Live Streaming and New Ministry Tools

Dear Church,

What a week it’s been!  I’m so very proud of the staff and the people of Court Street United Methodist Church.  This has been an unusual and challenging week, and you have responded with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.  The Holy Spirit has been moving among us these last few days, creating sanctuary and community in all of the places where we dwell.

We are working to figure out what ministry looks like in this season of physical distancing.  We will also work to keep you posted about events and changes in the life the church.  Please note that we have reduced the on-campus time of all church staff.  Melissa, our stellar secretary, will be working from home most of the week.  Don’t be surprised or frustrated if nobody answers the phone.  Melissa will be checking phone messages regularly, and we would appreciate if you would leave all of your messages in the general voicemail box, which will be checked more often than the boxes for individual staffpersons.

We would like to thank the people who made Sunday morning’s worship livestream possible.  Alan Weamer on the organ, Rev. Christy with the children’s message, Vince Slocum with a deeply pastoral prayer, Celia Peters with the Scripture reading - you saw all of them on camera.  You didn’t see two people who were instrumental in making that service happen: many thanks to Warren Cormicle for working the sound system, and to Ryan Pratt for serving as our cameraman and computer guru.

We appreciate your encouragement and constructive feedback about that first attempt at livestreaming.  We have got some new equipment and software this week that we hope will make the experience even more user friendly.  We hope to be able to broadcast to Facebook, YouTube, and our church website.  Those with smart TVs and Roku-style devices will be able to join worship on the TV screen.  We also hope to be able to put hymn lyrics on the screen so there’s no need to print a separate songsheet.  Please pray for us as we figure out how to make all of this work!

Thanks to those who are giving through the church website, and thanks to those who have faithfully sent in offering envelopes.  We are working to make it even easier to give.  If you are able, please consider making an extra gift to Court Street UMC.  We are investing in new equipment and software, believing that God will provide the resources and bring us out the other side of this challenging season with even stronger and more effective ministries.  

One new tool for ministry we are going to employ during our weeks of physical distancing is an online service called “Zoom.”  Zoom makes it possible to have virtual gatherings online through your internet browser.  Participants can see and hear each other, and there is no need to download any additional software to your computer.  This week we are going to try using Zoom for some of our regular gatherings.  Check your email for links to the following events:

Wednesday, March 18, 6pm:  Online Youth Group                      

Wednesday, March 18, 7pm:  Virtual Potluck/Bible Study         

Thursday, March 19, 10am:  Online Coffee with Clergy             

Thursday, March 19, 7pm:   Bedtime Stories with Rev. Christy    

Sunday, March 22, 6pm:  Online Youth Group                              

Tuesday, March 24, 7pm:  Bedtime Stories with Rev. Christy     

Please know that we are working to care for those members of our church family who may be struggling with feelings of isolation.  A handful of Court Streeters have volunteered to make regular phone calls, particularly to those who are homebound or living alone.  We would love to have more Court Streeters making more calls to more people.  If you’re willing to spend some time on the phone, keeping our church family connected, please respond to this message for further instructions.

Above all, Church, keep doing what you have been doing.  Look for ways to love the people who are cooped up with you.  Take lots of deep breaths.  If you are able, participate in one of the many ministries that are helping people find the essentials (there’s still a food ministry happening at Asbury UMC, for example).  Wash your hands, and do not be afraid.  God is with us, everywhere!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Jeremy

All Church Gatherings Suspended

Dear Church,

After much consultation and prayer, and upon the request of Bishop David Bard, we are suspending all church activities, including Sunday school and in-person worship.  The State of Michigan has recommended that all gatherings of more than 100 persons be suspended, and many churches in our area have made this same decision.  In light of all we have learned about the Coronavirus in recent days, we believe this is the best way for us to care for one another and our community.

This unusual moment gives us an opportunity to remember that “church” is not a building or something we do on Sunday morning; we are the church, and no amount of social-distancing or self-quarantining can stop us from being the church together.  We believe that by the power of God’s love we can be present with one another, even when we are separated by great distances or death.  

We are working to find new ways of connecting to one another.  Get ready to hear about how the youth group will gather online, and how Christian Education can continue without in-person gatherings.  We are planning to livestream worship on Sunday mornings at 10:30am.  You should be able to watch the video through Facebook; we are working on a way to also stream it here on the Court Street website, but that might not be ready in time for this Sunday.  

