Church Restart Taskforce - An Insight Look Toward Phase 3
The Restart Taskforce continues its efforts to allow our church to safely move into Phase 3 of our restart approach. We are actively working with Pastor Kevin, Tonya Stout, and Bob Swan on the various elements of worship, internal ministry, and community group use of our facilities. What we are learning is that how our church meets during the pandemic is not merely a matter of style or structure. The decisions being made reflect our Christian theology, with our Taskforce focused on our church’s priorities and what we believe God would have us do inresponse to the current circumstances.
We do not want to rush into Phase 3, rather to ensure we have the right worship and ministry programming protocol, infrastructure, and protections in place. We do not want our church to be a new cluster of Covid-19 transmission.
In working with Ms. Tonya, we have learned that over the last couple of months, our church and parents have had to change how they relate to each other in guiding the faith of children. After
adjusting to children’s programs not being able to meet in person, our Family Ministry
programming and families are now having to make adjustments that require an even more close partnership.
The season of reopening has proven to be challenging for Family Ministry programming and marked by uncertainty, but that has always been true. It is now more obvious that the things we and our children plan on (and even hope in) are not certain. It is clear that children need to build their lives on a rock of truth. According to Ms. Tonya, “When inevitable troubles come, we want
children to be deeply rooted in the promises of God. We want them to have a rock-solid faith that remains steadfast and proves genuine in the face of the challenges we’re facing now, but
also through grief, family problems, cancer situations, hostility, or whatever trouble may come
their way in life.”
Following CDC, Florida Conference, and local health agency guidelines, our Phase 3 for worship and children’s programs will both be limited by a range of guidelines for distancing and healthy
operations.
Thank you for your patience and grace as we navigate these uncertain times. Our prayer is to worship together as a church whether in person or virtually, and for God to receive Glory throughout it all.
Family Ministry Program Insight from Ms. Tonya
Hello Families!We have lots of great news to share this week. We are excited that the Family Ministry will reopen August 23rd. While we are not fully opening all our programs, we will be holding Sunday
School classes for LOL Kids and Youth during the worship service. We are hopeful that as we move through the fall, we can add more programs back in safe ways. All the information, guidelines, and details can be found here https://linktr.ee/FUMCLOLFAMILY.
Please note that reservations are required and that there is a family health form to complete. All documents and files are on the link. Because we want to do no harm in how we serve our congregational family the nursery will not be open. Parents our Preschoolers are welcome to join the LOL Kids for the worship hour.
We will have a Back-2-School Event - Family Parking Lot Picnic & Prayer - Sunday evening August 23rd from 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM. We realize how stressful going back to school can be without the added global crisis. In the past we would have held a big bash to celebrate and probably gotten wet on a huge slide. While we cannot do some of those grand gestures it does not mean we cannot gather with social distance, enjoy some tailgating, and cover our families and community in prayer for the new school year. Now more than ever we want to stand by and support all our families as we venture into new territory. See details here - Family Min Back 2 School Parking Lot Picnic & Prayer.
Please let us know you are coming so we can be prepared.
I have included some weekly information and the lesson packet below .
Please be aware that all events and programs are tentative based on shifts with the pandemic and protocols to keep everyone safe.
ZOOM CALLS RETURN! It was a blast connecting with our MS & HS youth Sunday night! Jump on a call this week and connect with friends!
Weekly Times:
• LOL Kids - Wednesdays in August @ 6:00 PM • Preteens - Wednesdays in August @ 6:30 PM
• Middle School - Sundays in August @ 5:00 PM
• High School - Sundays in August @ 5:30 PM
ZOOM Parent Meeting Connect – August 16th @ 6:30pm - Parents join us for a conversation about moving forward and the plans and shifts coming up for the fall. We want to hear your thoughts and ideas as well as share our plans for all our kids!
August Schedule:
• LOL Kids: Saturdays @ 10 AM – Video/Lesson Packets/more all available weekly on FB and in a Google File sent through email/FB and Linktree (link below). This will shift as onsite programs resume. We hope to add some video of the class with the object lesson to the weekly video.
• LOL Kids Lesson Packet - Memory Mania: the lesson attachment can be found at: https://linktr.ee/FUMCLOLFAMILY.
• August: Fall Kick-Off – Doughnuts - Who doesn’t like yummy doughnuts?!!!! We cannot wait to start our crazy 12-week series on the Commandments. Ms. Becky and Ms. Tonya will focus on a different treat each week!
What will Sunday classes look like?
Go to the Linktree link and click to find out all the details.
The Link for Everything Family Ministry:
Did you misplace an email, delete a link, or cannot find a video? We now have one link to find everything LOL Kids, Youth, and Family! We want it to be easy and fun to join all that we are doing.
https://Linktr.ee/FUMCLOLFAMILY
The Family Ministry Team would like to thank you all for supporting and hanging in there with us as we develop and shift ministry with the changing global situation.
