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Peace United Methodist Church March Worship Services

Worship services during the month of March for Peace United Methodist Church

Peace United Methodist Facebook Updates during the month of March

Updates/inspirational words for the congregation posted during the month of March

Peace United Methodist March "Minute of Peace"

"Minutes of Peace" from the congregation members and leaders that include words of encouragment from them personally, and from scripture

Streaming Worship at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, IN, during Covid-19

Sunday morning worship streaming via Zoom, May 3. 2020

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Indianapolis, IN, during Covid-19

This is the email sent to the congregation explaining our strategy for resuming in-person worship, slowly and deliberately over the course of the next several months.

Plague year: how the Redemptorists coped with last century's pandemic

Our historical bulletin details how the Redemptorists of North America coped with the flu pandemic of 1918-19. Their experience can inform our decisions about today's pandemic.

First Free Methodist Church method of conducting religious services as of May 17th

Instead of moving ceremonies to an online format, members of the First Free Methodist Church have elected to have "drive in" services.

Be Still...

"Lord, still my raging mind so when all is silent I shall know your voice." Henri Nouwen During the pandemic we have all found ourselves as shut ins. The news and social media have been over run with stories of isolation, along with its impact. However, in concert virtual groups have sprung up. Social media has been a go to for a sense of community and spiritual refuge. Friend groups have structured ways to stay connected, while remaining at least six (6) feet apart, in an effort to nurture each other. Places of worship have become savvy in streaming and ZOOM bible studies. The resourcefulness of the human spirit has been profound. I have felt these efforts were indeed examples of how God enters into the circumstances of our lives, and works within them to bestow grace. Oddly, the predicament of being human is to feel alone, with or without a pandemic. The biblical narrative is themed with separation and the anxiety thereof. When we are separated we feel vulnerable. In moments of angst our reaction is to take action to fill the void. The void of social contact is difficult. I have found the void best filled by embracing the silence, and within that silence seeking God. Peace within faith has been my personal experience during the pandemic. Being still, allowing the solitude to wash over me and soak me with the confidence of God's presence. This time of uncertainty has allowed me to silently seek God's companionship. During this pandemic, I have rediscovered the value of taking refuge in stillness with God. My pondering has fostered a new awareness of gratitude. Gratitude is the bridge from helplessness to confidence that faith does not surrender to our fears. Faith does not yield to pandemics, and all the harsh trappings it brings. My experience during the pandemic has been to rely up the words of a profound theologian, while taking comfort in my isolation.

All That We Need

Material created by Amana Udis-Kessler for liberal and progressive churches to use during the COVID-19 epidemic, free of charge and with no licensing concerns. A song that might be used for centering music in worship, All That We Need is about people choosing beauty, love, and kindness during the pandemic.

Just Such a Time as This

Material created by Amana Udis-Kessler for liberal and progressive churches to use during the COVID-19 epidemic, free of charge and with no licensing concerns. A worship song inspired by Esther 4, called Just Such a Time as This, specifically about how faith communities should see ourselves in this time of pain and challenge.

In the Breaking of the Bread

Material created by Amana Udis-Kessler for liberal and progressive churches to use during the COVID-19 epidemic, free of charge and with no licensing concerns. While the text of this worship song is not COVID-specific, it's relevant because it was recorded for virtual service use specifically and has been used that way.

We Are Gathered

Material created by Amana Udis-Kessler for liberal and progressive churches to use during the COVID-19 epidemic, free of charge and with no licensing concerns. This song is sung to the tune of "Nettleton (Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing)"

Saint Dymphna

Tweet from Tommy Tighe (@theghissilent), reading: "looking at the image of saint dymphna we have hanging on our wall and asking for her intercession for all of us remember, mental health symptoms are not a result of a personal failure, not a result of failing to believe enough or have enough faith I’m praying for you!!"

