A Message from Ellen
February 3, 2021
February 3, 2021
Friends,
On Sunday, I really hope that you will make a point to watch the worship service that will be streamed out at 10am. It is Youth Sunday on February 7th! And because of the pandemic, the youth and Bill Wannamaker (with Ed Black’s encouragement and brain trust) have pre-recorded the whole service. Bill has edited it together and their worship offering will be streamed out at 10am! While there are many things that we do not like about the pandemic, I am continually amazed and energized by the creativity that I see all around me. People figure out how to do what is important to them – even given the pandemic! And that is what Bill Wannamaker and our youth have been doing for a year now! Youth Ministry at FLPC is alive and well thanks to Bill, our amazing youth and their families, and our youth adult advisors/teachers!! So, this Sunday, there will not be anyone in the sanctuary at 10am (except the person who makes sure that the stream goes out), but God’s people will still be worshipping – in new and creative ways. It is amazing when we stop to think about it.
I am struck by how this pandemic has forced us to choose what is important to us and to make time to do that which is of most value. If this pandemic presses us to determine how important our faith and our faith community is to us, then that will be a gift. We all must decide what is most valuable to us and arrange our lives to support those values. I am seeing FLPC members and guests put their faith into practice in new and creative ways that are exciting and energizing. And if you are feeling stuck or down or anxious, then I encourage you to reflect on whether or not you are spending your energy and effort doing what is most valuable to you. It may be that you are letting the restraints of this pandemic keep you from doing what you always did before. But, if you really value community, then we can find new ways to be in community. If you value worship, we have new ways to worship. Figure out what is most valuable to you and then accept the challenge to live that value in new ways.
So, for example, at FLPC it has been a practice to give our high school seniors gifts in worship. Well, since they will not be “IN” worship this Sunday, Bill Wannamaker and I delivered a blanket to each FLPC senior. The blanket has the FLPC logo and the youth’s name embroidered on it. Bill’s idea was to “cover” our youth with the love of FLPC! Those driveway visits were really fun and created a sense of community that was wonderful. Bill Wannamaker and our youth advisors have figured out all kinds of creative ways to connect with and to love our youth. Way to Go! We are only limited by our imagination. Faith in God is not limited by any pandemic. Now is the time to figure out how you want to live out your faith.
Remember that the Christian season of Lent and Easter will begin in two short weeks. FLPC will have lots of new and creative ways to observe the season and to prepare ourselves to celebrate Easter. Don’t let this season of faith pass you by! Come and join us as we follow Jesus – with or without this pandemic!!! Are you living your faith? If you need help seeing the possibilities, come and join us!
“See” you in church!
Ellen
Ellen Fowler Skidmore
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