A Weekly Devotion
–
Do Not Lose Heart
13 For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave
to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart! – 1 Chronicles 22:13 (NLT)
In this Scripture, David knew that Solomon could not be strong or courageous without obedient fellowship with God. In this place of obedient fellowship, Solomon would prosper in all that he did. Solomon could take courage and reject fear because God promised David that as long as his sons walked in obedience, they would keep the throne of Israel (1 Kings 2:1-4), which is a great lesson for us today.
We will want to give up and give in when our soul is enduring more than we ever thought it could. But we cannot lose heart. God can do the impossible, and we need to expect the impossible in our lives.
Do not allow life to overwhelm and defeat us. The Lord will uphold us with His righteous right hand. He is dwelling within us, and that means His power is as well. Nothing can frustrate His perfect plans for our life, so there is nothing for us to fear. God wants us to experience His peace and joy in all things and at all times. Let nothing move you. No matter what we are going through, God’s grace is sufficient.
When we are tempted to worry and doubt His provision in our life, remember that our problems may appear to have power over us, but they have no power over God. He has promised us a future filled with hope, so refuse to settle for anything less than peace, joy, and the glorious riches in Christ that are ours. If we will rely on God’s strength to get us through every difficulty and never give up, we will experience every blessing we have asked for and more.
This is an amazing promise. No matter what we do, as long as we are obedient and follow God with our heart and with all of our soul, God will take care of the rest.
A Prayer for Lebanon
As faithful Christians let us join with believers around the world after the enormous explosion devastated the port area of Beirut on August 4, 2020. In the densely populated city of more than 2 million people, about 300,000 were immediately displaced. Families have been forced to seek temporary shelter with relatives and friends or in schools or other civic buildings. According to local assessments, as many as 500,000 people may need assistance with immediate needs such as food, clothing, and shelter.
As Christians we are always close to those who suffer. This is a distinctive trait of our United Methodist heritage. Wherever there is suffering, or wherever there is extreme vulnerability, there the Church is because there God is also. So, while we may not be there physically to help, at least with our hearts and with our moral support we can offer continual prayers.
So as God’s people let us join in prayer for the victims, for their families; and let us pray for Lebanon that they overcome the dangerous crisis they are experiencing.
United Methodist Women's Literacy Book Drive
The United Methodist Women from our Gulf Central District have come up with a way to serve in our communities in the midst of COVID-19. And our local UMW group will be actively participating as well.
During the first few weeks in August we will be collecting new and gently used children's books. Our efforts will benefit nearly 150 childcare centers associated with Cornerstone Family Ministries with over 7,000 children currently enrolled in Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco, and Manatee counties. Tampa's very own Rosa Valdez Early Childhood Learning Center is one of the centers. These books will be distributed by a Hero's Parade outside of Cornerstone's Wolff Center in Ybor City. Representatives from nearly 150 Centers sponsored by Cornerstone will drive by during their lunch break. Appreciation will be shown for the work they do all year feeding and teaching children. They will receive awards and prizes, and will pick up the books we have collected.
As a side-note, these are the same centers that received masks made by UMW ladies, in which hundreds of masks were donated.
How can you serve while social distancing?
Join our effort by bringing new or gently used children's books to the church office now through August 20th.
Worship Team
–
Seeking a Few Servant Hearts & Offering
Assistance
Seeking a Few Servant Hearts
Listen in as Mitchell Samuelson (our Traditional Worship Director) describes our new audio and visual systems and seeks a few new servant hearts to join him in this ministry for our church. Register for training at linktr.ee/lolumc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwTLE1WKhvU Needing Answers to Technology Questions?
In addition to his responsibilities as Traditional Worship Director Mitchell is now our tech manager. He is also offering assistance to the congregation with technological questions. You can contact Mitchell through his email ([email protected]) or telephone
(407-461-0688). He is open to any technology questions whether the tech is at our church or in your own home. When contacting Mitchell please provide your name and your contact information.
First United Methodist Church
Land O’ Lakes
Online Worship & Ministry This Week
*Click on blue links to go directly to sites
Sundays
Adults Families
10:00 AM Worship
(Facebook)
Youth Zoom Calls
(https://linktr.ee/FUMCLOLFAMILY)
5:00 PM Middle School
5:30 PM High School
Mondays
8:00 PM -
Women’s Online Bible Study
via
Zoom Link
or Zoom Meeting ID:
850 0134 1271
; Password: trust
Wednesdays
Kids Zoom Calls
(https://linktr.ee/FUMCLOLFAMILY)
6:00 PM LOL Kids
6:30 PM Preteens
Thursdays Adults Families10AM-4PM Drop-off Nonperishables
for CSS (breezeway)
LOL Kids Packet emailed out
[email protected]
to
subscribe)
Fridays
9AM-12 Noon Drop-off Nonperishables for CSS (breezeway)
Saturdays
10:00 AM
LOL Kids Object Lesson
(view anytime)
Daily
Daily Word (email [email protected] to subscribe)
Helping Our Local Community
–
Christian Social Services
Christian Social Services (CSS) is a specialized ministry of local churches offering food, clothing, support, and Christian hospitality in the name of Jesus Christ to people in Central Pasco and northern Hillsborough counties.
