Online Worship for Sunday, May 31
Pentecost!
It's Pentecost Sunday!
Many recognize Pentecost as the Church's Birthday.
In truth, it's that and so much more...it's the opportunity to have the very presence and power of the-God-we-know-in-Jesus living inside us!
Take a moment before you worship to invite the Holy Spirit's presence into your heart.
Let the One whom you are about to worship be the One who inspires your worship.
Let the One who gave His life for the forgiveness of your sins, be the One who gives you new life today.
Prayers and Praises:
Pray for Shelia Wallace's daughter, Miranda, and her son-in-law, Jeff Lynn. Jeff's father, Scott Lynn, passed away on Saturday (not COVID related). Pray for Scott's wife and family.
Continue to pray for Pat Bartolomucci and Jerry Caldwell as they rehabilitate and look forward to coming home. (Pray, too, for their continued patience.)
Pray for members of our congregation and community who have been furloughed.
Pray for our area businesses as they seek to reopen.
Pray against a new outbreak of the COVID virus as restrictions locally and nationally begin to ease.
Praise that Dave Moore, along with his son and grandson, was able to go to his cabin in Minnesota this week. (The fishing has been good!) Dave returns home on Monday for another round of tests and Dr's appointments.
Prayers of celebration go out on behalf of Paul and Olivia (Parrott) Iverson who got married yesterday!
Pray for Bev Cox as she recovers from a fractured right knee. Bev hopes to be out of her soft cast this week.
Pray for our nation...Ours is a God of peace and reconciliation; Christ died to make us one; the Holy Spirit, whose presence we celebrate today, grieves our division, brokenness and the violence we inflict upon one another.
Pray for our preparations for outdoor/parking lot worship next weekend.
Pray for the Lidvall and Rose families as they get ready for next weekend's baptisms!
A Pastoral response to the news of, and response to, the death of George Floyd
As a people of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church, we are led by someone who has earned this right...and I want to share with you his faith-filled response.
Bishop Frank Beard's Statement regarding the death of George Floyd
The video footage is more than disturbing, it is mind-boggling.
“I can’t believe what we just saw!” We all watched in horror-filled disbelief as George Floyd, handcuffed and pinned to the ground by an officer’s knee on his neck, gasped, “I can’t breathe!” Mr. Floyd died as others helplessly watched. This senseless act cannot be excused or simply dismissed by any of us because it affects all of us.
The list of African American men that have suffered death through senseless acts, like this one, continues to grow, even as the racial tensions and divisions in our nation continues to escalate. The voices of Christians, as well as all of good will, dare not remain idly silent, as these nonsensical acts continue.
It is the job of every Christian to serve as conduits of grace, mercy, and love so that the dark forces of our world might experience the liberating light of Jesus Christ. It is our job to help stamp out hatred in any form. Therefore, I encourage all United Methodist to pray for the families that are affected by this most recent tragedy, as well as those suffering a similar plight in recent months. I remind us all that it is our duty, as sisters and brothers, to stand-up, speak-out, and advocate for those that are hurting and marginalized, so that justice may become a reality.
I invite you to join me in praying for the Floyd family, the cities of Minneapolis / St. Paul, and other communities throughout our Nation and World experiencing unrest and turmoil. As we pray, let us also remain firmly committed to the task of renouncing the spiritual forces of wickedness, as we resist evil, injustice, oppression and pledge anew our commitment to walk after the manner of Jesus Christ.
God Bless
Bishop Frank J. Beard
Come, Holy Spirit, breathe new life into us that we may carry the light of Christ into a dark and hurting world!