Back to Listing

Weekly Update for March 20, 2020

Dear Siblings in Christ,

Grace and peace to all of you! As we begin to settle into this new normal of social distancing for as long as we have to keep it up, we at the church are changing how we do things, but we are not slowing down our ministry! I hope you have all received Tom Evan’s updates about worship and activities at the church. See below for all the ways your church is still active during this time and all the ways that you can join in.

Please note that all in-person gatherings and activities at the church, including worship, have been suspended until circumstances change. But the worship leadership will still lead you in worship from home every Sunday, and we invite you to be adventurous and open to engaging in worship, fellowship, learning, giving, and serving in new ways during this time. And don’t just be passive watchers! Join fully in worship by singing, praying, saying responses, etc. and join in the conversations in Zoom events. As with most things, you get out what you put in! Have you ever wanted to lift your hands in praise or prayer, shout “AMEN” in the middle of a sermon, dance, or sing inappropriately loud, but you were worried what the other “Frozen Chosen” in worship would think? Well, now’s your chance to let it all go in worship to God!

Peace,
Craig Foster
Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Communications

THIS SUNDAY
8:45am MorningSong ONLINE
10:00am Adult Sunday School (Zoom)
11:00am Sanctuary Worship Service ONLINE
4:00pm Sunday Youth Group (Zoom)
5:15pm Confirmation (Zoom)
6:00pm Chamber Singers (Zoom)
7:00pm UKirk College Ministry (Zoom)

All services will be livestreamed at www.fpcspartanburg.org/live. Bulletins, scripture readings, manuscripts, and video archives can also be found on that page. Please sign the online guestbook when you join us for worship online. Note that our worship livestreams also appear on Facebook and YouTube. With smart TVs, and streaming media devices like Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, game consoles, and many internet-connected Blu-ray players, it is often easier to get YouTube onto a large screen like your TV, rather than having to participate in worship just using your phone, tablet, or computer.

What is this Zoom thing you keep seeing? More information and tips are at the bottom of this email. Make a point to drop in on one of the weekday Community Times to figure things out to that you can get more out of the more structured events and don’t end up spending the whole time figuring out how to make Zoom work!

NEXT WEEK
Adult Sunday School – Sundays
10am on Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/396224968)
Join us for an interactive time of studying the Bible. Pastor Craig will lead us this Sunday in exploring the 9^th chapter of the Gospel of John (which Leslie and Ansley will also explore in worship on Sunday).

Godly Play with Holly – Sundays on YouTube
Holly Bannan will be recording the Godly Play lesson for children each week and posting it to the church YouTube page. A link to this video is also being sent out to parents each week. Watch the first one here.

Hangouts with Holly – Mondays and Thursdays
1pm on Zoom
All children are invited to join Holly Bannan online for a time of fellowship and learning together. Information has been sent to parents about how to connect. Please contact Holly Bannan (hbannan@fpcspartanburg.org) if you have any questions.

Daily Community Time – Monday through Friday
2pm on Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/226075719)
From 2-3pm each weekday, members of the church staff will be hosting a Zoom video gathering for anyone that wants to drop in and chat. This will be an informal time of conversation and connection for all of us. The first few this week have been great! So give it a try! Simply click on the link above and follow the directions to get connected. Having trouble? You can call in at 646-876-9923 and use meeting ID: 226 075 719. And be sure to read the Zoom tips below!

Calling All Parents of Children and Youth! – Mondays
4pm on Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/503386533)
These days without school and daycare can be trying for parents of children and youth, as you try to juggle e-learning, work, and the added messes and dishes that come with extra time at home with nowhere else to go. Join Robert and Holly Bannan online every Monday to enjoy community time with other parents and find support and inspiration for the week ahead.

Youth Group on Zoom
All youth are invited to join Robert, Carrie, and your friends on Zoom throughout the week. More information and links have been sent to youth families. Please contact Robert or Carrie if you have any questions
Tuesdays at 4pm – 9^th and 10^th Graders
Wednesdays at 4pm – Middle Schoolers
Thursdays at 4pm – 11^th and 12^th Graders
Sundays at 4pm – ALL Youth (MS & HS)
Monday – Friday at 2pm– Youth are invited to the Daily Community Time for the whole congregation

Weekly Prayer Gathering with Joanne – Tuesdays
Noon on Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/913483351)
Join Pastor Joanne on Zoom to share your prayer concerns and join together with your church family in prayer.

