MARCH 19, 2020
Hello FBCJ Family.
I pray this message finds you well and healthy. The past week has been a whirlwind to say the least and if you are like me, there have been times when you don't know which way is up and which way is down. At this moment there is so much uncertainty, and that uncertainty can cause anxiety levels to shoot through the roof. The good news, though, is that this too shall pass and even in the midst of it all, we can rest assured that we are not alone.
Every day for the past week, we have been working to figure out new and creative ways for us to worship during this time of social distancing. In fact, yesterday I took part in 2 webinars focusing on that topic as well as how to make sure the church has procedures in place to receive your tithes and offerings while we are not able to physically worship together. These topics are becoming all the more important as it seems this time of social distancing is going to last longer than anyone desires.
So, I want to let you know about a couple of items - (1) Sunday Worship and (2) ongoing giving of your tithes and offerings.
First, like last Sunday, we will not be able to physically meet together for worship this Sunday and unfortunately this restriction will continue until further notice. However, I am excited to let you know that we will be able to worship together. With the expert knowledge and assistance of Jeff James, this Sunday, March 22, 2020, at 10:30 AM, we will go live with a video stream via Facebook Live. After Jeff and I complete the setup and test everything tomorrow, I will send another email with more details about how you can see and participate in the worship service. The service for this Sunday will most likely feel more elementary than expert, but I pray you will graciously bear with us as we work to make this new way of worshiping together the best we can. Our intent is for the content to grow as we become better acquainted with the technology needed for this endeavor.
Second, I've spent a good amount of time this week researching the ways to make the delivery of your tithes/offerings more accessible and safer. To that end, yesterday I completed the steps to partner with a company named Tithe.ly. This company partners with churches to provide an avenue for you to continue giving your tithes/offerings even when you are not physically present on Sunday morning. You can either use our website or download the Tithe.ly app. To use the website, go to www.fbcjamestown.net and click on "Give" at the top of the home page. Once you click "Give" you will be taken to our Giving page where you can simply click the green "Give" button at the bottom of the page. A new screen will open up where you can input the amount, your name and email and either your credit card or your bank account. Tithe.ly also has an App you can download from your phones App store. Either way you choose, your tithes/offerings will be received by the church and are desperately needed. Attached to the email I sent today are pictures of the screens you will encounter when choosing the website option for giving.
We are also looking to install a secure weatherproof drop box in the door leading into the church office. The secure drop box will look like the other images attached to that same email. This option will allow anyone who doesn't want to use the electronic options to drop by the church and deliver their tithe/offering in a safe and secure way. I would encourage those of you choosing this option to continue practicing social distancing when delivering your tithe/offering to the church.
These are uncertain times, both in our individual lives and in the life of our church. We all, I'm sure, want definitive answers, and most likely wanted them yesterday. Sadly, those definitive answers continue to evade us, but that does not mean we are a people without hope. Let us continue to remind ourselves of that very important fact and let us find new and creative ways to keep being the church and keep doing the work of the church.
Please stay safe. Please follow the advice of the trusted medical experts. Please check back tomorrow so that you can join us for worship (via livestream) this coming Sunday. And please make the effort to consistently give your tithes/offerings to FBC Jamestown.
Grace & Peace,
Jason
Hello FBCJ Family.
I pray this message finds you well and healthy. The past week has been a whirlwind to say the least and if you are like me, there have been times when you don't know which way is up and which way is down. At this moment there is so much uncertainty, and that uncertainty can cause anxiety levels to shoot through the roof. The good news, though, is that this too shall pass and even in the midst of it all, we can rest assured that we are not alone.
Every day for the past week, we have been working to figure out new and creative ways for us to worship during this time of social distancing. In fact, yesterday I took part in 2 webinars focusing on that topic as well as how to make sure the church has procedures in place to receive your tithes and offerings while we are not able to physically worship together. These topics are becoming all the more important as it seems this time of social distancing is going to last longer than anyone desires.
So, I want to let you know about a couple of items - (1) Sunday Worship and (2) ongoing giving of your tithes and offerings.
First, like last Sunday, we will not be able to physically meet together for worship this Sunday and unfortunately this restriction will continue until further notice. However, I am excited to let you know that we will be able to worship together. With the expert knowledge and assistance of Jeff James, this Sunday, March 22, 2020, at 10:30 AM, we will go live with a video stream via Facebook Live. After Jeff and I complete the setup and test everything tomorrow, I will send another email with more details about how you can see and participate in the worship service. The service for this Sunday will most likely feel more elementary than expert, but I pray you will graciously bear with us as we work to make this new way of worshiping together the best we can. Our intent is for the content to grow as we become better acquainted with the technology needed for this endeavor.
