Session Update: Worship Plans

 To our beloved First Presbyterian Church:

Session has developed a plan at our September meeting that includes indoor worship. We remain committed to mitigating as much risk as possible from COVID-19.

Beginning October 4, we will have both an indoor service in Fellowship Hall at 10:00 a.m. and an outdoor service at 11:00 a.m. (with an exception for October 11). Fellowship Hall will allow us to create cross-ventilation in our worship space. In the meantime, we are modifying our HVAC system in the sanctuary with ionization technology. Session will consider in-person worship in the sanctuary as soon as that modification is complete. 

Upcoming Worship Schedule

September 27 

  • 10:00 a.m. Outdoor Worship (please note change in time)

October 4, World Communion Sunday

  • 10:00 a.m. Fellowship Hall

  • 11:00 a.m. Outdoors in Parking Lot      

October 11, Kirking of the Tartan and guest preacher Rev. Dr. Chip Hardwick (Interim Executive of the Synod of the Covenant)

  • 10:00 a.m. Outdoor Worship (one service)

October 18  until sanctuary is fitted with sanitization system

  • 10:00 a.m. Fellowship Hall

  • 11:00 a.m. Outdoors in Parking Lot

Indoor worship will require diligence in wearing masks and physical distancing. We can seat about 55 people in Fellowship Hall. Once capacity is reached, people will be invited to the 11:00 a.m. outdoor service. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 (which can be reviewed at this link) will be asked to worship on the live-stream, as well as anyone who has recently traveled to a state with a high advisory level from the state of Ohio. Temperatures will be taken with an infrared thermometer before entering the worship space.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns as we proceed. We thank everyone for their diligence, support, and prayer. Let’s continue to work and pray for healing and wholeness for all people during this challenging time.

In Christ,

Session

Blanket Drive

COVID-19 is reducing our community’s capacity to serve people who are homeless this winter. Some agencies are predicting that there will be 200-300 homeless families sleeping outside this winter in Middletown. We will be accepting new or gently used blankets. These will be given to Access Counseling, who is trying to collect 1,000 blankets community-wide by November 1.

You can drop off blankets in the bins by the Circle Drive Door (Door C) or the front steps of the sanctuary. The Mission Committee will also be purchasing some blankets in bulk.

Bible Study: Poverty and the Gospel of Luke

Join us for Bible Study on Tuesday mornings at 10:00 a.m.

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/3577569746

Call-in: (312) 626-6799 and use meeting ID 357 756 9746.

September

Our first three weeks will be focused on the theme of Poverty in the Gospel of Luke. Luke's Gospel is especially attentive to the matter of poverty. We will study how this emerges and how it helps us interpret the Gospel as a whole.

Week 1, Sept. 15: Lukan sources
Mary’s Song (1:46-56)
Jesus Reading from the Scroll (4:16-30)
Beatitudes (6:20-26)

Week 2, Sept. 22: Parables
Wedding Banquet (14:15-24)
Lazarus and the Rich man (16:19–31)

Week 3, Sept. 29: Encounters with Jesus
A series of encounters—little children, rich ruler, and Zachhaeus (18:15–19:10)
The Widow at the Temple (20:45-21:4)


October

In October, we will focus on “Slowing Down, Sabbath, and Restfulness” in scripture. We will draw on passages that help us reflect on themes sabbath, stillness, and solitude. At a time where we find the need to slow down in the context of physical distancing and quarantining, what tools can God give us through scripture?




Update from Session: Outdoor Worship

Dear friends,

Session decided to begin outdoor worship services on August 9 in the West Parking Lot as pictured above. These in-person worship services will be immediately suspended if someone in attendance of the service tests positive for COVID-19 within two weeks of being in worship. (Please see the September 4 update below.)

We pray that this decision honors the need to gather, as well as mitigate as much risk as possible.

Here are some important details:

  • Worship, for now, will begin at 9:30 instead of 10:00. This is to maximize shade and keep cooler temperatures.

  • Masks and physical distancing are required.

  • If you are able, please bring your own seating. Chairs will be available. We are trying to minimize the number of surfaces that will need to be sanitized.

  • The service will include music, prayer, scripture, and preaching. We will refrain from congregational singing.

  • Inclement weather plans will be shared before the first service.

  • Please do not come if you are feeling any symptoms related to COVID-19.

  • Virtual worship, though in a modified form, will continue to be made available.

Please do not feel compelled to attend in-person worship services. They are so many other ways to stay connected to God and one another at this time. Please speak to Pastor Michael or an elder if there is anyway we can help you stay connected.

There will be unanticipated challenges as we take this step together. We trust that we will engage these challenges with patience, understanding, and a sense of humor!

Blessings,

Anne Frantz, Clerk of Session

Michael Isaacs, Pastor

August 6, UPDATE:

In the event of inclement weather, please use the recorded material for worship. If it is raining but you could baseball in the rain, we may have the in-person service without instruments or electronics. (This would prevent us from live-streaming.) In the event of thunder or a downpour, there will be no in-person gathering, and we will attempt to live-stream the service from another location (we need the live-streaming practice!) In any event, our recorded service will be available.

Any decision about inclement weather will be on the website and Facebook by 8:45 a.m. on Sunday. We know this is complicated; thank you for your patience!

September 4, UPDATE:

There has been a change in our outdoor worship policy. We communicated earlier that the service would move back to only being virtual if Butler County returned to a Level 3 (red) emergency. Butler County was moved to emergency Level 3 (red) on Thursday afternoon. Session re-considered our policy this afternoon. The emergency level of Butler County will be one factor considered among others in this determination. Outdoor worship will continue at this time. We thank you for everyone's diligence in physical distancing and mask wearing, and we reiterate that no one should feel compelled to attend at this time.

Theological Forum on Creation Care

Join us for an online theological forum on eco-theology and creation care throughout July. We have recently worked with a community listener to hear what people in the community are thinking about. One of the most common responses we heard was things related to environmental concerns. Let’s learn more about the connection between theology and creation!

The forum will be led by theologian Dr. Jonathan Sparks-Franklin, who also happened to be our Community Listener. One of his specialties is eco-theology. He will introduce the subject on a July 5 sermon on Genesis 1 (see the video below), and then we will host a theological forum on July 8, 15, 22, and 29 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. The forum is open to all, so please join us!

Sign up below to have the Zoom link sent to you (it will also be available in the Wednesday Evotionals.)

Compassion Camp

Beginning July 5, join us each week in July as we explore what it means to have compassion for others, ourselves, and the world. Activities for all ages will be available online each Sunday and we’ll connect online via Zoom each Wednesday (beginning July 8) at 5:00pm.

Compassion Camp Themes:

  • At the Table: Luke 15:11-35

  • To the Neighbor: Mark 2:1-12

  • For Myself: Mark 12:28-31 and Deuteronomy 6

  • Along the Way: Ruth 1:1-22

  • With the World: Leviticus 25

Sign up for Compassion Camp, so we can send you more detailed information about receiving weekly content and participating in online gatherings.

We also have opportunities for all ages to help lead portions of Compassion Camp! Contact Lisa Kaufer for more information (lisa@fpcmiddletown.com).