Weekly Devotional Video from Tom – Wednesdays
Follow the church on YouTube to get a weekly video devotional from Dr. Tom Evans each Wednesday. We will also share these on Social Media and provide links to them in the weekly email. The first devotionis already up and can be found here.

Weekly Bible Study with Tom – Wednesdays
6pm on Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/333935537)
Dr. Tom Evans will begin a “Study of the Book of Mark” via Zoom. We will record it for those that cannot attend.

But wait, there’s more!
Other smaller groups and activities are beginning to meet online as well. Watch your email and social media for notice of smaller group activities. If you are a committee chair or group leader and are interested in how your group can meet through Zoom or other means, please contact Craig Foster.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Find all sorts of ways that you can serve in the Ministry Finder section of the website (under the “Serve” menu). There you can search for service opportunities that match your interests and schedule, and with one tap, make contact with someone who can tell you more and/or help you to get involved.

New Opportunities in Ministry Finder
This time of closings and social distancing has created some real needs in our community. Here are a few ways you can help. Check Ministry Finder often for new ways to serve.

Community Book Drive
Whether or not you had an opportunity to see the film "The Other Boys of Summer", consider supporting a unique literacy program at the Bethlehem Center through this Amazon wish list. This book list will give children in high poverty areas access to books about Negro League Baseball players. Purchased books will be delivered by members of Leslie Lang's Leadership Spartanburg class. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2GX7ZWQ6EU74F?ref_=wl_share

OTHER NEWS
There is No Need to Struggle Alone!
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galations 6:2)
We all go through difficult times. When you have someone to care, listen, to share God’s love with you, it can help you get through the confusion, stress, or loneliness you may be experiencing. God does not intend for you to struggle alone!

Stephen Ministry is available for anyone facing overwhelming need for care; hospitalization, grieving, suffering, loneliness or discouragement, divorce or separation, unemployment, accidents, etc. If you or someone you know is struggling, let us know!

Consider allowing a Stephen Minister to walk with you on your journey to wholeness!For more information, contact Dana Halliday at danahalliday1@charter.net; 864 237-0330 or Beth Cecil bcecil@fpcspartanburg.org

Now Playing on YouTube (and Other Social Media)
If you are one of our subscribers on YouTube, you know that the church has put up a lot of content this week, including: MorningSong, the Sanctuary Service, Godly Play with Holly, a message from Marcia to the Children’s Choirs, a weekly devotion from Tom, and three videos of Weekday School music with Debbie Keiser (one, two, three)! This has become an important venue for us to communicate with you during these times of social distancing. So click the subscribe button and get notified when worship goes live or when the church has posted new content.

In fact, all of our social media channels have been active (and we’ve just added new ones for Children’s Ministry this week). Check them all outand subscribe/follow/like us to get all the latest info.

A Thank You From the Local Missions Committee – God's Economics (Are not of this World)
Economics – a social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Lionel Robbins introduced the economic concept of scarcity, or where one's behavior is influenced by having to choose due to limited resources. I recall a debate one time with a minister friend over whether God's resources were limited or not. I argued if a human's capacity to perform here on earth is limited, then God's work here would have to be limited to available resources. After watching the results of the recent Witness Season, I have reached the conclusion that God probably did not study the works of Adam Smith or read much economic theory!

The Cleveland Academy originally requested $15,000 for a scaled down version of a Mathematics Lab. The Church came back and said, "We can't fit $15k in the budget, so let's shoot for $25k as the Witness Season project". God, through His work in this Congregation, raised over $54,000! Add the $25,000 match, and you can understand why Godly Economics are not of this world!

