OUR VISION

“As the body of Christ, we seek to fulfill

God’s commands to love Him with all

our hearts, and to love one another as

He loves us.”

OUR MISSION

“To reach out and connect with all people,

making disciples of Jesus Christ.”

April 2020, Vol. 63, Issue 4

Warm Lenten greetings! I hope this note finds you healthy and safe. These past few weeks have been unprecedented as our world, nation, and everyone of our communities comes to grips with the threat of coronavirus or COVID-19 to every facets of our lives— health, eco-nomic, social and even the way we are being the church.

Nevertheless, God is right in the middle of this global pandemic among us. And no matter how dire circumstances get, the Lord remains our refuge and strength, “an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). To trust in the Lord amid this crisis is to experience and bear witness to the power of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we are in this together! And we’re going to be the church in this time of crisis. Our key lay leader-ship approved the COVID-19 Preparedness Plan and formed a Response Team that will gather information and track updates about COVID-19 and recommend to the Church Staff decisive actions within the 24-48 hours of COVID-19 developments.

Stay Connected During this time of crisis, I encourage all of us to stay connected, communicate with each other, most espe-cially encouraging and supporting one another. Please always check our church website (davisunited.org) for COVID-19 updates and links to CDC, NC Department of Health & Human Services and local government sources. A weekly email update will be sent every Monday to the entire congregation. Pastor Edgar will also offer daily Facebook Live updates and phone tree message every Wednesday. Finally, we will soon begin sending out weekly e-newsletter through email and uploaded online.

Worship Services Out of our desire to love each other well, especially those who are most vulnerable, Davis Street UMC will continue offering online Sunday Worship Service up to April 5th across all our online platforms including church website, church Facebook page and YouTube. This means that we will continue to suspend corporate worship services, Sunday School classes and all other small group meeting or gatherings on campus up to April 5th. After that, the Church Staff in consultation with the Response Team will re-evaluate the situation and will make decisions regarding future worship services on 2-week increments.

Grab & Go Breakfast Ministry As we journey together this time of crisis, Davis Street UMC continues to be “a church for all people.” We shifted our outreach ministry to an adaptive mode by offering “Grab & Go” Breakfast to our neighborhood and community in need every Sunday, 8:30am in our campus. Again, this ministry will be “evolving” depend-ing upon the directives from the Church Staff and Response Team.

Spiritual Growth, Care & Support Network Social distancing does not mean social isolation. I encourage everyone to be adaptive and creative in main-taining your spiritual growth during this crisis. I encourage our Sunday School classes, Bible Study groups and lay organizations to meet online via Zoom. In the coming days, we will provide instructions and tutorials about Zoom on our church website. We will also launch a grocery shopping support network to ferry sani-tized goods to the vulnerable in our church. And finally, we will expand our phone network by building our current network of care and support to make phone calls, send care cards and uplift the social health and well-ness of our church family.

Giving Reminder The ministry here at Davis Street UMC continues even during this time of crisis. And so, I highly encourage everyone to continue giving your weekly tithes and offerings. The online giving is already up and running on the church website. You may also consider other options such as bank’s “Bill-Pay” system or checks deliv-ered to Davis Street’s campus and be dropped in the mailbox by the ramp entrance. US mail can still be used to deliver checks to the church. As always, we give thanks to God for your faithfulness and generosity.

In closing, as we get ready for the coming Holy Week, may the hope, promise and resilience of the Risen Lord & Savior be with us all in these challenging times. With God’s grace, we shall persevere! Stay safe and be healthy!

Pastor Edgar

UPDATE DAVIS ST. FAMILY INFORMATION

Changes in some of our members status:

Please pray for Cyndy Jenkins still at Duke.

Please pray for the families of our recently deceased:

Mattie Lee Miller

B.L. “Bugs” Laughon

UNITED METHODIST MEN

The DSUMC UMM will NOT meet at the Southbound Sandwich Works (http://www.southboundsandwich.com/) on Tuesday, when we resume our meetings, please join us at 6:30 for food with program to begin at 7:00 pm. Butch Wilson, UMM Chairman

Clothing Items Needed for School

In conjunction with our partnership with Broadview Middle School, we are currently asking for donations of clothing items for students who are in need. The following items are requested: Jackets; Sweaters; Socks; Leggings; Simple long sleeve shirts; Underwear (Sizes: M, L, XL, 1X, 2X or size 10-2)

J.O.Y. - OUR OLDER ADULT EVENT

The J.O.Y. (Just Older Youth) group will NOT meeting on Thursday, April 2 and will NOT meet until further notice. When we do resume our meetings please come join us for lunch and have some fun.

