March 19, 2020

Dear Church,

Every morning we wake up to updates on the coronavirus. We also wake up to God’s love and faithfulness.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is our faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

God’s steadfast love never ceases. Our response is to remain faithful at all times. What does it mean for us to be faithful during this challenging time? We keep being the church. The church is more than the building. The church is the body of Christ. Wherever we are, there is the church.

At this time, the church office will be open Monday – Thursday, 9:00 – Noon. Two staff members will be at the church to distribute lunch bags to our neighbors on the street.

Within the next week, Pastor Leah and I will be offering online studies and opportunities for community prayer. Stayed tuned for more to follow.

Here are ways to remain faithful to God through Second United Methodist Church:

Worship (at home)

Beginning Sunday morning, we will offer an online worship service on our website(https://secondumc.org) and Facebook page (@2umcknoxville).

Read scripture and devotional booklets. Take a walk. Give thanks for the ways you see and hear God’s goodness in creation.

Give

Hear are three ways to give your tithes and offerings:

Mail your tithe or offering to Second UMC, 1524 Western Avenue, Knoxville, TN, 37921

Use online giving through our website.

Use personal bill pay system provided by your bank. Contact your bank for instructions to set it up. Call or email Leah Kilby (lkilby@comcast.net or 567-1253) if you have questions about any of the ways to give.

Serve

Call to check-in on each other and those in your neighborhood who live alone. Be the light of Christ during this dark time.

Offer to deliver a meal or groceries to the most vulnerable in our church and community.

Mail a card or letter to our members in nursing homes and assisted living centers. They are no longer able to receive visitors (including family). Call or email Lisa for the names of our members in nursing homes or assisted living centers (2umc@comcast.net or 776-1519).  Send mail to those who live alone and cannot leave their homes.

Pray

Remember to pray for our local, state and national leaders; those on the frontline of the coronavirus – doctors, nurses, hospital and medical office staff, first responders, grocery store employees, store clerks and employees, UPS and USPS workers, day care staff, and all those who cannot stay home; the sick; single parents trying to work and find childcare; the hospitalized; prison staff and prisoners; the homeless; persecuted Christians; nursing home residents and staff; the lonely and the scared; tornado victims; our church.

Connect

Here are ways to connect during this time:

Sign up to receive the pastor’s weekly prayer and announcements through text, phone or email. Sign up to receive the church newsletter. Email or call Lisa Glover with your phone number, email address and physical address. She can be reached at 2umc@comcast.net or 776-1519.

Sign up for a free ZOOM account at: https://zoom.us/signup. With the basic free account, you will be able to join Bible studies and small groups. The benefit of Zoom is that you can see other participants in addition to the person leading the study. Those without access to high speed internet may call in using a cell or landline phone.

Thank you for being faithful to God through Second United Methodist Church. The coronavirus can take away our ability to physically gather as the body of Christ. However, the pandemic cannot take away the body of Christ. Not even the tomb could hold Christ. The coronavirus cannot hold the church down. Great is our faithfulness to God whose love and mercies are new every morning!

Blessings of Hope,

Pastor Charla