First Church Family,
What a glorious Easter season we enjoyed at FUMC! Easter Sunday was the first Sunday we didn’t rigidly limit the number of people in our Sanctuary, but we were well under our maximum of people limited by COVID protocols. And what a great feeling it was to be together! Our total worship attendance (including those worshiping with us online) was well over 400 persons.
Many thanks to staff and volunteers who worked together to ensure our safety as they encouraged COVID-19 protocols and to our members and guests who followed them.
The Sunday after Easter we offered an outside service for the second time, led by staff, volunteers, and our Chancel Choir.
So many persons deserve our gratitude for that event, certainly including our Director of Music, Jamie Jones; organist and bass, Joseph Franklin who, with our Paige Smith, provided beautiful bassoon and piano interludes between choir anthems; Patrick Morgan, who recorded the outside service and posted it online; Communion Steward, Kathy Saunders, who set up Holy Communion elements, so that we could participate together in the Sacrament during the service; Tara Hatton, who read the Passion Week Scriptures with excellence and emotion; Danny Clark, who set up microphones, speakers and wiring, and worked out the glitches in the system, providing excellent sound; and of course, members of our talented Chancel Choir, who sang with passion and excellence.
Following that service, I took a week of vacation at the beach, resting and preparing for the next season of leadership.
Over the coming weeks, we will talk about why Easter is important. Our worship series will be entitled: “What Jesus Came to Do.” I pray you will attend in-person or through the internet, via our YouTube live-stream. Please invite someone to join you in-person for worship or to check us out online.
At times, though the services are posted on the internet immediately, persons have trouble connecting to the recorded versions quickly. We are working on that, but feel that it is a YouTube’s problem, and not something we can control.
Beginning Sunday, April 25th, we will begin having both Sunday services: our 9:00 modern service in the Christian Life Center and our 11:00 traditional service in the Sanctuary. These services will be on a trial basis and will let us know if we have the manpower and dedication to be able to ensure safety for all.
Thank you for your prayers and commitment during this significant time. It is an honor to serve Christ with you here in Lenoir.
Blessings on you,
Pastor Dave