Hello Calvary friends, Calvary UMC has been closely monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19 following the guidance of our local health department and the North Dakota Department of Health. The current statistics show COVID peaking in the U.S. around April 11 and in North Dakota around April 21, praise God! We are so grateful for the hard work and leadership of our state and local leaders, and though it is hard to be apart right now, we are trusting the Lord for wisdom in Calvary’s next steps. In the meantime . . . please keep reaching out to others and pray that God draws many to faith and repentance in this season. As we move ahead this spring, we plan to bring you weekly Calvary updates. Here are the pertinent steps we are currently taking to serve our congregation and our city this week: ▪ From April 12-18, all live activities are canceled, with the exception of Tuesday and Saturday prayer meetings, which will continue in adherence with social distancing guidelines. The Calvary YMCA childcare is operating at a limited capacity. For the safety of children, parents, and staff, temperature checks are taken of every person at the west door, and no staff or Calvary members should walk through the west wing or the gym any time between 6:30 AM and 6:00 PM.
▪ On Maundy Thursday (April 9) we are planning to livestream worship at 7 PM. Dave will preach and lead us in communion (be prepared with our elements!) and Russell and Cindy Rundell will lead hymns.
▪ If you have glitches during live-streamed services, try streaming to your phone or tablet (rather than your TV or computer); a re-rendered version of worship videos will be available on Facebook around noon Sunday and later in the week on our YouTube page. Worship bulletins are online at calvaryfargo.com/bulletins.
▪ Do you want to connect with other Calvary believers through small groups? Starting April 8, Wayne Eastman will teach online for three weeks, encouraging us in scriptural promises and guiding in Zoom video-conferencing discussion groups. See the “Are You Alarmed?” description at the end of this letter, the “Getting Started with Zoom” guidelines (see attached). Email [email protected] if you’d like to connect with a discussion group. The men’s group will also resume meeting (via Zoom) on Friday, April 10.
▪ Feeling weary or discouraged? As the headlines scream the 24/7 bad news perspective, it’s important for believers to set their “minds and hearts on things above” (Col. 3:1-2), that the “peace of Christ may rule in our hearts” (Col. 3:15). Instead of binging on newsfeeds, seek to fill your mind with Biblical encouragement and focus your heart on truth! Here are some great resources to speak hope to your soul today:
Live 24/7 Prayer and Worship— https://www.ihopkc.org/
Celebrating Easter at Home — focusonthefamily.com/parenting/celebrate-easter-together-at-home/
How (and How NOT) to Homeschool During COVID-19 breakpoint.org/how-to-and-how-not-to-homeschool-during-covid-19/
Pray the Word with David Platt (short daily prayer podcasts) radical.net/articles/podcast_type/pray-the-word/
Soaking Prayer — 30 minutes in Psalm 91 (Brendan Case Ministries) brendancase.com/mp3-%26-study-guides
When the World Stops — Words of Hope, Faith & Wisdom in the Midst of Crisis (By Dr. Micheal Brown) askdrbrown.org/
▪ Find an opportunity to serve. “Fear finds a problem in every opportunity, but faith finds an opportunity in every problem . . . If you’re stressed [or afraid], the most powerful thing you can do is find someone who is worse off than you and serve them.” (Pastor Kris Vallotton) Call someone – write a card – drop off groceries – or step out in the community. Our March newsletter lists several serving opportunities!
▪ Most of our staff is working remotely at this time. Please contact [email protected] if you have general church questions. If you have an emergency, please call Pastor Dave at 701-306-0870. If you have an unexpected need that our congregation can help with, Addy Erickson([email protected]) is available to coordinate volunteer response. Health-related questions can be directed to our faith community nurses: Karen Fleming ([email protected]) or Meghan Dockter ([email protected]).
▪ Finally, please prayerfully uphold our church in your giving during this time. Online giving is available at calvaryfargo.com/giving or via text to give at 701-353-0690, but remember about 3% of your online gift will go toward a processing merchant fee unless you specify otherwise. Offerings can also be mailed to the office and Calvary will receive the full amount. To operate with only necessary expenses, we need around $12,851/week.
We wait for all sorts of things in life, but in this hour, we wait on Jesus in ways we never have. Don’t let this time in the “waiting room” be wasted – press in and ask the Lord to deliver, to save, to answer prayer, to renew or strengthen the weak, to revive His people, to reveal His glory, and to produce character and hope in each of us (Romans 5:3-4).
“Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.” (Isaiah 26:8)
Glorify Your Name, Lord Jesus.
The Calvary Staff
How to be part of the April 9 & 12 Livestreams: 1. Go to facebook.com/CalvaryFargo. If you have a Facebook account, you can log in. If not, just click “not now” under the green “Create New Account” prompt. 2. Scroll down the page to “posts” or until you see a prompt that says “Calvary United Methodist Church is live.” Click on the video and it will begin to stream. After the livestream is recorded, you can also watch it later as it will remain posted on the Calvary Fargo page. 3. If you are a Facebook subscriber and you have already “Liked” or “Followed” the Calvary page (facebook.com/CalvaryFargo), you should receive a notification on your phone or device when Calvary goes live. 4. When you are watching the livestream, you can weigh in with comments and others viewing can see your feedback in real time. You can also invite friends to watch the same stream or share it with them. 5. Sermon notes will be available at https://calvaryfargo.com/resources/bulletins/
How to be part of the “Are You Alarmed” Bible Studies: 1. Go to the Calvary YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJipESaJ32nsTcVAjr7skZw?view_as=subscriber 2. Scroll through the page and look for the first video (“Are You Alarmed” – April 4, 2020). 3. Use the reflection questions under the video for discussion with your friends and family. 4. To join an (online!) Calvary discussion group, email [email protected]