Although CSS was required to remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, they continued to support other local agencies by providing items from their Food Pantry to Metropolitan Ministries and St. Vincent de Paul over the past 14 weeks.
The good news is that CSS reopened on Tuesday, July 7th. The bad news is that their Food
Panty continues to be extremely low on food.
So, how can we ALL help? Donate Food & Supplies:
• Collection bins are available in the church breezeway on Thursday (10 AM – 4 PM) and Friday (9 AM – 12 Noon).
• If you cannot come to the church, call us (813-907-0570), leave a message, and we will come to you to get your donations.
Most Needed Items:
• Canned fruits and vegetables
• Canned or dry-packed tuna
• Spaghetti sauce
• Soup
• Beans
• Kid friendly (SpaghettiOs, Beanee/Weenees, etc.)
• Peanut butter
• Jelly
• Cereal
• Macaroni & cheese
Continued Giving
Here at First United Methodist Church we value your decision to give to our church and its ministries.
We are continuing to minister to our church family, as well as to our community in new places and in new ways. Your continued generous financial support is critical to these ongoing ministries. Ways that you can continue to give include:
• Dropping off or mailing your offering to the Church office,
First United Methodist Church – Land O Lakes Attention: Church Bookkeeper
6209 Land O Lakes Blvd Land O Lakes, FL 34638
• Processing an automatic withdrawal from your bank account,
• Making a contribution through Pushpay (by clicking on the link below), or through the LOLUMC mobile App.
(https://pushpay.com/g/lolumc?src=hpp)
“Fill the Table” –
Fighting Food Insecurity In Florida
We are excited to support and be an active church in Fill the Table, a statewide, collaborative initiative to serve 3 million meals across Florida by September 2021.
Thirty-seven million people in America struggle with hunger; more than 11 million are children. The goal of this year-long initiative is to mobilize 100,000 United Methodists throughout Florida to help close this hunger gap.
We are not looking to re-invent the wheel. Instead, we are look at partnerships with other local agencies and create connections through our ministry teams, small groups, and Sunday School classes to maximize the number of people we can serve. The Fill the Table website has several ideas on how you can help, regardless of church size.
If you are already participating in food outreach initiatives or willing to help our church support this initiative, please let us know! Send Pastor Kevin an email ([email protected]) or call and leave a message with the church office.
Even in this trying time, people can also remember 2020 as the year First United Methodist Church – Land O Lakes stepped up in our local community to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Upper Room at No Cost for a Digital Copy
During this time of anxiety and isolation, The Upper Room wants to make it as easy as possible for people to find resources to support spiritual health. They are providing the July/August 2020 issue of "The Upper Room" magazine, in both English and Spanish, for download at no cost. The publisher has asked that the link not be shared with others; it is for subscribers only. However, you are free to share the PDF you download with whomever you wish. Following are the links you may download.
• Spanish: click here.
Making a Reservation for In-Person Worship
You can join in person on Sundays by reserving your seats using the button below or visiting the church website (https://www.lolumc.org/) or our mobile APP to make a reservation.
Please note we are only at 25% capacity based on recommendations from The Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so we will continue to bring you live worship online at
https://www.facebook.com/FUMCLOL.
Specific instructions for attending Sunday worship are available on the church website or mobile APP and include: 1) Rules for attending, 2) What to bring with you, and 3) Service time and entry into the Sanctuary.
Please note that Kids and student ministry will not be taking place at this time, so families will sit together in worship.
We will continue producing online services and content. Anyone who is high-risk or just not comfortable returning yet, rest assured your church family will continue to meet you where you are so you can worship at home.
Know the Symptoms of COVID-19 and Know How to Protect
Yourself
COVID-19 can cause mild symptoms, severe illness, or death. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.
The Basic Symptoms:
Cough
Shortness of Breath
How to Protect Yourself:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Wear cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain, like a grocery store or pharmacy.
Maintain a minimum distance of 6 feet between others.
Stay at home if you are sick.
If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately.
These include:*
• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest • New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face
Healthcare workers are on the front lines and need our help to relieve the burden on our healthcare system. They need your help so they can continue to provide care.
* This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.
