From the Pastor

We’ve all heard plenty in the news about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) lately.  While the health risk remains relatively low, I know that many are concerned.  We want everyone in our community to stay healthy and safe, so we here at First Church are taking these steps to prevent the spread of this illness and other illnesses, including the flu:

·       Asking you to stay home when you are sick, and to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze

·       Encouraging you to wash your hands often with soap and water (20 seconds is the recommended amount of washing time)

·       Suggesting you use the alcohol-based hand sanitizer available in restrooms and other public areas around our building

·       Asking that you not shake hands, or hug when passing the peace of Christ.  You can instead fold your arms over your chest and slightly bow to show honor and respect to one another

In addition, our custodial staff are regularly disinfecting door knobs and light switches around the building, and we will temporarily refrain from sharing Communion.  Even with all these precautions, if you are concerned about your own health, if you have a compromised immune system or other underlying condition which might make you more susceptible to any virus, please use your common sense and stay home.  Most weeks you can watch the 10:30 worship service via livestream by going to our website, www.fumcpdx.org and click on the button that says “Livestream”. You can also find past weeks’ services on the website, the weekly email or the church’s Facebook Page, and you can even make your donation online by clicking here.

Should you or any family member become ill and need our prayer support, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email.  One of the ways we live out our Christian witness is through our care for one another, and our faith in God’s sustaining presence.

As I said in the sermon on March 8:

Our faith will not take away all the difficult or dangerous things in life.  But it will make them bearable.  Faith won’t take away Covid-19 or the stock market decline or any number of other difficult realities we may face, but faith will not allow those things to dominate or to define who we are.  It will not allow our fears to overshadow our possibilities.

On the very night before Jesus left his disciples, was arrested, tried and put to death, he made them a promise which is still alive today.  Jesus promises us peace beyond understanding.  This peace is not just the absence of conflict, but the presence of God in our lives; it is a peace that enables us to trust God’s abiding, unceasing love, and to know we can never be separated from that love – not by anything, even the Coronavirus.

Now is the time to hang onto our faith, to trust in all God’s promises, and to rest to Christ’s peace beyond all understanding.

Grace and Peace,

Rev. Donna