Tuesday April 14^th 2020
A Weekday Emailer from
Matt Matthews
 
To Members and Friends of 
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois

Dear Friends,
 
Mark Schoeffmann, chair of our church Finance Committee, asks a very good question in this note to us. Thank you, Mark:
 
What will you do with your stimulus funds? You may have heard that the Federal Coronavirus Economic Stimulus package includes economic impact payments to families earning all the way up to $198,000. Were you surprised to hear that you would be receiving a payment?  Many of us who are not losing jobs or income due to the severe economic conditions being experienced across our country and the world, will be receiving some of these funds. The payments we receive provide us with an opportunity to help other families who could use these funds much more than we can.  
 
One way to help these families is to donate whatever received from the stimulus package to the church and designate it for Missions.  This will allow our mission team to provide more support to our local and world mission partners to help those suffering from this sudden economic downturn.  The Finance Committee encourages you to consider how these “windfall” funds, that will show up in your bank account or mailbox soon, could be put to their best use.  I think this is what being a “Matthew 25 Church” is all about.
 
Read the heart of Mission (attached, below) to see the feeding initiative to help feed Urbana-Champaign school children. Of all the money the church receives designated for “mission”, some will be directed here. 
 
News:
 
Prayers: Sabrina Hwu is in Taiwan with father who has suffered a stroke. Roy Van Buskirk is ill with Leukemia. 
 
Mission notes: Stay on top of what’s happening with our mission partners. firstpres.church/HoM20200414 
 
On-line resources: I’m sure you’ve taken museum tours and discovered all sorts of interesting things on-line. I’ve caught some museum lectures. What have you found on-line? This came to me weeks ago from Kim File (who got them from daughter Anna, a NEW mother! Congrats!). Check it out: 
 
Class Central: TONS of free online courses from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale.
 
Brit + Co: All online arts/craft/self-help classes free through 3/31(use code SELFCARE at checkout)
 
The Arts
Museum + Art Gallery Tours: “Visit” famous museums and art galleries from around the world, powered by Google 
The Metropolitan Opera: The Met is streaming online encore performances originally broadcast at movie theaters around the country.
 
Things to look for in master paintings of the Last Supper:
 http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/7-things-to-look-for-in-paintings-of-the-last-supper/
 
Many thanks for Easter: 
From Diane Mortensen: The word “Thanks “ seems inadequate to covey the gratitude I feel for all of you who brought yesterday’s wonderful Easter service to me.  From beginning to ending it was amazing and filled me with joy. I’m blessed beyond words.
From Charlene Bremer: Christ is risen indeed! Thank you for a wonderful meaningful service today. You have an extremely talented team to work with. God bless you all. Harry and I have been joining you and all the Champaign church for the services now for awhile.  We may be far but you are in our hearts. Happy Easter!  Be safe, be healthy, and keep the faith. Thanks be to God. 
 
Andrea Bocelli is worth catching. From Nancy MacGregor: Don’t know if you heard this yesterday, but Andrea Bocelli sang in the Duomo in Milan on Sunday morning. If you have half an hour, and have not seen/heard the concert, you can find it at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huTUOek4LgU
 
 
Good Word:
 
Matthew 25:31-45                              
31 When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. 32 The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.
33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. 35 When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36 and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”
 
37 Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38 When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”
 
40 The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”
 
41 Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”
 
44 Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”
 
45 The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”
 
 
Let us pray
 
Just for today,
what does it matter, 
O Lord, 
if the future is dark? 
To pray now for tomorrow 
I am not able.
Keep my heart 
only for today,
grant me your light—
just for today. 
Amen. 
                                                          [Teresa of Lisieux (1873–1897)]
 
Much love to you all.
 
PEACE,
 
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church