May 3 ~ Brookshires

SUNDAY, May 10 ~ High School/Middle School

SUNDAY, May 17~ Main Street

SUNDAY, May 24 ~ City Hall/Police 

CARTER BLOOD CARE IS HERE TOMORROW, SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 10 am-3pm at The Rock across from 1st Baptist ~ CLICK here to make your appointment to GIVE BLOOD right here in Winnsboro! 

ATTACHED IS AUDIO from TODAY’S FACEBOOK DEVOTIONAL ~ Today was Part 3 on Jesus Walking on Water, Matthew 14.  You can listen to the first two parts from Tuesday and Wednesday.  

NEW ZOOM FORMAT, WEDNESDAYS, 10 am ~ Instead of having a BIBLE STUDY, we’re going to TALK to each other! We’ll talk about what’s happening in the news, in our lives, in our community and share how our lives are different, better, worse, etc.

To join Wednesday 10 am Zoom Conversation  … click this link:
https://zoom.us/j/451285222
Meeting ID: 451 285 222

OR CALL IN AND LISTEN:

253 215 8782 US  or  301 715 8592 US

SCALING BACK NEXT WEEK ~ I realize everyone has caught up with digital communications and you’re probably overwhelmed with messaging these days, so in the future, here are ONGOING connections you can plan for until otherwise changed:

SUNDAYS: 10:50 am, Facebook LIVE worship

SUNDAYS: Noon-1 pm, Flash “Mob” Prayers (this Sunday at the hospital)

MONDAYS: 1-3 pm: Drive-through on Church Street 

TUESDAYS: Morning devotional on Facebook

DON’T BE LATE FOR EASTER, NEW WORSHIP SERIES STARTS THIS SUNDAY, live on Facebook at 10:50!  Christians around the world know that Easter is more than just a DAY. It’s a way of life! After Jesus rose from the dead, He continued living on this earth for 40 days and He appeared to HUNDREDS of people before He ascended into heaven! In that time, He continued to BLOW US AWAY with his final messages, he even blew away those who were LATE to the party!  Thomas was late to the party and we’ll talk about him this Sunday!

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope… Psalm 130:5

—

CDC COVID 19 Symptoms andTesting: CLICK HERE

First United Methodist Church Winnsboro

301 Church Street, Winnsboro, TX. 75494

CLICK HERE for our Facebook

CLICK HERE for our website

(903) 342-6172  (PASTOR EMERGENCY or TEXT 972-896-5254)