Stained Glass Gazette F i r s t P r e sby te r ian Chur ch , Mou l t r i e , GA Ap r i l 2 , 2020

“Being Church in a Time of Separation” We are living through the most stressful, anxiety ridden time I have ever known in my life. Anxiety is fear of the un-

known. It is the perfect word to describe the emotional mish-mash we are going through at this time. No one knows what to expect! So, we distance ourselves to take care of ourselves and to care for one another. In this time of national shutdown, our church family is challenged to learn how we are to live our faith. We are called to serve others who are truly being hurt in so many different ways, to care for our senior members who are most vulnerable, and to continue to maintain our order for worship as the Church of Jesus Christ.

We are blessed to have the amazing gift of technology that allows us to maintain physical distance, while also main-taining social and spiritual connection. Some of our committees are working on the Zoom social platform that enables small groups to meet, discuss, and carry on the work of the church in real time. We should pursue this, getting as many of our members involved as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, with the help of a number of faithful saints, we are working through the means of recording our ser-vices of worship, and posting them on Facebook and our church web site, moultriefirstpres.com, for you to view and join in as a participant. We must broadcast in this way at this time because of limitations and unreliability of live streaming on the internet. Recording and posting seems to be working well for now. So, we will continue in this man-ner until we come through this time of necessary physical distancing. Below is the schedule for the services that will be available for you through Holy Week:

1) Palm Sunday Worship Service will be broadcast Sunday morning (4/5), 11:00 a.m. 2) Maundy Thursday Service with Communion will be broadcast Thursday evening (4/9), 6:00 p.m.* 3) Good Friday at the Cross will be broadcast Good Friday (4/10), at noon. 4) Easter Sunday Worship will be broadcast at 11:00 a.m. Easter Sunday (4/12). *Maundy Thursday Communion Notice: When joining the broadcast of this Thursday evening Service, which will include the celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, please have some bread and small cups of juice or wine available for each participant. Place the elements on a table in front of you, to be taken at the time when we receive communion together. As we enter into this holiest season of the year for the church and for our faith, join me in being prayerful for others,

those who are sick, for those who are vulnerable, for our elderly members, for our children now at home, for parents tending children while juggling other responsibilities of family life, for those out of work, for those struggling to pay bills, for those who must go to work serving us, for our farmers and their laborers, for those who are depressed and lonely.

This is a time for all of us to stand firm in our faith, coming together from all points of distance and separation to be the Church of Jesus Christ, remembering always:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again! Holy Week Blessings to you all! Please stay safe. Dr. G.

First Presbyterian Church

501 First Street, S.E., Moultrie, Georgia 31768

www.moultriefirstpres.com

To all who are weary and need rest, to all who mourn and need comfort, to all who are lonely and need friendship,

to all who are glad and would serve others, to all who are complacent and need disturbing,

to all who sin and need a Savior, this Church opens wide its door in the name of Christ, and bids you welcome.

THE WHEELS ON THE BUS … are still

Dear First Presbyterian Friends,

Help! I am so very lonely locked up in this dark garage! I was so happy to carry the young and old here and there over so many miles. It was fun seeing the countryside with all of you. It has been a great year! I carried 367 people over 2,311 miles of road. Where are you now???

I arrived in Moultrie, Georgia just over a year ago. I was a plain white bus but you all seemed excited to see me. Faye claims to be the first to step on me. Susan, Joyce and Alice were the first to ride around the block on me. The Cor-nerstones were the first to take a trip all the way to Tallahassee and the beauti-ful Goodwood Home. I sure was proud to get those red & blue words to pretty me up and let everyone know I belonged to the Moultrie First Presbyterian Church.

I drove those Preschool Children to the YMCA for gymnastics in January & February. That is over 200 rides. Boy, those little ones sure are wiggly. I think those preschoolers were more excited about riding on the bus than they were about doing gymnastics.

The Children only made one ride on me this past year. Their trip to Christmas at Chehaw got rained out. But the trip to Tallahassee Museum was a big success. On the way back they talked about flying through the air on ziplines and seeing fascinating animals.