As always you can listen to sermons and even give your tithe through the church website.  In this strange and anxious moment, the work of the church goes on.  In fact, our staff are working many extra hours this week to sanitize the building, keep up with current events, and create new ways of being in community.  Please support that work by continuing your generous giving.

In the meantime, spend some extra time on the phone with loved ones who might be feeling anxious.  Gather with your family for laughter and prayer.  FaceTime people who might be feeling lonely and isolated.  And, as always, keep on washing your hands and do not be afraid.

God is with us!

Pastor Jeremy and Rev. Christy

Update on COVID-19 Response

Dear Church,

In an attempt to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19, all non-essential gatherings at Court Street United Methodist Church are being suspended for the time being.At this time we are planning to continue Sunday School and Sunday Worship as usual, and we are looking at ways that we might make worship available online for people who do not feel they can safely participate in person.We will not, however, have Wednesday pot lucks, Coffee with Clergy, or prayer in the chapel.Groups and committees (UMW circles, musical ensembles, Trustees, etc.) will be allowed to make their own decisions about whether and how to meet, but we are encouraging groups to avoid meeting in person if it can be avoided.

Please know that this was a difficult decision.We have learned that in places where gatherings are curtailed early on, the spread of COVID-19 can be slowed and the mortality rate remains relatively low.In cities and nations that take fewer precautions, the spread of COVID-19 is exponential and the health system is quickly overwhelmed, leading to a much higher mortality rate.While there are only a couple of confirmed cases in Michigan at this time, we felt that the responsible thing would be for us to take precautions early enough to make a difference.

We do not plan to close the church building or offices at this time, although that may change as we receive new instructions and recommendations from health officials.Even though we may not gather in person as often as we usually do, the work of God’s church will go on.We will work to find new and creative ways to connect with one another, and to share God’s love with our community.If you choose to stay home from worship (and if you are showing any signs of illness or have a weakened immune system, we encourage you to stay home), remember that you can catch up on Sunday’s sermon and give your tithe through the church’s website, www.CourtStreetFlint.org.

We will continue to watch the COVID-19 situation closely, and we will keep you informed about any further changes to church activities.Thank you for your patience and understanding, thank you for your willingness to find new ways of being in community with one another, and thank you for praying for all affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.Keep on washing your hands, and do not be afraid!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Jeremy

Growing in Faith

There are 22 questions the members of John Wesley’s Holy Club asked themselves every day in their private devotions over 200 years ago. These questions are vast, but still incredibly pertinent to our lives today. As I am cleaning, organizing, and making plans for change in this new year I am longing to find ways to continue bettering myself and growing deeper in my faith. These questions are a tool to help me keep my life in check and growing closer to Christ every day.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give it time to speak to me every day?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?

20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

22. Is Christ real to me?

The language reflects a way of life 200 years ago, but the message remains. May your new year be full of contemplation and many blessings as you continue to increase your faith and grow closer to God in this new decade!

Your partner in growth,

Pastor Christy

A word about blessings.

Dear Church,

The other day I got a hesitant request from a Court Streeter who has just moved into a new home.  “Pastor,” she said, “I’d like to have you come and say a blessing for my new home, but I’m worried that you’ll think that’s weird.  Do Methodists do that?  Do you bless stuff?”  “Of course!” I told her - “Blessing stuff is one of my favorite things!”

The idea of giving blessings goes back to a time long before the Christian faith.  In one of the earliest stories in the Bible, God says to a man named Abram, “I will bless you, and…you will be a blessing…  In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”  When God said, “I will bless you,” God meant that God would watch over Abram, walk beside Abram, lend assistance and protection to Abram.  When God said, “You will be a blessing,” God meant that Abram was to watch over others, to walk beside them, to lend assistance and protection to them.  From the very beginning of the Bible story, we find that blessings are a powerful way of thinking about our relationship with God.  God blesses us, that we might bless others.

Blessings became an important part of Jewish identity.  Our Jewish friends say dozens of blessings each day.  There are blessings for different parts of the day, blessings for each meal, blessings for lighting candles.  Interestingly, our Jewish friends don’t begin a meal by saying, “God bless this food.”  Instead, they begin each meal by saying, “God, we bless you and thank you for this food.”  Blessings for our Jewish friends are a way of saying thanks and giving praise to God the source of every good thing.

