This is the weekly update for Fairport United Methodist Church 
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Prayers for the Week

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Let us all continue to hold in prayer all those affected by the coronavirus (especially health care workers and those caring for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers) and...

• We pray for Caitlin Romagnola, who is undergoing surgery today.  We hope and pray for a quick recovery and for strength for whole family as they work patiently through her recovery with their young children.
• We continue to ask for prayers for Fran Mealey's daughter, Kim, who underwent a liver transplant.  We pray for her as she continues her recovery, and offer our thanks and gratitude for her donor and their family.  
• We pray for Jane, the beloved aunt of Betsy O'Connor, who has been diagnosed with widespread cancer this past week in Arizona.  
• For Anthony, the cousin of a member of our church, who has been diagnosed with Covid-19.  He has only just graduated from high school and we pray that he remains strong, recovers well, and can continue his dreams of playing college football in the fall. 
• For those grieving the loss of loved ones. 
• For those who are struggling with the isolation of social distancing.
• We continue our prayers for Bev Boynton, Herb and June Konz, Courtney Pedersen, Josh, Lois Spencer, Susan, and Maura                                                                           

To request prayer: Send an email to the office and indicate how you would like the prayer shared (public or private) with Pastor Richelle

 

May Birthdays & Anniversaries

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Click here for a list of May birthdays and anniversaries for our church family!
 

Ministry Updates!

While the building remains closed, the work of the church continues!  Please click the icons below to discover what each of our Ministries is doing!

 
I continue to receive such beautiful pictures and I’m now working...

 
Children in grades PreK-5 th grade and their families continue to stay connected through a Children’s Ministry private Facebook Group...

 
If you have pictures from youth events for 6-8th grades or 9th-12th grades, please drop them in the...

  
Life in the office has continued on, even though it hasn’t quite felt that way. As I mentioned before...
 

Important Information Regarding the United Methodist Church

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Update on from Reconciling Ministries Team:  Likely Split of United Methodist Denomination

The expectation was that the May, 2020, General Conference would produce a plan for the conservative churches within the denomination to split off from the centralist/progressive churches. That split, though painful, would allow centralist/progressive churches such as FUMC to move forward, supported by fully inclusive Discipline statements regarding LGBTQ ordination and marriage. That conference has now been postponed for approximately 17 months. The link below provides access to a recent town meeting hosted by Mainstream UMC and provides an excellent update on the status and possible path forward.  The town meeting update goes from time-stamp 13:28 to 35:15. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact Tom Deever (585-203-4184; tdeever@hotmail.com)
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEluRTqrwzM

United Methodist Board of Church & Society offers online seminars:

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From the Social Justice Team: 
During this pandemic the inequities and social injustices of our society are increasingly difficult to ignore. This creates an opportunity for Christians to renew a prophetic call for justice, equality, and reconciliation. To be responsible heralds of that prophetic call, we must educate ourselves.
 
Beginning this Thursday afternoon, the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society will be hosting the first of five weekly online seminars exploring how the COVID-19 pandemic intersects with income inequality, systemic racism, food insecurity, and mass incarceration. To learn more, follow this link: https://www.umcjustice.org/news-and-stories/seminar-program-launches-virtual-series-on-covid-19-1034
 
Topics include:

• May 28: Confined and Vulnerable: Detained and Incarcerated during COVID-19
• June 4: From the Ground to the Table: Food Insecurity during COVID-19
• June 11: A Just and Peaceable Global Relief from COVID-19
• June 18: Imagining a Just Economy post COVID-19

 
All webinars are free and open to all. Click the links above to register for individual sessions.
 
“COVID-19 revealed societal injustices that already existed. This pandemic has magnified familiar societal, political, and economic disparities—now with the added urgency of a public health crisis,” said Aimee Hong, Board of Church and Society Senior Executive Director of Education and Engagement.
“We will hear from experts and learn how to take action for a long-lasting change towards a more just post-COVID-19 world. While it may be tempting to return to life pre-COVID-19, the opportunity exists for people of faith to use this unprecedented moment to prophetically redress these historical and persisting wrongs. Now is an opportunity to commit to Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

Sharing Your Gifts!

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Our Music Ministry is on YouTube!
Nicole has started a Fairport UMC Music Ministry YouTube Channel! Fairport UMC Music Ministry YouTube Channel! The music/photo montages are there, in addition to the special music soloists from our Sunday worship services. Check out our videos and subscribe!
 
 
Share Your Photos!
Please keep sending photos to Nicole for her music/photo montages! The response has been amazing, and your pictures are beautiful! They provide a glimpse into our lives and the beauty of God’s creation, and it is a special way to keep us inspired, calm, and connected to each other during this time.
 
Please make sure that if there are people in your pictures, they are okay with being in a video. Names will not be used, except the people who have sent the photos on the title page. The video will be shared in the weekly e-mail, the church’s Facebook page, and the new Music Ministry YouTube Channel.
 
 
Share the Gift of Music!
If you would like to record a video of a piece of music for one of our Sunday worship services, please e-mail Nicole. It is wonderful that so many of our musicians are sharing their talents during our pandemic time of online worship!

