**updated per Bishop Lewis statement of 4/14/2020 in keeping with Governor Northam’s stay at home order: in-person worship is canceled through June 10th. If the Governor’s ordered is amended, we will update this statement**
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Previous statement:
**updated per Virginia Conference 3/31/2020. In-person service cancellation extended through 4/26/2020**
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
I just received word from the Bishop that, keeping with Governor Northam’s address earlier in the week, all in-person worship services are canceled for the next 30 days. This will include Holy Week services and Easter Sunday. The conference will revisit the possibility of re-opening churches for worship on or before April 30 when the state ban is to be lifted. Meeting in the church parking lot, “drive-in” worship services, and drive-in communion are not allowed during this period of time as well.
Cokesbury will continue offering live-stream services of worship on Sunday morning through the church Facebook page, in addition to live Bible studies, devotional emails, and other means of faith formation.
This is a very strange and difficult time for Cokesbury, the larger church, our community, and the world. I want to recognize that for some of you these weeks will be more challenging than for others. I have been making phone calls to members of our church over the last two weeks and so far most seem to be handling the situation well, but I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
I want to do everything I can to meet the needs of our church as effectively as possible, and I will need your help to do so. What do you need from me at this time? How will you feel connected with the church during a time that we can’t gather in person? What fears or anxieties do you have that need to be lifted up in prayer? Please consider responding by email with your needs and ideas.
Additionally, if you know people from our church community who don’t receive these emails, or have access to Facebook, I would greatly appreciate it if you could spread this information by phone or by other means.
Finally, not meeting in person has already affected the financial situation of the church and it will continue to make things difficult until we meet again. I am grateful for those who have sent checks into the church as tithes and offerings. These gifts are essential for the church to carry through this crisis.
Unfortunately, we are only receiving ~25% of what we normally receive on Sunday mornings. I recognize that many will not have the means to contribute as they have before. The church is still entirely reliant on the offerings of our community to continue functioning. In order for us to weather this storm, we are truly in need of financial gifts in order to continue serving the community through this crisis, as well as on the other side of it. Please consider sending in a check to the church, making an offering online, or contact me about ways of dropping off an offering by the church.
No matter what the coming days and weeks bring, I am grateful to be serving as the pastor of Cokesbury UMC. We will get through this together and, as John Wesley said with his final breaths, “The best of all is, God is with us.”
Below are helpful links to stay connected during this time. Should anyone wish to speak with me, you can call my cell phone at 703-508-5449:
Cokesbury Facebook page
Cokesbury Website
Pastor’s Blog
Cokesbury Online Giving
Cokesbury Address: 14806 Blackburn Road, Woodbridge VA 22191
– Rev. Taylor Mertins