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“AT HOME- AND TOGETHER” Special Faith Matters Edition
My beloved, sheltering-at-home Mt. Tam Church,
Although we are all at home, we are at home together. We are not alone! The God who is always with us resides in our homes and hearts. Through the internet, telephone and social media, we are connected, as families and as a church family. For the Sundays of the Shelter-In-Place time, we will have Godly Play and Sunday worship online. All in person church classes, gatherings and meetings are cancelled; some will be available online or through Zoom. Thank God for grace, for this is new to us and we are on a quick learning curve to adapt this new way of being. Each week may bring improvements and additions; this week, we begin simply with the following two links for Godly Play and worship. The Godly Play lesson will last for about 20 minutes; the worship service follows ten minutes later. Below the worship link is a “bulletin” for the 30 minute online service. Please note: we are using Facebook to livestream and record the worship in real time. Afterwards, the recording will be placed on our website within a day or two. By grace we are saved and by grace, we travel “at home…and together!”
Peace,
Pastor Kim
Submit a Prayer Request:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFXRasFpZnttWECsQqb6gOUwp-F0EWW2EJ8HaaIHHG0HNXPA/viewform?usp=sf_lin
For this Sunday, March 22:
10 a.m.: CHURCH FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES! Tricia Wiig will lead Godly Play Sunday School for children and their families through Zoom. Register in advance:
https://us04web.zoom.us/meeting/register/vpwsdeypqzwtpqFgiQjmwPvZMSGWlWpsUQ. Please arrive 5-10 minutes early so we can start promptly at 10.
10:30 a.m.: CHURCH FOR ALL AGES! Pastor Kim will offer an abbreviated celebration of worship with prayers, live music, scripture and the message. Click on the link below to be taken to the church’s Facebook page. This works whether or not you are on Facebook yourself (if a box pops up asking you to login or create an account, click on “Not Now”): https://www.facebook.com/Mt-Tamalpais-United-Methodist-Church-250943698280064/
THE FAMILY OF GOD GATHERS FOR WORSHIP
MARCH 22, 2020
MOUNT TAMALPAIS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Welcome to Worship: Pastor Kim
The Opening Prayer: Gracious and loving God, we gather to worship you today in new ways yet with the same spirit of trust that we hold in your care. As we worship online, help us to feel the presence of the Spirit in our own home and hearts. Unite us by that spirit that as we pray, read your word, hear the message and offer our gifts, we may know our oneness with you and each other. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
The Reading from Scripture: Psalm 27: 1, 3-5
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Should I fear anyone?
The Lord is a fortress protecting my life. Should I be frightened of anything?
If an army camps against me, my heart won’t be afraid.
If war comes up against me, I will continue to trust in this:
I have asked one thing from the Lord—it’s all I seek: to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, seeing the Lord’s beauty and constantly adoring God’s temple.
Because God is sheltering me in his own dwelling during troubling times;
Therefore I sing praise to our God!
The Message: “‘Oh, The Times, They Are A’Changin’!” Pastor Kim
A Time of Community Prayer: Pastor Kim will lead this prayer, offering a guided prayer with times of silence for your own personal prayers.
Sharing the Lord’s Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, now and ever. Amen.
The Offering of our Gifts to God: If you wish to make your financial offering this morning, please visit https://mtumc.org/donate/.
Thanks be to God for the generosity of God’s people!
Blessing and Benediction
Our social distancing is an illusion.
We are one. There is no distance. No gap.
Isolated in your apartment, you belong.
You breathe and it fills my lungs.
You weep and my heart is broken.
We are one body in many places.
In this time of separation we open our hearts,
we allow ourselves to flow out from our bodies
in Spirit to one another, to the strangers
who are part of us. Like the Italians
singing from their balconies with neighbors,
we are all notes of the same song.
Love flows where germs cannot. Meditate
on our amazing unity. Extend your spirit
to include all it includes: the whole world.
Breathe in this breath (so threatened!), a gift.
Breathe out this breath (so released!), a gift.
Let compassion for all beings flow with it,
in and out, refreshing your whole body,
the Body of Christ, the whole human family,
the whole Creation. Let love be our body.
Let your love take flesh. Make calls.