I got to drive the Youth the farthest away from home. They took a trip all the way to Montreat, N.C. – that was 847 miles. I really got to show them that I could go fast & keep them safe too. The Youth took another trip to Co-lumbus, GA - which was 250 miles. When they get on me, they carry their pillows and blankets with them.

It is the Cornerstones who have used me the most. They sure do like to travel. Once a month they go somewhere to eat lunch. (Tifton, Thomasville, Tallahassee). My load is a little heavier every time they return but it smells deli-cious. Cornerstones also like to see plays in Valdosta and I hear their trip to the Navy Bands concert got canceled. I was really looking forward to seeing Columbus again.

I just had my one year check up and I passed with flying colors. I am ready and willing to go on another trip. What, you are locked up in your houses avoiding the corona virus. Well at least you have windows to look out, air conditioning to keep you cool, T.V.s and computers so you can see wonderful sights, and family and friends to talk to. I am still locked up in this dark garage being lonely and counting the days until you come and take me on a trip. I will go anywhere!

Your faithful servant,

The Church Bus

Announcements Gatherings at the church are suspended.

Modified hours for the church office Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Call the office if you need assistance from Congregational Care.

Make a point to mail in your pledges and offerings.

LOOK FOR EMAILED LINKS TO HOLY WEEK SERVICES ONLINE.

Sunday, April 5 – recorded PALM SUNDAY service will be posted online by 11 a.m.

Thursday, April 9 – recorded MAUNDY THURSDAY service with communion

will be posted online by 6 p.m. Prepare to take communion in your homes with crackers, bread, juice, wine or any substitute thereof. Prayer-

fully drinking and eating in remembrance of our Lord is the most important part.

Friday, April 10 – recorded GOOD FRIDAY service will be posted online by Noon

Sunday, April 12 – recorded EASTER SUNDAY service will be posted online by 11 a.m.

KIDS! Summer Camp with

Flint River Presbytery will be

June 21-27 Be sure to check out our Dogwood Acres summer

camp offered in partnership with Florida presbytery!

Go to http://www.dogwoodacres.org/summer-camp/online-registration/

VBS: SAVE THE DATE SUNDAY, May 31-June 4

Vacation Bible School

Rocky Railway

Jesus’ Power pulls us through

5:30-8:00

Doing Whatever We Can Several church members are making masks to help protect local people on the frontlines of the viral pan-

demic. If you need a mask for protection or know a medical professional in need of a washable mask, call 891-1525. Or maybe you, too, can join the effort to the combat mask shortages.

Photos left and center, from Nancy Coleman, her father modeling the colorful homemade masks she sewed. Bottom

right, Connie Fritz made and packaged masks with special messages for the healthcare workers who receive them.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING SPECIAL OFFERING

APRIL 12, 2020 Usually received on Easter Sunday in our congregation, One Great Hour of

Sharing is the single, largest way that Presbyter ians come together every

year to build God’s household and welcome our neighbors-in-need around

the world by providing relief.

One Great Hour of Sharing provides relief for the hungry through:

Presbyterian Hunger Program takes action to alleviate hunger and the sys-

tematic causes of poverty so all may be fed.

JOIN PRESBYTERIANS WORLDWIDE IN ANSWERING GODS CALL!

WAYS TO GIVE –

Write & mail a check to First Presbyterian Church Note for One Great Hour

of Sharing (OGHS)

Donate by credit card online at presbyterianmission.org/give-oghs

Text OGHS to 20222 to give $10

REMEMBER to fill out your U.S. Census form! It’s important to have an accurate count to receive funding and resources for our community.

Fill out your mailed forms or go to www.my2020census.gov.

Two Special Offerings During this Lenten season, the Presbyterian Women have engaged the congregation in a study, prayer

and giving project. The offerings from the project will be given to the Colquitt County Food Bank to pro-

vide much needed food for our neighbors.

The Columbia Friendship offering was scheduled for March 15, but church services were cancelled.

Please support the goal of 5 scholarships to Columbia Seminary by donating to this mission. You can mail

your donation to the office. Just be sure to note Columbia Friendship in the memo line on your check.

STAY IN TOUCH ONLINE

Look for our services to be posted on our Facebook page each weekend. It is also a good way to keep up with announcements or keep up with the our homebound congregation. Also, look for updates on our homepage at www.moultriefirstpres.com.