Ongoing Response to COVID-19

Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2021-01-27

Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
 
Friends,
 
In-person worship will begin soon. The Covid-19 is working out plans with the Session. The rough start-date is February 21. Stay tuned. In the meantime, sign up for your vaccine! 
 
* * *
 
JOIN US TONIGHT! We’ll gather at 7:00 for our weekly Zoom. This week our friends on our Spiritual Formation team will lead us in a conversation about . . . democracy. Join us for this timely talk. Pat Phillips offers this: In a TED talk, “How to revive your belief in Democracy”, Eric Liu says, “I believe we are at a moment of moral awakening, the kind that comes when old certainties collapse.”  Civic religion as he calls it, is about commitment to one another and our common ideals, not at all a renunciation of Christian beliefs, but to explore the alikeness of apparently unlike people leading to real community.  We keep hearing, ‘we’re all in this together.’ Are we?

Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
 
News
 
Remember: When we get wind of Covid vaccine schedules, we are forwarding them to you as soon as we receive them. The schedules fill up by the next day, so be diligent. 
 
* * *
 
Last night our church celebrated our occasional Zoom Dessert. Several folk reported that these were fun movies: 

  •       Eye in the Sky (action movie)
  •       Space Cowboys (comedy)
  •       This Could Happen to You (comedy involving Lotto tickets, a waitress, and a cop)
  •       A Man Called Ove
  •       Soul (the fun, new Disney movie)

Humor (Hard times really need godly laughter): 
 
Marilyn Hunter Shimkus shares this fun joke:  A dog went to college. When he had finished his course, his master asked him what curriculum he had studied. Dog replied, “languages.” Master asked him to please say something in another language. Dog said “Meow”
 
Good Word: 
 
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1)

LET US PRAY: 
 
Christ, be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.  
—St. Patrick
  
* * *
 
Much, much love to you all.
  
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church


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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2021-01-26

The Nurture Committee invites you to join them over Zoom on TONIGHT, January 26, at 7 pm for the next Virtual Dessert.  Bring your favorite dessert or beverage.

Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.

* * *

JOIN US WEDNESDAY! We’ll gather at 7:00 for our weekly Zoom. This week our friends on our Spiritual Formation team will lead us in a conversation about . . . democracy. Join us for this timely talk. Pat Phillips offers this: In a TED talk, “How to revive your belief in Democracy”, Eric Liu says, “I believe we are at a moment of moral awakening, the kind that comes when old certainties collapse.”  Civic religion as he calls it, is about commitment to one another and our common ideals, not at all a renunciation of Christian beliefs, but to explore the alikeness of apparently unlike people leading to real community.  We keep hearing, ‘we’re all in this together.’ Are we?

Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
* * *
 

 
   
                                                       


  

 
The Heart of Mission
January 26, 2021
 
The picture above is a beautiful batik table cloth given to World Mission recently by our Indonesian mission co-worker, Farsijanna Adeney-Risakotta. It was part of a product basket that several of us evaluated for her. I had a wonderful email this week from her. She is at home in California for a few more months and was able to preached this past Sunday at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Santa Cruz, California. Included in that worship is not only her sermon on Jonah but also a video about the House of Authentic Sense Co-op which produced the product basket. The Co-op brings people together from Muslim and Christian faiths, provided microfinance loans, and helps them improve their skills and communication.  Click this https://vimeo.com/504197123 to view the worship service
 
Some of us will hopefully be zooming with her in February to continue our work evaluating some of their products. Six of our mission team have evaluated the HAS products and hopefully will be able to introduce some of them to you later on in the year.
 
Opportunity International has called us to “pay attention” to the impact COVID 19 has had around the world. The impact is staggering. This very informative article tells more. Please take time and read it. Just click this

https://opportunity.org/news/blog/2021/january/the-pandemics-we-dont-see?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=11921%20-%20Pandemic%20Blog&utm_content=11921%20-%20Pandemic%20Blog+CID_0477ce56cf664befeb4bfb85da634d4f&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=KEEP%20READING

Our prayers go out to our sister congregation in Luyano. Silvia Fonden, the cook for the Luyano congregation’s community breakfast program, mother of Norka, an elder in the Luyano congregation, and friend to many, died this past week. Many of First Presbyterian Church groups met and were fed by Silvia. Our hearts go out to Norka and the congregation.
 
