An Update from your Pastor's Desk

Hello there,

Greetings to you and your family. We hope you and your family are staying well and healthy during this time. We are writing to give you an update from Pastor Gordon's desk. This email is not to replace our monthly newsletter - The News and Views. This email is to quickly give updates to what is happening at Oberlin UMC.

The weekly Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee continues.  Discussions of this group includes planning and suggestions to improve streamed worship.

Please remember to check our website:  oberlinumc.org and share information with your friends and neighbors.  For those persons who do not have internet services, DVD’s are being produced that can be viewed in their homes.  Please share this information with your friends, neighbors and relatives.

UMYF

Youth members and Youth Parents! Exciting news. Your youth leaders Robert, Robyn, Carol, and Chandler have decided to meet with you guys on Zoom! You should be receiving a letter from them in the mail that includes the invite along with instructions on Zoom. If you would like to invite someone, please let them know so they can send the zoom invite out.

Parents, if you have any questions or concerns you can contact the youth leaders. Robert and Robyn Rouse (rrouse3141@yahoo.com),  Carol Wasson (cwasson@usd294.org), Chandler Pettibone (cpettibone@oberlinumc.org).

Sunday Morning Worship Bulletin

Those who wish to have a printed bulletin, please check your email and/or the church website.  Bulletins will normally be available by Friday afternoon for Sunday morning worship.

Giving

The ministries of Oberlin United Methodist Church are still happening but in different ways.  Meetings and worship are still happening.  The prayer chain is still praying for the needs of our membership, community and world.  Although the office is not open Monday-Friday, our email is still working, telephone calls can be received, and your pastor is still making contact with members and constituents.  Your financial gifts and tithes are still needed to continue our ministry in Oberlin and beyond.  John Wesley is quoted as saying, “the world is my parish”.  This is just as true today as it was in 1738.  The streamed worship service has been viewed throughout the states of Kansas, Nebraska, and even California.  You may mail your tithes/gifts to Oberlin United Methodist Church, 102 N Cass, Oberlin, KS 67749, or you may place your gift in an envelope and drop it in the mail receptacle at the south entrance.  Thank you for your prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.

Questions and answers about TITHE.LY:

Q: Is Tithe.ly or Online Giving Secure?

A: Yes. Tithe.ly / Online Giving is secure and information is encrypted.

Q: What options do you accept for online giving?

A: Tithe.ly allows you to give via Credit / Debit Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Bank Transfer.

Q: Can I setup automatic recurring giving?

A: Yes! Check the checkbox named "Recurring Giving" and select the options in the drop-down menu to select how often you want to give automatically.

Q: The Give button is not loading for me. Do you have another way to give?

A: Sorry about that. You can visit https://tithe.ly/give?c=1702815 and give online.

Q: Do you only accept online giving?

A: No. We still allow checks, and cash left in envelopes. Due to COIVD19, please drop your offline giving in our locked drop box on the south side.

Question not listed? Email us at giving@oberlinumc.org

UMW

Please mark your calendars that there will be NO MEETING on May 6, 2020.  The salad supper originally scheduled for June 3, 2020, will be re-scheduled for a later date.

Dorcas Circle

Dorcas will meet via Zoom on Monday, May 4, 2020.

Devotion Books

The May-June Edition of The Upper Room, both standard size and large print, are available at the south door for you to pick up.  Since many churches are unable to meet and gather safely in their buildings during the coronavirus pandemic, The Upper Room is offering the May/June 2020 issue, both in English and Spanish, as a free, downloadable PDF. The Upper Room also has created a web page featuring resources to help create and maintain spiritual wellness during anxious times.  Clink the following link to Download Upper Room.

Thoughts from Pastor Gordon

Someone said to me about a week ago, I really miss worshiping together, and suggested we consider excerpts from the theme song of Cheers:

Making your way in the world today

Takes everything you've got;

Taking a break from all your worries

Sure would help a lot.

Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

You want to be where you can see,

Our troubles are all the same;

You want to be where everybody knows your name.

Be glad there's one place in the world

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

You want to go where people know,

People are all the same;

You want to go where everybody knows your name.

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came...

No, not all the lyrics are printed above, but I am sure you can hear the still, small voice within the words above.  Each of us longs to be in relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We are not separated at this time; the church simply has been deployed outside the walls of our building.  Please know that prayers are being said for our community and world.

Speaking of prayer, we have been challenged by the Great Plains Annual Conference to spend time at noon in saying the Lord’s Prayer.  Please mark your calendars, set alarms, and remind others that you speak with, by telephone, email, zoom, letters and cards, to be in prayer each day at noon.

Blessings for your week and we hope you will join with us to worship online on Sunday, May 3, 2020, at 10:45 AM.  Remember, the bulletin will be available at oberlinumc.org by Friday evening, May 1.

God bless,

Pastor Gordon