“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 1st Corinthians 1:3-4
Dear Church Family,
Today is a good day to remember that the church is not a building; it’s a people. I want to assure you that First UMC Glassboro continues to be in ministry to and with one another and our community through this current crisis and long after it’s over. We have before us an unprecedented opportunity to BE the Body of Christ like never before. This is what our leaders and I are committed to doing. We ask that you commit to it too.
We have had to make some significant changes in the ways we worship, meet, serve, and care for one another. Here is a list of those changes and how we will continue to be in ministry together.
- We are live-streaming our worship services on Facebook Live Sundays at 10am. Since we can’t worship together in-person, we’re doing it online. Even if you are not on Facebook, you can still join us. Just go to https://www.facebook.com/GlassboroUMC/ around the service time and click on the most current video. We are looking into how those without online access can get our services. If that is you, please call the office to let us know how you prefer to view or listen to our services.
- Our Sunday school, Bible studies, Grow Groups, and committees are meeting online. Thanks to a video conferencing app called Zoom (https://zoom.us), we can still be together virtually from the comfort of our own homes. If you don’t have a webcam or smart phone or tablet, you can still call in from your phone to participate.
- We encourage you to sign up for electronic giving. This is the easiest and safest way to financially support your church through these challenges. Go to glassboromethodist.org/give and click the GIVE button to sign up. If you need help, contact the office.
- Our office is open…sort of. Our office manager is able to do most of the job from home. Someone is checking the mail regularly but our physical office is not open to the public. Please call us at (856) 881-3295, email us at [email protected], or write to us at 60 State St. Glassboro, NJ 08028. Please be patient if it takes longer than usual to get back to you.
- Pastoral care is still available to EVERYONE who wants it. Though in-person visits are not possible now, I will gladly meet with you over the phone, by Zoom, or over email to listen, talk, and counsel as you need. Just call me at 856-243-5488 or email [email protected] and we’ll set something up.
- Help is available and help is needed. If you are an at-risk person with an immediate need or, if you are willing to help someone at-risk, the church wants to know. Please contact the office.
As you can see, our buildings may not be open but our church is! We are monitoring the situation daily and will update you as things develop. But for now, building access is restricted to a small worship team, the head of trustees, the security person of the week, and staff as needed. No one else should be in the buildings without permission.
To get up-to-date information about everything that our church is doing, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or email us to sign up for The Lifeline, our weekly e-newsletter. If you prefer a print copy of our communications, call or mail your request to the church.
These are trying times but God is with us and we do not need to fear! We are in God’s hands and we are called to be Jesus’s hands and feet in the world. Let us continue to love and serve God and one another in the Spirit that God gives us. Let us continue to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ and make disciples together. Pray for one another. Keep in touch with one another. Comfort and encourage one another as God in Christ has done for you.
What a great testimony we will have when we look back on this period in time and say “See how God brought us through it!”
Yours in Christ,
Pastor John
- Here is how to find us on social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GlassboroUMC/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/FirstUMCGlassboro
Twitter: go to Twitter.com and search for @1stUMCGlassboro
YouTube: go to Youtube.com and search for First United Methodist Church Glassboro