On the home front, Salt & Light sent us some helpful information on what to donate and what not to donate to them. They cannot accept food; although, you can purchase food from their grocery department and they welcome this. They can accept a variety of clothing and household items. Click this https://mailchi.mp/5c89fe422a7f/looking-to-donate-goods-we-can-help?e=5b98f48e06 to read more about that.
 
And, our prayers are focused on CU at Home right  now as they are nearing their One Winter’s Night. They are in the midst of their hard Winter months right now. Pray for the Box Dwellers who are participating in One Winter’s Night CU at Home’s annual and very important fundraiser. Click this

https://www.cuathome.us/box-dwellers/#:~:text=C%2DU%20at%20Home%20One%20Winter,even%20in%20your%20own%20home.

to read more about Box Dwellers for One Winter’s Night.

We pray for our friends without an address who are struggling with homelessness and relapses. We celebrate with CU at Home that they have finished the construction on Austin’s Place and now are helping our female friends without an address. We celebrate with those friends who addressing the underlying issues of substance abuse; sometimes it takes several tries before a success can happen. We celebrate with the friends who are able to move on to taking care of their own apartment.
 
Our Environmental Stewardship Committee is talking about Earth Day and Earth Sunday already, April 22 and 25. Spring is just around the corner. They heard from Rev. Cindy Shepherd from Faith in Place at their last meeting. Anyone interested in the Clean Energy Jobs Act, or learning more about how citizens can act toward environmental justice, was invited to register for a webinar on Jan. 28 at https://www.faithinplaceaction.org/ Find the tab that says Events for the link.
 
Peace,
 
Rev. Dr. Rachel Matthews, Mission Coordinator
 
Let us keep all our mission partners in our prayers, those who are waiting to go back to their place of ministry and those who are able to work where they are. Listen for God’s call to you in their ministry.
 
Our PC(USA) Mission CoWorkers:
 
Mark Adams and Miriam Maidonado Escobar (Mexico)
Farsijanna Adeney-Risakotta (Indonesia)
Jeff and Christi Boyd (Central Africa)
Bob and Kristi Rice (South Sudan)
 
Our regional and global mission partners:
 
Kemmerer Village (and Camp Carew)
Lifeline Pilots
Marion Medical Mission
Mission Aviation Fellowship
Opportunity International
Friends of Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan Presbyterian Cuba Partnership
Special Offerings of the PC(USA)
Theological Education Fund
Young Adult Volunteers
 
Here in Champaign – Urbana:
 
CU at Home
CANAAN S.A.F.E. HOUSE
CANTEEN RUN
COURAGE CONNECTION
DREAAM
eMPTY TOMB, INC
FAITH IN ACTION
JESUS IS THE WAY PRISON MINISTRY
THE REFUGEE CENTER
RESTORATION URBAN MINISTRY
SALT & LIGHT
 
Here at First Presbyterian Church
 
FPCC Amateur Preachers
FPCC Environmental Committee working with Faith in Place
FPCC Presbyterian Women
FPCC ESL
FPCC Children, Youth and Families
FPCC Mission Possible/Go and Serve
FPCC Mission Team, World Mission and Community Mission Deacons

 
 
A picture containing drawing Description automatically generated
 

  302 W. Church Street
  Champaign, IL 61820
  217-356-7238
  info@firstpres.church
 
 

 
   
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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2021-01-25

Monday, January 25th, 2021
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
 
Friends,
 
Here’s a poem for you. As we approach the Season of Lent, we’ll be rightly thinking about temptation, sin, discipleship, hope, spiritual disciplines, transformation, and the transcendent, muddy stuff of faith. Share your thoughts with me about the coming of Easter, the coming of spring. 
 
This is by the Romanian poet Nina Cassian; I found it first in Christian Wimer’s collection of poems called Joy.
 
Temptation
Call yourself alive? Look, I promise you
that for the first time you’ll feel your pores opening
like fish mouths, and you’ll actually be able to hear
your blood surging though all those lanes,
and you’ll feel light gliding across the cornea
like the train of a dress. For the first time
you’ll be aware of gravity
like a thorn in your heel,
and your shoulder blades will ache for want of wings.
Call yourself alive? I promise you
you’ll be deafened by dust falling on the furniture,
you’ll feel your eyebrows turning into two gashes,
and every memory you have – will begin
a Genesis.
 
©Ardis, 1983; Oxford Univ. Press, 1993
translated from the Romanian by Brenda Walker & Andrea Deletant
 
News
 
Remember: When we get wind of Covid vaccine schedules, we are forwarding them to you as soon as we receive them. The schedules fill up by the next day, so be diligent. 