Write letters. And when you come back out
don’t stop being one another’s body. It’s your life.
(Steve Garnaas-Holmes)
Faith Matters- Especially Right Now!
My beloved Mt. Tam Church,
When we first started a weekly e-mail to the congregation about ten years ago, it was revolutionary for a church to do so. We thought we were very tech-savvy, a “with-it” church. (Yes, I know, I know, by using that phrase I’m dating myself. But hey, I’m technically a senior citizen and deserve special kindness right now!) This week, I have discovered that we have fallen behind, as we scramble to learn which medium is best for becoming an online church with meetings via Zoom. It’s been a steep learning curve and I’m grateful for Jeff Brown and Tricia Wiig who are navigating the technical waters while we catch up with working remotely and pastoral visits via text and all the other changes that come with this unsettled landscape called ‘sheltering in place.’
For right now, on this day, here’s how we are doing:
—the church buildings, including the office, are closed for the duration of the sheltering in place period. All church meetings will meet via ZOOM online. All building users and renters will either not be meeting or meeting virtually. All staff are working remotely from their homes; it is best to be in touch via email. Please do not hesitate to text or call me for pastoral care and conversation.
—the current plan is for virtual worship for at least the 3 Sundays of the sheltering in place time—March 22, March 29 and April 5.
Worship will be online at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday through Facebook. You don’t need a Facebook account to access the church Facebook page. We will live-stream a shorter service, about 20-30 minutes at 10:30; that video will be placed on the website within 24 hours for those who miss it. An order of service will be sent out via email by Friday. In addition, we are exploring have Godly Play lessons and other venues for faith learning online.
Please note: there will be no one at the church or in the sanctuary on Sunday morning. We will gather not with our bodies but in spirit.
In order to access worship on Sunday if you don’t have a Facebook page, simply go online to Facebook.com and type “Mount Tamalpais United Methodist Church” in the search block. You should be directed to the church’s page. The live streaming of prayers, scripture, a short message, and a blessing will be shared! Also watch the Facebook page for Godly Play lessons and other prayers, poems, and lessons.
Through this uncharted territory of shelter in place, I am grateful that we journey with God and we journey together.
Peace,
Pastor Kim
Changing Information- Changing Plans
My beloved Mt. Tam Church,
Every morning, the landscape of the current coronavirus pandemic changes and with those changes, we are all adapting. As of today, Friday, March 13th, here is the current adaptation at Mt. Tam Church:
The March 22nd Community Meal has been canceled as a sit-down, indoor event. We are looking into making bag lunches for the homeless and other guests who come for the food and fellowship. More information to follow.
We will have worship this Sunday, March 15th. Pastor Kim has been in contact with many of our medically and for-other-reasons vulnerable persons who encouraged us to continue in worship for “prayer, community and being together” at this time. During worship this Sunday, we will have a congregational conversation about the pandemic—how we are all feeling and doing, how we will be in ministry with and for any persons in our community who become infected and quarantined and whether we should either cancel services for a time or adapt services, such as having worship in small groups or worshipping outside, as the weather permits.
Small groups and classes will continue for the time being. Information about any cancellations or changes will be made with participants as soon as possible.
Our building users are being encouraged to make their independent decisions about meeting and that the church buildings will be open as long as we are not required to close them. Some concerts have been postponed; our deepest concern is for the 12-step community, whose meetings are essential for the well-being and health of hundreds of people. We have encouraged those groups to practice all the common-sense precautions and make the best decisions they can for their participants.
Please join me in this prayer: “Gracious God, we know you are always with us. In this time of fear and dis-ease, help us to put your presence at the center of our souls, that we may be calmed and comforted. Many of us find ourselves almost addicted to the information cycles on the news and social media—help us to create a balance of staying informed and yet not overwhelmed so that we are frenetic and afraid. Enable us to focus on the small glimmers of hope and joy near and far. Teach us to pray deeply for inner peace, for the health of all of creation, with gratitude for the many ways your presence shines. Be with all caregivers, medical responders, first responders and researchers who are seeking treatment and solutions for the coronavirus pandemic. Bless government and other leaders with wisdom, boldness of decision and strength. Help us to turn our trust to you, to lean on the light of Christ and love one another fully and deeply, that as we move through this crisis together, we may be more united and loving. We pray in the name of the Great Healer, Jesus Christ, amen.”