 

Children’s Ministry Pandemic Initiative
Adopt a Grandparent

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During this time of social distancing, Children’s Ministry of Fairport UMC has implemented virtual Sunday school and related online activities in an effort to maintain Christian education for the youngest members of our congregation. This has also provided an opportunity for our children to remain connected to one another and their teachers.  Children’s Ministry is now ready to expand our children’s opportunities for connections among our church family and has just initiated a new program called “Adopt a Grandparent.”

We are excited to announce that 15 of our Sunday school children in pre-K through 5th grade have volunteered to adopt a “grandparent!”  Each participant has received the name of one older individual or couple from our congregation and will be sending messages, cards, artwork, etc. to help brighten the lives of those who may be feeling lonely during this challenging time.  We are particularly enthused about the opportunities this will provide for both the oldest and youngest members of our church family to connect and develop relationships. 
   So… despite the need for physical social distancing at this time, God is at work helping us to find ways to stay close and supportive of one another!
 
       

Ways to Serve Our Local Community

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We are called as faithful followers of Jesus to serve those who are in need.  During this time of global crisis, the needs of our community are growing daily.  Please read below for ways that FUMC is asking for your help to serve the most in need:

Outreach to St. Joe's House of Hospitality
     St Joseph’s House of Hospitality is a Rochester Catholic Worker community which provides food, clothing, shelter and spiritually-centered care for the homeless and marginalized people in the city of Rochester.    We have been partnering with them on outreach projects for several years.  During this Covid-19 crisis they serve a bag lunch program to 60 people every day that includes 2 sandwiches and a snack.  They also pass out 5-10 grocery bags a day of non-perishable items for people/families who do have a place to stay but lack food resources. With the help from UMW, UMM, Star Group, The Face Mask Task Force and $1,500 from 50/50 Outreach Fund we are helping to supply lunches and face masks! Of course the need is great and anything else is also appreciated. 
     Mark Renfro does a drop-off every Friday of the items they are most in need of (as well as lunch supplies).  If you want to help support the effort by donating items, you can drop them off on the front porch of Mark Renfro’s house – 50 South Ave, on the corner of South Ave and George St at the opposite end of the block that our church is on.  The list of items needed will be updated every week in the weekly emails.
     For this week, St. Joe's House of Hospitality is beginning to supply groceries for the migrant families that are beginning to come to the area for farming work. They are in need of small bags of white rice, cans of Soup, boxes of pasta, boxes of mac & cheese, cans of tuna, bags of apples, and bags of oranges


The Face Mask Task Force
  The Face Mask Task Force of the Fairport United Methodist Church remains committed in their efforts to supply cloth face masks to three shelters in Rochester – Sanctuary House for women and children, St. Francis Shelter for men and St. Joseph’s House of Hospitality.  To date, we have supplied 260 masks to these three shelters according to each shelter’s specific needs.  Many, many thanks to all the sewers devoted to this cause!!  This task force now includes Karen Felgenhour and her production assistant, Jerry, Ellie Robinson, Brenda Deever, Judy Darrer and Judy Bermudez.
We realize that the need at shelters for both adult and children’s face masks will continue for months to come.  For that reason, we are inviting any sewers within Fairport UMC to join in the important work of this team.  Please be aware that we are willing to travel to your house to pick up masks from your front porch to be delivered to the shelters.  If you are interested in becoming a part of this effort, please contact Judy Bermudez.


Perinton Food Shelf
Check out the Perinton Food Shelf website for information regarding donations needed. 

 

Spring has Sprung!  Mowing the Lawn at Church

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Volunteers are needed to help with lawn mowing at the Fairport United Methodist Church.  Please click this link to view the online sign up sheet.  We have all the tools needed for the job.  Your time to mow at church and the little house are greatly appreciated.  If someone doesn't have internet access they can contact Ken Fischer (585-216-7611) or Ed Caskey (585-738-2043)  to check dates and sign up.  Thank you!

 

Online Devotionals

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Many members of our congregation find The Upper Room daily devotional a helpful guide to deepening their spirituality and look forward to the latest copy in the Parlor.  While the church is closed, the Upper Room publishers have offered the May/June publication as a digital download for you to enjoy anywhere.  Click here to download your copy, as well as pocket prayer books for prayers of comfort, courage, hope, and grace in times of sickness.  

Other devotional materials and apps:

• Sign up for Daily meditations from Fr. Richard Rohr
• d356 Daily Devotional 
• Common Prayer: A liturgy for ordinary radicals (available as an app)
•  YouVersion Bible (available as an app, see more information here)  
• Our Daily Bread app (available as an app)

 

Pastoral/Congregational Care

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If you are in need of any pastoral care during this time please contact Pastor Richelle. You can text her, email her or call her! If you need her phone number please call the church office or email her directly. She is available to have a Zoom at request. The staff, church members and Caring Ministries Team is in the process of reaching out to the whole congregation. We are also paying special attention to our elderly and home bound/nursing home members. Thank you to all those who are helping care for the congregation.