Greetings! Time for a weekly update!
I start with an apology, I had bigger plans for this week but ended up sick instead. However, I seem to be recovering just fine and don’t seem to have had anything major. I’m still adapting my schedule to everything that is going on, and some days are easier than others. If anyone is needing special consideration, let me know.
I am mailing this to those who have requested it and it is available at church locations for others. I have new guidelines that I am going over and will update you on in the coming weeks. This is not an easy time, as it gets harder to keep staying away because we see that what we have done is working. Because it is working, it feels like we are doing it for no reason. But we keep going because it matters, and because it is making us all safer. The bishop has outlined our plans for returning to the church building. The short version is that we are currently in phase two, and we will likely not return to having services until we are at phase 4 by the state standards for our region. This could be June, but it may be much later. I’ll keep you all posted the best I can. My schedule has been rather full with school, as I’ve been helping the kids and doing remote learning as well. Putting these updates together with the weekly service and sermon take up much of the rest of my time, so I do apologize as I have not been able to reach out very much because of my situation.
In other update news, there have been a LOT of conspiracy theories and false information campaigns going around. According to scientists who work with viruses for a living, this was not a lab created phenomenon. This was not unleashed on us by some shadow entity. This was not planned. The stay at home orders are not a means of taking away civil liberties. This is not some big hoax. The numbers are real. Because we live in a less densely populated area, we will likely not see the kinds of numbers seen elsewhere. However, if everything suddenly went back to normal, those numbers would be high even here. The fact that we have had deaths in the area from the virus are enough to tell me that. Please, please know that there are reliable sources of information out there. Random people on the internet are not a source to trust. Know who is saying what you are hearing.
Annual Conference has been rescheduled Friday August 14th and Saturday August 15th. I will not be able to attend as of now.
I am still looking for pictures and music to share in services. I’m happy to share prayer requests, video, or anything you would like to share. We will have at least until June before we meet again.
As we continue in the current stay at home order, we are also facing economic problems. We must be prepared as a church to support each other and support those in need. This may have a longer lasting impact than the virus and I urge everyone to be in prayer. Also, be in contact with each other. Please check in on people and let us remain a close-knit community, even when we are practicing safe social distancing. Also, please be aware of scams involving door to door solicitation and also over the phone calls about bank information. The IRS will not call you. Medical professionals will not come to your door. Please be safe.
I will be continuing to have our worship services online and in print! It is on YouTube and a link can be found on my website as listed below. I am also posting the information on the church Facebook page. If there is anything you would like to contribute, let me know! There will also be printed materials available at the churches to pick up. Please feel free to contact me for more information. If anyone is interested in doing music for any upcoming service, please let me know. There are many options for doing this. I can also share readings or any other video that you’d like to make part of the service. Participation is welcome!
Also, in this time we are still working to keep the bills paid, our missions supported, our apportionments met, and our outreach working. As such, we do need your continued financial support as part of the church. Offerings may be sent to your local treasurer or to the PO Box listed below. I can also arrange to pick them up if I am delivering anything to you. I am personally grateful for all your continued support in this difficult time. I cannot stress enough that the church is still active and we are still together.
If anyone is interested in online groups or interested in how to form one, I am available to help. There are free tools available to be able to still meet online for Sunday School or other meetings.
Please see the CDC website for information on the Coronavirus. If you do go out, please follow all distancing guidelines, and if you can, cover your face. Please let others know, and together we will all see this through safely. This is a very real and very serious pandemic. Please do not share false information about it. It only works to undermine the people doing the dangerous work of trying to keep us all safe. If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them or direct you to a source that can.
Please stay safe. You are all in my prayers. I will keep you updated as best I can. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your Church Council Chair or myself.
Rev. Cameron D St.Michael
(316)530-3182 (call or text)
PO Box 54, Charleston IL 61920