Good Friday Worship

A community Good Friday Service was to be held here at the church.  In its absence we were able to get each of the participants to record their message or music.  Participants include area pastors, including our own pastors, Mike Tupper and Jeffrey Dick.   There are also three songs, including one with Adam Peterson and Patricia Kerr.

The cross artwork is a painting by Sydney Daugherty.    Robert and Theresa Gleason have created a video that can be seen online.   The link is at the end of this note. https://youtu.be/DDb0CVR03aA

Easter 2020

Easter memories include for me: Flowers blooming in all their glory!   The sweet smells of Spring.  New Easter clothes and Sunrise Services that are warm.

This year Easter brings stunning new memories, an empty church and empty streets (like the empty tomb)!     No large choir numbers, no Easter Egg Hunts and no hugs or even hand shakes.   What a strange time this is.

Lent and March this year has been dreary and difficult due to CoVID 19 and our social distancing.

We are ready for Easter!   We long for it.    But it will be different.   As we read the Easter story in the Gospel of John (20:1-18) we hear of Mary and the disciples running to the empty tomb.   They long to see Jesus, but he is not there.   So the disciples return back home.   Mary remains and we read:

Jesus spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?”  She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.” Jesus said, “Mary.”

Mary has come to care for Jesus – but what she discovers is that Jesus has risen to care for us.   In the midst of our separation from one another many we remember that Jesus comes to us, and calls our name.

Regardless of how we celebrate Easter this year – The joy of Easter is that Jesus cares for you and me.   Alleluia!

Blessings to you and your family this Easter!

Jeffrey Dick

Pastor Dick will offer a live Easter Sunrise service at 7 a.m. on FaceBook.

Easter Sanctuary Worship

Once again our worship will be live on Facebook.  There will be plenty of Easter songs to sing.   While no large choir singing, Adam Peterson will play his trumpet and join with Patricia Kerr in a duet.   Many thanks to these two for sharing their gifts with us.

Worship will be recorded to a cd for those without internet.  Just contact the church or your team captain.

Easter Flowers

Our sanctuary will be adorned with Easter flowers, although not as many as usual.  We usually ask for donations towards those flowers but with our situation we had to cancel advertising, besides in the March newsletter.  We do have one person that was an early bird and gave a donation.

The plant is in memory of Karen K. Cooper, given by Rev. David G. Cooper.

Tuesday Prayer Group

The Tuesday Prayer Group continues to meet online and by phone Tuesdays at 1:30.  If you would like to connect give Pastor Dick a call, 214-8924.

If you have prayer requests, please let us know.  These will be added to the Tuesday and Sunday lists .

Please hold the following in your prayers this week:

Greg O’Niel

Bill Wood

Karen Morey

Rick Olsen

Lynn Hiscock

Lew Parsell

Brittny Buck

We pray for the following families who are grieving the death of a loved one.

Rich Korthuis, uncle of Mike Bos

Jacob Barden, 23 yr. old grandson of Novella Barden,  son of Brian and Claudia Barden

Ed Nelson, brother of Mike Nelson

All affected by the Coronavirus. (CoVid 19)

We pray for our brothers and sisters at Zion Evangelical in St. Joseph.

Church Building:  Here at church the doors are locked and the church building is closed.   Victoria will be here in the office M/W/F from 9:30—1:30 to do the most needed work.   Pastor Dick will be here as well on a limited basis.

The Food Pantry will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10 to noon with limited staffing.  Food is being handed out while people stay in their cars.

How Can We Help You should be receiving a call from a member of the church each week to see how you are doing.  If there is something at the church we can assist you with, please let them know or call the church.

How Can You Help

You can mail weekly church offerings to:

First Congregational Church

651 Phoenix Street

South Haven, MI 49090

 

Pastors

Jeffrey Dick 269-214-8924

Mike Tupper 269-303-3743

Church Office: 268-637-3804