Tuesday 31 March 2020
A Weekday Emailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois

Dear Friends,
 
Joe Park is CEO of Horizons, a church stewardship consulting firm. (No, I’m not asking for money!). He wrote this:
 
I recently watched the TED Talk, Embrace the Shake, that really inspired me. The speaker was an artist who developed a tremor that kept him from expressing his creative urges the way he had been previously. For a period of time, he left art behind completely and was devastated.
 
A doctor encouraged him to embrace the shake and learn to make art in fresh ways. That’s exactly what he did. Today, Phil Hansen is creating art in places and spaces that is inspiring artists and non-artists alike.
 
The Coronavirus has shaken up our lives. Our routines have been turned upside down. Our sanity has, maybe, quivered. How are you “embracing the shake”? 
 
Stay cool. Laugh. Call somebody on the phone to chat. Look out your window. Turn off the news for a few hours (or days). Pray. Crack open that dusty Bible. Strike up an email conversation. Send a piece of snail mail (!). 
 
Embrace the shake.
 
Much love to you all.
 
News:
 
The Heart of Mission: See this update from our Mission Partners:
 https://www.firstpres.church/HoM20200327
 
Tax Returns: What are you doing with your tax return? A generous family has given their tax refund to our church in the form of grocery gift cards. If you don’t need it, share it. 
 
Palm Branches: If any of you wish to drive through the alley between our Sanctuary and Education buildings on Thursday afternoon between 1:00 and 2:00, you will be met by a gloved volunteer(s) who will hand you through your open car window a palm branch for every member of your family. The palms have been boxed for over a week, so they carry no infection, advises Peter Yau. We will make no flesh-to-flesh contact in the exchange. 
 
Email us a picture: We’d like to share a picture of you with palm branches, picture of you with your cat, picture of you in your worship space, picture of you…where ever. We’re attempting to stay connected during this season of physical-distancing. Email a picture to live@firstpres.church.
 
Prayer Service on Thursday night: At 7:00 on this Thursday night, we will have a service of prayer live on Zoom.  Bring your prayer concerns.  Instructions will be provided soon.
 
A Video Message from Matt: https://youtu.be/5YF7syP7iso
 
The Good Word:  
 
Jacques 5:13-16 La Bible du Semeur (BDS)                    
13 L’un de vous passe-t-il par la souffrance?? Qu’il prie. Un autre est-il dans la joie?? Qu’il chante des cantiques. 14 L’un de vous est-il malade?? Qu’il appelle les responsables de l’Eglise, qui prieront pour lui, après lui avoir fait une onction d’huile au nom du Seigneur. 15 La prière faite avec foi obtiendra la guérison du malade[a] et le Seigneur le relèvera. S’il a commis quelque péché, il lui sera pardonné. 16 Confessez vos péchés les uns aux autres et priez les uns pour les autres, afin que vous soyez guéris. Quand un juste prie, sa prière a une grande efficacité.
 
James 5:13-16        
13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 
 
 
Prayer:
 
God,
good beyond all that is good, 
fair beyond all that is fair,
in you is calmness, 
               peace, 
               and concord.
Heal the dissensions that 
divide us from one another
and bring us back to a unity of love
bearing some likeness to your divine nature.
Through the embrace of love
and the bonds of godly affection,
make us one in the Spirit
by your peace which 
               makes all things peaceful.
We ask this through the grace,
                mercy, 
                               and tenderness
of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.
 
(—Dionysius of Alexandria, d. 264 CE)
 
 
PEACE,
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138