* * *

The Nurture Committee invites you to join them over Zoom on Tuesday, January 26, at 7 pm for the next Virtual Dessert.  Bring your favorite dessert or beverage.

Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
 
* * *
 
Humor (Hard times really need godly laughter): 
 
Thank you Bill Marble (three strikes, you’re out?):
 
1/Niece: I have a lot of friends named Nathan.
Me: When they are together, do you call them The United Nathans?
 
2/We all know about Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong will go wrong. But have you heard of Cole’s Law? It’s thinly sliced cabbage.
 
3/You know, people say they pick their nose, but I feel like I was just born with mine.
 
Good Word: 
 
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
       The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
One thing I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:
       to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.
       For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
       Praise the LORD.
(from Psalm 27:1, 4-9)
LET US PRAY: 
 
From all oppression, conspiracy, and rebellion; 
from violence, battle, and murder; 
and from dying suddenly and unprepared,
Good Lord, deliver us.

—Book of Common Prayer
  
* * *
 
Much, much love to you all.
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church


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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2021-01-22

Friday, January 22nd, 2021
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
 
Friends, 
 
May this prayer center and lead us to worship on this Sunday…
 
Oh Lord Christ, 
Son of God who takest away the sins of the world: 
Have mercy on us for we have sinned.  
In a world filled with much faithlessness, 
and lovelessness, 
and vindictiveness, 
forgive us, O Master of the Universe, 
for joining the crowd.
 
FirstPres.Live.
 
PEACE and much love,
 
Matt Matthews
864.386.9138
matt@firstpres.church
 
* * *

News:

The Nurture Committee invites you to join them over Zoom on Tuesday, January 26, at 7 pm for the next Virtual Dessert.  Bring your favorite dessert or beverage.

Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.

* * *

From your Nurture Team — the photo challenge is back from a little break.
Here’s this week’s photo.   

Visit http://fb.com/groups/firstpreschampaign to make your guesses, or email them to photos@firstpres.church.  
 
Please join in the fun!  We would like you to select a photo from your younger years (grade school, high school or early adulthood). Photos need not be professional. Candid shots are welcome. Please send your photos to photos@firstpres.church.
 
* * *
 
From the bleak midwinter…
https://youtu.be/UfsbnewzIVE
 
 
…to a Lovely Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s6VbOEnsgk
 
 


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Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2021-01-21

Thursday, January 21st, 2021
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
 
Friends,
 
Our Covid-19 Response Team has not ceased meeting. Here’s the latest:
 
January 15, 2021 
Minutes from Covid Committee Meeting via Zoom on 1/12/21. 
The Covid Committee met via Zoom on 1/12/21 to touch base after news of vaccine availability was noted by several in the congregation. In attendance were Matt Matthews, Eric Corbin, Judi Geistlinger, Mark Schoeffmann, Carol Miles, Tom Ulen and Ruth Craddock. We welcomed Tom and Carol as new session reps for Physical Plant and Worship committees respectively. 
We reviewed that Illinois Region 6 remains in Phase 4 with Tier 3 mitigations, starting November 20 and scheduled to persist until 2/6/21 per the IDPH web site information. Note was made that while the 7 day rolling percentage rate was dropping some, the hospitalization rates and ICU occupancy were such that Tier 3 mitigations could not yet be reduced to Tier 2 mitigations in Region 6. We also noted that our previous decision to postpone face to face worship in light of increasing cases of Covid 19 was predicated on the state of Illinois’ call to go to Tier 1 mitigations when the 7 day positivity rate exceeded 8 % and that we would be able to consider reconvening face to face services when the 7 day positivity rate fell below 6.5 %. Now we all read on the web site that the Tier 3 mitigations would be reduced once the rate was below 12% along with adequate access to both ICU and hospital beds. With fewer cases overall, and with adequate ICU/hospital beds available, the state would then reduce restrictions on activities gradually, moving from Tier 3 to Tier 2 and eventually back to Tier 1 mitigations, and then eventually removing all mitigations to resume the Phase 4 Restore IL plan as outlined on the public health web site. 
We made note of 2 community options to receive a corona virus vaccine locally, and referenced information about vaccinations readily available via local news outlets on TV and in print, as well as the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department via phone and website. The current community options for vaccination are available for people over age 75, provided after the vaccinations of health care providers; the vaccine will be offered for people over age 65 in the next week or so, and we noted that at this time of change in federal leadership, details about the vaccination process will likely be changing and all are optimistic that the vaccine rollout will soon be much improved locally and nationally. We would recommend that as many people in the congregation as are able and willing should get the vaccine.
Matt brought to our attention a concern of a member of the congregation about a small group meeting in Westminster Hall; it was unclear whether the group was meeting weekly or monthly, but it was known that the group was fewer than 10 individuals. We reviewed that in the fall of 2020 the committee had agreed that Matt and originally Peter Yau, when he was still on the committee, would be able to make decisions on a case by case basis as to whether or not various groups requesting to use church space for meetings would be allowed to do so, and that the entire committee did not need to meet to make those decisions. All groups meeting at the church are following protocols which include wearing masks, signing in to allow for contact tracing, taking temperatures etc. We reviewed that there had been several possible exposures to various people in the church, both in the groups that meet as well as the staff, but the origin of the exposures was difficult to pinpoint, and thus far no severe disease or outcomes were noted. We did discuss that the group in question meeting in Westminster Hall was able to socially distance in that space, whereas they would be in closer quarters were they to meet in someone’s home, and reviewed that it was their choice to meet, and not a mandated meeting. 
Recognizing that we likely have not yet seen the peak of Covid 19 cases following Christmas and New Year’s, we agreed to meet again in later January or early February to see where things stand in terms of local, regional, state and national cases, with the hope that as more people get vaccinated and that as the number of cases comes down, we will be able to plan for face to face worship again. Matt reviewed that the online worship format aired on Sunday mornings remains the ‘flagship’ worship service and that if we can resume face to face worship in a few months, it will be socially distanced with masks, without singing etc as discussed in previous meetings. 
Respectively submitted, Ruth Craddock 
Covid-19 Response Team
1 Ron Deering
2 Judi Geistlinger
3 Carol Miles/worship
4 Ken Chapman
5 Matt Matthews
6 Eric Corbin
7 Mark Schoeffmann
8 Ruth Craddock, chair
9 Tim Young
10 Tom Ulen/Grounds
 