Please be in touch with me as you or others you know are in need of pastoral care: [email protected].
Peace,
Pastor Kim
Faith Matter- “To Rest in the Grace of the World”
My beloved Mt. Tam Church,
In the newly dark early mornings post-Daylight Savings Time change, my alarm clock has become the “hoot-hoot-hoot” chorus of the two great horned owls who have taken residence in our neighborhood. They like the trees right behind the parsonage as their morning last stop, much to my delight. To awaken to such lovely music is pure joy! And in those moments, “for a time, I rest in the grace of the world and am free.”
In these days of uncertainty and fear, from viruses to elections and any other source, how do we find “a time to rest in the grace of the world?” I am finding it:
–in meaningful encounters with others. From conversations with our Confirmation youth who are quite knowledgeable and funny and kind (and from whom I learn something every week!) to purposefully seeking out and engaging with my humorous next-door neighbor who always brings a smile.
–in playing with my granddaughter, who has informed me that at age 3.75, “I know how to tell you how to play.” Okay, then! Boss me around, baby!
–in nature, whether focusing on the owl song or taking a walk to enjoy the colors of flowers and the flow of spring or just sitting in my backyard, waiting for wildlife to come and surprise me with their own ways which are oblivious to the stress and problems of my world.
–and always, in poetry, from Mary Oliver’s “Wild Geese” to “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry, one of my standards for meditation and prayer.
In these troubling and trying times, give your spirit nurture and make choices to“rest in the grace of the world,” whatever that means for you.
Seek out laughing encounters, engage the joy of children, embrace nature and always, read a poem and take a few moments to reorient toward the constant love and grace of God, which floods the world with its assurance and peace.
Peace,
Pastor Kim
“The Peace of Wild Things” Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
FaithMatters- Spring Forward in Faith! Vision 2020 is Good News!
My beloved Mt. Tam Church,
This weekend is “spring forward,” the Daylight Savings Time spring time change. And we have good news that will move us to spring forward with Vision 2020–The Revitalization of Fellowship Hall. On February 27th, the Vision 2020 Campaign Team received the Feasibility Report from Terry Goolsby, our stewardship consultant from Horizons Stewardship. Here is a summary of that report:
“Through an on-line survey and real-time ZOOM and phone conversations with church members and leaders, Horizons consultant Terry Goolsby has shared with us the good news that he strongly believes that Mt. Tam Church has the capacity to raise the funds for the revitalization of Fellowship Hall. The project goal of $1.3 million dollars will be a challenge for our congregation, to be sure, and one we can achieve with a strong vision and “stretch” giving by our members. The Capital Campaign will move us toward our goal through clear communications and broad inclusion of the entire congregation. God is good! And with commitment and joyfulness, we are confident in achieving our goal.
In addition to concluding that we are capable of reaching our goal, Terry offered several observations about the Vision 2020 project. Horizons offers the following observations that, if addressed, may enhance the probability of success in a capital stewardship program.
1. There is a very positive response to the Fellowship Hall project plan, with some concern about the goal of $1.3 million along with the hope that we can make that goal.
2. There is a clear understanding that Fellowship Hall is long overdue for significant upgrades.
3. There is a genuine appreciation and admiration of Pastor Kim Smith, the whole staff and the church’s lay leadership. (Note from Kim: I’m just sharing what he wrote!!)
4. There is a clear and personal commitment of members to make a gift to the capital campaign over and above regular giving to the church.
5. There is a general sense that the congregation is receptive to a capital campaign with the acknowledgment that we have not had a campaign in many years and so, there is some concern about the scale of the project and goal.
6. There is a stronger than the normal desire for church members to volunteer for the campaign.”
Good news! Good news that we can be transparent and honest with each other with both our joy at the possibility of raising the full $1.3 million dollars and some real concern…this is natural and normal, of course. Good news that while we are concerned, we are confident of God’s presence and guidance with us. Good news that we have real trust and respect of our leadership and members. Good news indeed!
With thanks to you and thanks to God,
peace,
Pastor Kim