Pastor's E-Letter

Pastor's E-Letter

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Pastor's E-Letter 3/6/20

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Like you, the staff at Suntree UMC has been keeping track of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak. We have been, and will continue to, carefully monitor the coronavirus through the Brevard County Health Department and Florida Department of Health and provide further guidance for everyone as we walk through this uncertain time. Below are a few things to keep in mind:
 
There are currently no plans to cancel services. Should this become necessary, we will certainly communicate that change.
 
For now, we are recommending that we all follow CDC guidelines to not only help prevent the spread of this disease, but to also practice good personal health habits. The CDC recommends:
  • Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
-  If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily.
  • If you come into contact with an individual who has recently traveled to an area that the CDC has issued a level 2 or level 3 health notice such as China, Italy, south Korea, and Japan, there are protocols in place:
-  Immediately contact your local county health department upon developing symptoms, before visiting a doctor.
-  Individuals can be evaluated at any local hospital. ANY local hospital is equipped to handle COVID-19. Testing will be conducted in Jacksonville, Miami or Tampa.
 
We also want to continue to encourage everyone to greet one another with a warm hello and a smile rather than a handshake or a hug.
 
We also have posted handwashing instructions in all our restrooms.
 
All communion servers will be using hand sanitizers, as was done this past Sunday. We will also investigate individual communion elements that are sealed for our next communion service.
Again, we strongly encourage you to follow these practices to keep every safe and healthy. We will continue to closely monitor the spread of the virus and post updates as it develops. To keep up to date with our latest communication, we encourage to check out our website (suntreeumc.org), follow us on Facebook, and continue to read our weekly E-Letter.
 
All of that said, this Sunday in worship we will continue in our Lenten journey, "The Landscape of Lent". This week we will focus on Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus found in John 3:1-17 and explore Jesus' what it means to embrace Jesus' words, "The wind blows where it chooses..." the "wind" being another word for Spirit. What does it mean for us to embrace a faith, a love, a grace in Christ that cannot be contained or controlled? Where do you feel the wind of the Spirit blowing in your life? What is the evidence of the Holy Spirit working in you, in our church, in our world? What does it mean to embrace and God who loves the world so much that God gives and gives and gives again? I hope you will join us in worship this week as we continue to explore the landscape of Lent together.
 
In the meantime, please be safe and remember to wash your hands!
 
Pastors Annette, Allee, and Augie
 
 
*Below is a list of resources for further learning and updates:
 
 
 
Posted by Annette Stiles Pendergrass with

Pastor's E-Letter 2/21/20

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Who is the kindest person you know? Think about them for a moment. What is it that makes them stand out as kind? I’ve asked that question in a couple of different settings over the last couple of weeks after reading from Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” Again and again, people have described kind people as those who intentionally give their time to others, who go out of their way to care, to express concern. Kind people are those who “see” others, who notice and treat others with respect, dignity, even honor. Kind people are people who care when others are taken advantage of and work to right wrongs. Kind people are humble people – humble before God and others. They know they don’t have all the answers in life. They simply do their best to love and care and express compassion. 

In some ways, this verse from Micah lies at the heart of all that we have talked about over the last 5 weeks. Being a good neighbor, working to build healthy communities, serving as ambassadors for Christ in his ministry of reconciliation, all flow out of kindness and love that truly values others as Christ values them. Seeking to dismantle the walls that divide us, things like race, gender, class, different abilities, religion, and culture is work that must always be done with a great degree of humility, kindness and ultimately love. Jesus was clear that this kind of love and kindness is not only reserved for those we love, but for those with whom we have the greatest disagreement and struggle. Jesus even went so far as saying, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) I know what you are thinking. Sometimes I wish he hadn’t said it too. But he did. And it wasn’t just an off-handed suggestion. He meant it. 

So, what does that mean in real, practical terms? This week, we will be thinking about just that. A couple of years ago, Rob Tucker and I preached a message entitled “Respect. Everyone. Always.” This week in worship, as we close out our “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” message series, we will revisit this very important topic. In the midst of what is shaping up to be a particularly contentious election year (how do you like that for understatement?) and amid the ongoing discussion in the UM Church over issues of inclusion and the future of the UM Church, the question remains, how do we express love and kindness to our neighbors with whom we may have deep disagreement? How do we reach out to one another rather than avoid, disconnect or demonize? How do we seek to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God?” 

I don’t have all the answers by any means. But I’m clear that Jesus wants us to wrestle with these questions and, fortunately, scripture offers us guidance in this. This week we will be exploring the above scriptures, along with Ephesians 4:25-5:2 and numerous other passages. I’m also reminded of the words of Fred Rogers who said, “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” How amazingly counter-cultural his words seem in a world where kindness, at times, seems in short supply. What a witness it would be for us, as the church of Jesus Christ, to start a counter-cultural revolution of kindness, humility, and love as our answer to the question, “Won’t you be my neighbor?” Who wouldn’t want to live in that kind of neighborhood? 

See you in worship Sunday!

Grace and Peace,
Annette

Posted by Annette Stiles Pendergrass with

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