L.I.T.E. - OUR LADIES GROUP

L.I.T.E (Ladies in the Evening) will NOT meet on Tuesday until further notice due to the Covid-19 situation. Stay safe and take care of yourself. When we start up again we want you all to come and enjoy yourself and bring a female friend with you. Join our ministry, we would love to hear your ideas on ways to share our love.

BREAKFAST MINISTRY IN CHANGING TIMES

I don’t have to tell you that we are living in very unusual times. The threat and reality of covid-

19 has changed the way we live. Like most people, I am at home today staying away from other peo-

ple so that the virus can be slowed or stopped as it travels from person to person. This was not the

case yesterday.

Sunday is Breakfast Ministry Day. Coronavirus has changed the way we do breakfast, too. We

now serve breakfast in a take-out container. Under the portico, the “Grab ‘n Go” method provides a

sustainable meal for all who come. The contents of the breakfast has changed as we adjust to our

cooking and serving abilities. Filled plates still give the same expression of love that we offer our

“inside” breakfast. I see each plate as an expression of God’s grace and each plate represents our op-

portunity to serve. The author of Galatians reminds us:

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;

only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to

indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.

Galatians 5:13

Breakfast ministry might change in its content and the way we serve but what does not change is

our love for our friends to receive food (grace) from us each week. Blessings and Peace!

Mike Sykes

DAY

APRIL BIRTHDAYS

PERSON

DAY

PERSON

04/05

04/06

04/07

04/07

04/08

04/10

Diana Hanford

Virginia Hargrove

Janet Fisher

Mildred Horton

Scott Quakenbush

Nellie Moon

04/14

04/14

04/20

04/22

04/22

04/23

Marie Cox

Cindy Loy

Margaret Wright (100)

Anne Ingalls

Abigail McDowell

Betsy McDowell

APRIL ANNIVERSARIES

04/01

Vernon & Marty Hess

04/01 Jimmy & Brenda Moser

GOODBYE WITH LOVE TO DAVIS STREET

This is very difficult for me to have to do but I thought I better do it today since ten days can fly by before I know it. I would like all of you to know that you all have been a blessing not just to me but to my dear Don too. Your kindness ,caring ,love and prayers were greatly appreciated.

Wish I could hug all of you to say good bye but since that is not possible this will have to do .

Good bye dear friends, know that you all are loved very much and will never be forgotten and you all will continue to be in my daily prayers.

Like a saying I found years ago it said

" friends are like stars, you don't always see them but you

you know they are there "

with my love,hugs and prayers God be with you all

Nan

Phones: (336) 226-4457 or (336) 227-3784

Pastor Phone: (919) 418-0682 or (336) 438-1809

Web Address: www.davisunited.org

Serving You At Davis Street UMC

Pastor Edgar DeJesus edgardj@msn.com Treasurer Arlene Domenico treasurer@davisstreetumc.org Office Administrator Wendy Yoder office@davisstreetumc.org Dir. of Children Ministry Jane Brannock jbrannock6@triad.rr.com Dir. of Youth & Emer. Gen. John C. Wise john.caleb.wise@gmail.com Dir. of Music & Creative Arts Kitty Anderson kittylynnanderson@gmail.com Interim Accompanist Gay Trotter gay.trotter@gmail.com

Church Office Hours Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Closed Fridays

Davis Street United Methodist Church

606 East Davis Street

Burlington, NC 27215

Address Service Requested

Find your United Methodist family on Facebook

There are many ways to connect with fellow church members. Now thanks to social media we can be part of a huge community of United Methodists on Facebook. Come and see us.

https://www.facebook.com/Davis-Street-United-Methodist Church

www.davisunited.org

ATTENTION - Our newsletter can be viewed on the DSUMC website. Invite visitors who “Surf the Net” to learn more of the opportunities that Davis Street UMC offers.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRAYER MINISTRY: Let's continue to prepare our hearts for Easter.

Here is a prayer that we all can pray taken from the Internet.

Almighty Father, who sent your only Son Jesus Christ to save us from our sin, show me how I can honor You and bring glory to Your name, by walking in the way of Jesus. Give me grace and mercy as I try and fail, guidance when I’m not sure which way to go and wisdom to trust You in all things. For Your love brings light and life to all who seek it. May I seek You ever more as I walk with You through this Holy Easter season and beyond. Amen.

GIFTS TO THE CHURCH (3/25/20)

Memorials for Mattie Miller given by: Memorials for Bugs Laughon were given Anne McDowell Anne McDowell Janet Isley

COMMUNION REMINDER

Starting in March, we have been using wafers to take communion rather than the bread we've been using. The bread, though very delicious, is messy and ends up floating in the chalice of juice as well as scattered on the carpet for people to grind into the carpet. Since the wafers are not as absorbent as the bread, there should also be fewer spills on clothing and carpet.

Thanks for trying something different!

Cynthia Walker, Worship team