I went to the Court Streeter’s new house, and we made our way through the home, saying a blessing for every room.  I blessed the kitchen, and prayed that it would be a place of sustenance and fellowship.  I blessed the back porch, and prayed that it would be a place of rest and meditation.  We came to the bathroom, and the Court Streeter said, “Surely you won’t say a blessing for the bathroom?”  “Why not?” I asked.  “We believe that God is present everywhere, and God can work through every thing!”

Today’s festivities will include lots of blessings.  We will bless backpacks, students, and teachers.  We will bless babies and teenagers.  We will bless water and new members.  We will bless barbecue and ice cream.  We will bless God, and we will bless you.  All of these blessings are a way of remembering the God who is the source of every blessing.  Each blessing is a way of giving thanks, and a way of saying to God, “Thank you for being in our lives - we need you!”

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Jeremy

You are welcome here.

Dear Church,

Two news stories this week got my attention and broke my heart.

The first was a story about a boy in Denver, Colorado.  Jamel Myles was nine years old this summer when he announced to his family that he was gay.  Jamel didn’t want to make a big deal of it, but he decided he wasn’t going to hide who he was when he went back to school.  Jamel started the fourth grade this week.  For four days he endured tormen at the hands of his peers, some of whom told him that he should kill himself.  After four days of bullying, he did.

The second was a story out of Greece.  On the island of Lesbos there is a desperately overcrowded refugee camp.  The camp, which was intended to temporarily house up to 2,000 people, is now a sort of indefinite home to more than 8,000 Kurdish, Syrian, and Afghan refugees.  People spend all day in line just hoping to get some food, and there are around 70 people per toilet.  Children suffer from skin diseases caused by poor hygiene, and they also suffer from lung diseases caused by tear gas.  This week charity workers announced that children are suffering so much that they are seeing frequent suicide attempts by children as young as ten years old.

These two stories got me thinking about just what an inhospitable place this world can be.  So many children are told in so many ways, “You’re not welcome here.  There’s no place for you.  The world doesn’t need you.”  So many children are hearing that message and taking it to heart.  The New York Times reports that the suicide rate in America has increased twenty-five percent in the last twenty years.  Middle schoolers are now as likely to die from suicide as they are from a car crash.

These stories and statistics reveal just how vitally important God’s work at Court Street Church truly is.  If we were to do nothing but offer people a welcoming word and warm hospitality, that alone would be reason enough to keep the doors of the church open.  This world needs places and people who say, “You are welcome here.  I will make a place for you.  This world needs you.”  Greeting one another, learning people’s names, going out of our way to make room for children and people with special needs - this is the work God has given us.  This is how we save people’s lives.  This is how we save the world.  

Thank you for being here.  You are important.  You matter.  If you need someone to talk to, we are here for you.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Jeremy

A word about our excavation project.

Dear Church,

I recently had a conversation with a Court Streeter who never fails to amaze me with her sunny attitude.  When I ran into her at the church one morning, I asked her how she was doing, and she said, “I’m doing great!  On my way into the church today, I ran into this great big mess of construction.  While I was stopped,” she said, “I gave thanks to God that some of our roads are finally getting fixed!”

I confess that getting stopped for construction is usually more likely to make me grumpy than it is to cause me to give thanks.  I so appreciate the ability some people have to see the good even in trying or difficult situations!  Speaking of which…

You’ve probably noticed that we had a significant delay in our big excavation project.  You may remember that we are planning on doing some much-needed work on the drainage pipes all around the church.  The project will involve digging a deep trench around a good portion of the building, replacing lines that have long since deteriorated, allowing us to fix sinkholes, stairways, and treacherous sidewalks.  You may also remember that we had hoped to begin that project at the beginning of June.  Clearly, that didn’t happen!

Long story short, the excavators got hung up on another job.  You can imagine how that might happen - you plan so long for a project, then you actually start digging and you discover all sorts of things going on underground that you hadn’t anticipated.  The long delay was frustrating for everyone involved.  This week, we are pleased to say, the excavators are free and the work is beginning!

One of our office staff workers even pointed out a silver lining in this delay: If the work had started on time, our church and roads would have been all torn up during the Crim!  This weekend was a lot smoother than it otherwise might have been!  Like I said, it’s always nice to be around people who see the bright side in a difficult situation.

At any rate, please be advised that the digging is about to commence!  Expect to find construction equipment in the south parking lot.  If possible, park on the east side of the church in the pay lot (which is free on Sunday mornings).  When you come to the church and find yourself inconvenienced a bit, lift a prayer of thanks that we will no longer have sinkholes in the parking lot.  And if the pastors look a bit grumpy, take a moment to help us remember the light that shines in the darkness, that the darkness could not overcome!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Jeremy

A word about Methodism.