Going Viral: St. Ambrose Parish, Father Tim Palec, and the Blessing of the Easter Foods

In mid-May, Father Tim Palec went viral for the way he maintained St. Ambrose's traditional Blessing of the Easter Food Baskets. Dressed in protective gear and using a water gun, Father Palec maintained social distance while carrying out the traditional blessings in a nontraditional manner. The drive-thru blessing took place on April 11, but quickly became viral about a month later (even appearing in several news articles). An image of Father Palec with the water gun made its way to a subreddit called r/photoshopbattles, where redditors photoshopped Father Palec onto movie posters and into a multitude of different scenes, ranging from Star Wars to World War II to exoricisms to a crusade and more. In addition to becoming a viral meme, the church has also stood out for the way it has honored and memorialized Michigan's victims of COVID-19: they've tied a ribbon for each life lost on the trees in front of their church. St. Ambrose Parish offers Sunday mass through Facebook live and their website, and shares posts about different ways members can help the greater community during the pandemic.

Lawn Chair Church Service

We were able with permission of our state and local governments to resume church services this week but it had to be outside with social distancing. It was so wonderful to see everyone again. It was like a big family reunion. We all brought lawn chairs and sat outside and worshipped our Lord. There was a special section of parking spots reserved for those at high risk so they could come and be a part of things from their cars. And it was still live streamed for those who didn’t want to leave their house or couldn’t. We sang together and prayed together. It was so wonderful. Through all of this I have learned how wonderful it is to worship with your church family. Thankful for Zoom and live-streaming but nothing beats being together.

Covid Tears

I describe a piece of fiber art I created related to how I felt before and during the coronavirus pandemic.

Study on the Effect of Isolation on the Prayer Lives of Catholic Illini

Study on the effect of isolation on the prayer lives of Catholic students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Sunday Worship in a New Way

When the Governor of Texas issued an order forbidding gatherings of more than 10, the staff of this smallish congregation pivoted rather nimbly. The earlier videos of worship experiences are more like traditional worship than not. They gradually grow less dependent on the church sanctuary. We have not previously had much of a web presence.

Reverend

We started livestreaming our worship on Facebook (photo with pianist) from the sanctuary (3 or 4 of us in attendance), and doing our Bible studies, prayer meetings and other meetings on Zoom (Zoom photo). We've found a HUGE increase in attendance, and connections every Sunday with people who used to be just Christmas/Easter worshipers. Giving has actually increased, and people are doing a great job of staying connected in so many ways. It's been eye-opening. We've definitely learned that we'll continue livestreaming after the pandemic, and probably should have been doing it all along.

Andrew Wommack Ministries Newsletter

Pastor Andrew Wommack, who is a friend of my Mom has been sending out newsletters to the millions who follow or belong to his church. That highlight developments in the ministry and answers to the questions he has been getting in response to adapting to the current pandemic.

At Home Communion

Since churches have been closed my Mother and my grandmother have been doing at communion at home at the regular time we would have been doing it at church service. The steps are the same, a short message from scripture followed by thanking Christ for sacrificing His body. After thanks, they partake in the eating of the bread. After that they give thanks for the blood shed on the cross, and then partake in the drinking of the wine. Be able to participate in communion anywhere is great and I am blessed that this ritual is not halted due to the pandemic.

Church Service at Home

My brother's church National Community Church have have been hosting online services and worship open to anyone who wants to join. Services take place on Saturday @ 5pm and Sunday @ 9am & 11am. This is a great way for anyone who is missing their usual church gatherings to enjoy an amazing worship band, and insightful sermon.

Easter from behind the steering wheel

This year's Easter service was unlike any I have experienced before. Unable to gather together face-to-face, we sought to be together (while remaining appropriately socially distanced) by having a drive-in service in the church parking lot, complete with music and sermon being broadcast over the radio. Noting this strikingly unusual view of an Easter bulletin -- juxtaposed against a steering wheel and a rainy windshield -- I snapped a photo.

Burial Rituals and COVID

This is my reflection on the inability of my family to gather together to mourn my brother's death, to conduct services and to bury him.

God The Ingenious Alchemist and The Path of Healing

This online church service incorporates live music, scripture, children's time, and a sermon to talk about some of the challenges surrounding COVID and the healing process.

Pandemic Religion: A Digital Archive

Pandemic Religion Contributions

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