Second, I've spent a good amount of time this week researching the ways to make the delivery of your tithes/offerings more accessible and safer. To that end, yesterday I completed the steps to partner with a company named Tithe.ly. This company partners with churches to provide an avenue for you to continue giving your tithes/offerings even when you are not physically present on Sunday morning. You can either use our website or download the Tithe.ly app. To use the website, go to www.fbcjamestown.net and click on "Give" at the top of the home page. Once you click "Give" you will be taken to our Giving page where you can simply click the green "Give" button at the bottom of the page. A new screen will open up where you can input the amount, your name and email and either your credit card or your bank account. Tithe.ly also has an App you can download from your phones App store. Either way you choose, your tithes/offerings will be received by the church and are desperately needed. Attached to the email I sent today are pictures of the screens you will encounter when choosing the website option for giving.
We are also looking to install a secure weatherproof drop box in the door leading into the church office. The secure drop box will look like the other images attached to that same email. This option will allow anyone who doesn't want to use the electronic options to drop by the church and deliver their tithe/offering in a safe and secure way. I would encourage those of you choosing this option to continue practicing social distancing when delivering your tithe/offering to the church.
These are uncertain times, both in our individual lives and in the life of our church. We all, I'm sure, want definitive answers, and most likely wanted them yesterday. Sadly, those definitive answers continue to evade us, but that does not mean we are a people without hope. Let us continue to remind ourselves of that very important fact and let us find new and creative ways to keep being the church and keep doing the work of the church.
Please stay safe. Please follow the advice of the trusted medical experts. Please check back tomorrow so that you can join us for worship (via livestream) this coming Sunday. And please make the effort to consistently give your tithes/offerings to FBC Jamestown.
Grace & Peace,
Jason
MARCH 13, 2020
Dear FBCJ Family:
We have made the decision to suspend our public worship gathering this Sunday. We are currently in the process of determining if/how to best live stream our services in the future. Once a decision is made regarding live streaming we will let you know. We must begin thinking creatively about ministry during this time of social distancing.
We care deeply about everyone and we are committed to such care. We also must be committed to being prepared to appropriately respond to the coronavirus. It is important, we believe, to consider our response to this health crisis and its impact on our congregational life and to our service to the community at large.
North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, has made clear that public gatherings are to be avoided wherever possible. Same or similar advice has come from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (www.ncdhhs.gov). As a result we feel the suspension of worship for this Sunday is in everyone's best interest.
In no way did we rush to make this decision. It was quite the opposite, as we did our best to collect the information available, including consultation with local medical professionals. We hope you see this decision as one made out of a love for our congregation, love for our neighbors and with a sense of public responsibility.
There is one other factor that we had to consider, just like we have to consider whenever a Sunday worship service is canceled - the financial impact. As you know, our church has continual financial needs and has made financial commitments which we will always seek to honor. Some of you are already taking steps to hand deliver your tithes & offerings to the Church office, and we thank you for that. For those who are unable to hand deliver, we have added a PayPal Donate Button to the homepage of our website (www.fbcjamestown.net) where you can go to make your donation.
As we continue moving forward, please know that we seek to be faithful in our discernment and decisions throughout this health crisis. As decisions are being made we will make every effort to disseminate that information so that each and everyone of you receives it.
For some of us, this health crisis is unlike anything we have ever experienced, and as a result we begin feeling restless and unsure. May we find the ears to hear God's assurances that no matter what we are never alone and may we continue moving forward in ways that honor our divine creation and express our love of all.
Grace & Peace,
Jason
Dear FBCJ Family:
We have made the decision to suspend our public worship gathering this Sunday. We are currently in the process of determining if/how to best live stream our services in the future. Once a decision is made regarding live streaming we will let you know. We must begin thinking creatively about ministry during this time of social distancing.
We care deeply about everyone and we are committed to such care. We also must be committed to being prepared to appropriately respond to the coronavirus. It is important, we believe, to consider our response to this health crisis and its impact on our congregational life and to our service to the community at large.
North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, has made clear that public gatherings are to be avoided wherever possible. Same or similar advice has come from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (www.ncdhhs.gov). As a result we feel the suspension of worship for this Sunday is in everyone's best interest.
In no way did we rush to make this decision. It was quite the opposite, as we did our best to collect the information available, including consultation with local medical professionals. We hope you see this decision as one made out of a love for our congregation, love for our neighbors and with a sense of public responsibility.
There is one other factor that we had to consider, just like we have to consider whenever a Sunday worship service is canceled - the financial impact. As you know, our church has continual financial needs and has made financial commitments which we will always seek to honor. Some of you are already taking steps to hand deliver your tithes & offerings to the Church office, and we thank you for that. For those who are unable to hand deliver, we have added a PayPal Donate Button to the homepage of our website (www.fbcjamestown.net) where you can go to make your donation.
As we continue moving forward, please know that we seek to be faithful in our discernment and decisions throughout this health crisis. As decisions are being made we will make every effort to disseminate that information so that each and everyone of you receives it.
For some of us, this health crisis is unlike anything we have ever experienced, and as a result we begin feeling restless and unsure. May we find the ears to hear God's assurances that no matter what we are never alone and may we continue moving forward in ways that honor our divine creation and express our love of all.
Grace & Peace,
Jason