On behalf of the Local Mission Committee and the Cleveland Academy of Leadership, thank you for your overwhelming generosity to the Witness Season project. It was a resounding success! The Math Lab will be up and running in the Fall, and we will have a chance to visit and see it in action. In the meantime, please consider contacting the school and volunteering as a Cleveland Angel. Their website is: https://www.spartanburg7.org/Domain/10 or, you may reach out to Mary Elizabeth Evans at: meevans@spart7.org

Sincerely,
John Verreault
2020 Witness Season Chair

2^nd Annual Poverty Summit POSTPONED
In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations regarding public events, the 2^ndAnnual Poverty Summit originally scheduled for April 16^th has been postponed to Fall 2020 (date to be determined). In the meantime, please like/follow the Faith Initiative to End Child Poverty on Facebookto access up-to-date information on ways you can get involved to help end child poverty and to stay connected on ways you can help our community during this time of need. And please join us in praying for the children of Spartanburg who are especially struggling during this tough time.

No April First News
Because things are changing so rapidly, it is impossible for us to plan with confidence a month-and-a-half in advance in order to produce a monthly newsletter. Therefore, there will be no April edition of First News. Please watch emails, social media, and the church website for up-to-date information on what is going on at the church.

Tom Evans has published a book!
Need something good to read amid all that’s going on right now? Tom has published a book of his sermons. You can order them online at either Amazonor the Parson’s Porch Book Company.

What is this Zoom thing?
Zoom is a videoconferencing platform similar to Skype, Google Hangouts, and others that allows participants to have conversations over video in real time. Our church has been using Zoom for meetings for several years now and found the platform easy to set up and use and very reliable. It is available on PCs and Macs as well as in smartphones and tables (Apple and Android). On a computer you will need a webcam, microphone, and speakers. Most laptops and some desktops come with these built-in. Your smartphone or tablet should already have all the hardware you need. You will just need to install the Zoom app. Give it a try! Just click the link maybe 10 minutes before the scheduled time the first time you connect to give yourself time to get things set up and running.

A Few Tips for Using Zoom
1. Try things out first at one of the Daily Community Times. That way you can figure things out in a low-pressure environment and not worry about missing out on a Bible Study, class, or meeting. Craig and other church staff who have become accustomed to Zoom are always at those Daily Community Times.
2. If possible, let your first foray into Zoom be on a computer. The bigger screen will let you see all participants at once, and let you see all the controls easily. The Zoom mobile apps are great, but it helps if you know what all Zoom will do, so that you already know to look for the controls on the phone or tablet.
3. Feel free to sign on a little early to make sure you’ve got things worked out. If you get a message that another meeting is in progress, it simply means that the event before yours hasn’t quite wrapped up yet. So just be patient
4. If you move your mouse to the bottom left corner of the Zoom window, you will see audio and video controls (a microphone and a camera icon). You can toggle your microphone or camera on or off with those buttons. The arrows next to those icons give you more options related to sound and video
5. Make sure you click the “Leave” button at the end. If you just go to another app (particularly on a mobile device), you may still be connected and sending audio and video!
6. The meeting ID is a unique identifier for each one-time or recurring event. If you ever need the Meeting ID (say if you are connecting on a different device from the one with your email invitation), the Meeting ID is simply the 9 or 10 digit number at the end of the link for any meeting.
7. You can also call in for an audio-only connection, but the social cues apparent in video really do help the conversation to go more smoothly for everyone. So for everyone’s sake, please try a video connection first, but if you just can’t get it to work, you can call in. The phone number is 646-876-9923, and you will need the meeting ID (see #6 above).
8. At the top right of the computer interface you can change your vide between “Gallery” and “Speaker”. The Gallery view is generally easier for people, since you can see all participants at once and pay attention to social cues you normally do in a conversation. The Speaker view can be handy if you are part of a class and you want to focus your attention on the presenter. In the Speaker view, you can lock any participant in the main window by right clicking on their small video window.
9. The links for different events are different to make sure you end up in the right place each time. So the link for Community Time won’t work for Tom’s Bible Study, for instance. So make sure you have the link for your particular meeting or event.
10. Don’t sweat it if the technology gives you trouble! We’ve all been there, and there others around who want to help!