Dear Church,

I first went to church camp when I was ten years old.  My home church, Menominee First UMC, sent me up to Camp Michigamme, not far from Marquette.  Michigamme was (and is) a beautiful place, perched on a hill overlooking a lake.  I have many happy memories of swimming at the beach, hiking through the woods, and roasting marshmallows around the campfire.

Michigamme is most significant, however, as the place where I first became aware of God’s presence in a powerful, life-transforming way.  There in the wilderness I was able to hear God’s voice and feel God’s love in a way that I never had before, and that experience changed my life.  One of the reasons I go up to Lake Louise Christian Community (near Boyne) to lead a church camp each summer is that I want more children to have that powerful, life-transforming experience of God’s deep and unbreakable love.

I grew up as a United Methodist, was sent by a United Methodist church to a United Methodist camp - I’ve spent my whole life in the UMC!  That’s not true of everyone in the pews, of course.  Most United Methodist congregations are a fascinating mix of people who grew up Baptist, people who started out Presbyterian, Lutherans who married Catholics and then looked for a suitable compromise.  If the church is doing the work Jesus commanded us to do, we will also find people in the church who didn’t grow up with any church background at all, people who experienced God’s love through the ministries of the church and are now taking their first steps in relationship with Jesus.

Have you ever wondered why so many different sorts of people are able to feel comfortable in a United Methodist church?  Have you ever wondered what United Methodists have in common with Baptists, or what makes us different from Presbyterians?  Have you ever been curious about the history of Court Street Church?  If so, then I’ve got good news for you!  This Fall, I will be leading a six-week “Methodism 101” study on Sunday mornings.  These conversations, primarily geared towards those who are new to Methodism or new to Court Street, will take place on Sunday mornings at 9am, beginning Kickoff Sunday.  We will learn about where Methodism falls on the Christian family tree, we will learn the story of the Methodist movement, we will talk about distinctive Methodist beliefs, and we will learn the basics of how the United Methodist Church works.  If you’re interested in being part of these conversations, we encourage you to contact the church office to RSVP.  Wherever you are in your walk with Jesus, we’re glad that God brought you to Court Street Church!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Jeremy

A word about Lake Louise Family Camp.

Dear Church,

Wondering where your pastors are?  We’re still at camp!  Wondering what we’re doing?  I’m glad you asked!  Rev. Christy and I just wrapped up a week of leadership at Lake Louise Christian Community in beautiful northern Michigan.  We helped lead Elementary Bear Camp - all week long we’ve been singing songs, telling stories, and eating s’mores with 3rd-6th grade campers.  We aren’t ready to come home yet, though!

Now that Elementary Bear Camp is over, it’s our turn to be the campers.  This afternoon, pastors and their families will be traveling to Lake Louise from around the state for an event called “Family Camp for Clergy and Ministry Professionals.”  This gathering is unique - as far as I know, nothing like this camp exists outside the state of Michigan.

Clergy Family Camp started years ago when a number of young pastors, just starting families, were all asked to move to new churches.  Those pastors realized that moving is an inescapable reality for the families of United Methodist pastors.  Preachers’ kids and spouses know that any year they could be asked to go to a new community, a new neighborhood, a new workplace, a new school.  Those young pastors looked at their growing families and wondered if maybe there was a way they could have a set of friends who would always be a part of their lives, no matter how many times they moved.  After some brainstorming and headscratching, Clergy Family Camp was born!

The Peters children have been part of Family Camp for as long as they can remember.  They look forward to seeing their camp friends each summer.  Pastors and their spouses look forward to Family Camp, too.  Each summer we take this opportunity to study and reflect together.  We learn about church leadership, time management, preaching, family dynamics…  Some summers we spend time collaborating to create new sermon series, and some of the series we’ve preached at Court Street came from those brainstorming sessions at Family Camp!

I come back from camp each year with a renewed appreciation for the gift that God has given us in this thing we call the church.  Everything is easier when we do it together.  Everything is less scary when we know we’re not alone.  When we step away from our cell phones and all of the busy-ness of the world and spend time singing, praying, and telling stories together, God does powerful things.  I pray that you experience God’s presence this morning at Court Street, even as we are experiencing God’s presence up north at Lake Louise!  See you soon!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Jeremy