News
 
When we get wind of Covid vaccine schedules, we are forwarding them to you as soon as we receive them. The schedules fill up by the next day, so be diligent. 

* * *

The Nurture Committee invites you to join them over Zoom on Tuesday, January 26, at 7 pm for the next Virtual Dessert.  Bring your favorite dessert or beverage.

Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
 
* * *
 
Pray for our Session. They meet this evening.
 
Humor (Hard times really need godly laughter): 
 
Thank you Bill Marble:
 
I read that by law you must turn on your headlights when it’s raining in Sweden but how am I supposed to know when it is raining in Sweden? 
 
* * *
 
Pyro parable, perhaps apocryphal
from Bill Gamble
 
An early settler in East Central Illinois was building a small log cabin, small because logs were scarce in the tall-grass prairie.  He needed stones for a fireplace, also scarce in the prairie.  He eventually located some nice black rocks in a creek bed, and built the fireplace. 
 
Sometime later he built the first fire in the fireplace, but soon it was much warmer than he wanted and then it became a raging inferno, consuming first the fireplace and then the entire cabin.  Guess what:  Those “nice black rocks” were coal!
 
A version of this was once published as a warning to building designers:  Pick your building materials carefully.
 
(There is no black rocks in our new kitchen. I don’t think. [ed.])
 
Good Word: 
 
Mark 1:14-20                      
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus  came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15and  saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;  repent, and believe in the good news.”
 
16As Jesus passed along the Sea of  Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for  they were fishermen. 17And Jesus said to them, “Follow  me and I will make you fish for people.” 18And  immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19As  he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John,  who were in their boat mending the nets. 20Immediately  he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired  men, and followed him.

Let us pray: 

 
Holy God, when our “personal” experience of You allows no room for others,
      help us to seek your forgiveness.
When “church” becomes a sanctuary only and never a launch pad,
      help us to seek your forgiveness.
Forgive us, Holy God, for the ways we seek a personal relationship with you to the exclusion of the whole world. 
      Hear our prayer.
Open us to new friendships. 
      Hear our prayer.
Inspire us to be curious about ways of thinking different than our own. 
      Hear our prayer.
Forgive our pride that proclaims “my way is the best way.” 
      Hear our prayer.
Help us to listen and to hear. 
      Hear our prayer.
Help us repair our community with hospitality and friendship, in the manner of Jesus.
      Hear our prayer.
Grow our kinship with the world you love and have so graciously redeemed in Jesus Christ. 
      AMEN.
 
* * *
 
Much, much love to you all.
  
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church


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