March 18, 2020
Beloved Salem Family:
After much prayerful deliberation and upon the recommendation of the President, Governor, and our Bishop, we are suspending all activities and worship services at Salem until further notice. We have no timeline to go by, so please watch carefully for updates.
This is all new territory for us. Worship will look different. For those who have email, you will receive at least two online worship services for you to do at home. These will be sent out on Wednesdays and Saturdays. For those who do not have email, we will be mailing these. If you have not been receiving our emails, please email Pastor Erica so you can be added to our list. The newsletter will still be mailed out. We are looking at other ways for us to remain connected even in isolation.
In addition to the service sent out by Salem, you can also do your own meditation. Listen to hymns. Read Scripture. Pray. We may not be physically gathered together, but we still worship the same God. And we are still all part of Salem’s family. Everyday at noon, I invite you to stop wherever you are and join me for a time of prayer. We can all come together and pray as one family.
If you need to contact Pastor Erica, she is available by phone or email. Her contact information is at the end of this letter. Please keep it handy. We will be checking the church voicemail regularly, but it is best to contact Pastor Erica directly.
Our faithful staff will continue to serve, while we plan for congregational needs and maintain the building. Staff may work from home, and we ask you to stay home as well. As much as we love seeing you, it is best to practice social distancing at this time. We ask those who have keys to the building to not access it during this time. The restricted access to the building will help keep our building clean.
One of the implications of canceling Sunday morning is that our regular offering will not be collected. It’s essential to support our church to maintain our responsibilities to our staff and building. We should find ways to be generous even while we’re not together. Please mail your offering to the church. You may also use online bill pay through your bank. Knowing that our income will be impacted, we invite those with extra resources to consider making a special gift.
In times of anxiety and crisis, the church finds its true mission to be a beacon of love and peace in the world. Let’s commit to praying for one another, for the church and for the world in this time of global pandemic. We know that it is often the most vulnerable that are more deeply affected by crisis.
Reach out to those who may be isolated. Send a card to encourage a neighbor. Pray for your pastors, our musicians, and all staff. Breathe deeply into God’s grace to calm your fear. We have hope because Christ is on this journey with us. New doors will be opened, and new possibilities created. Watch for their emergence, even as winter gives way to spring. Life can’t be stopped, and Easter always comes!
Pastor Erica Cunningham & the Congregation Council
Beloved Salem Family:
After much prayerful deliberation and upon the recommendation of the President, Governor, and our Bishop, we are suspending all activities and worship services at Salem until further notice. We have no timeline to go by, so please watch carefully for updates.
This is all new territory for us. Worship will look different. For those who have email, you will receive at least two online worship services for you to do at home. These will be sent out on Wednesdays and Saturdays. For those who do not have email, we will be mailing these. If you have not been receiving our emails, please email Pastor Erica so you can be added to our list. The newsletter will still be mailed out. We are looking at other ways for us to remain connected even in isolation.
In addition to the service sent out by Salem, you can also do your own meditation. Listen to hymns. Read Scripture. Pray. We may not be physically gathered together, but we still worship the same God. And we are still all part of Salem’s family. Everyday at noon, I invite you to stop wherever you are and join me for a time of prayer. We can all come together and pray as one family.
If you need to contact Pastor Erica, she is available by phone or email. Her contact information is at the end of this letter. Please keep it handy. We will be checking the church voicemail regularly, but it is best to contact Pastor Erica directly.
Our faithful staff will continue to serve, while we plan for congregational needs and maintain the building. Staff may work from home, and we ask you to stay home as well. As much as we love seeing you, it is best to practice social distancing at this time. We ask those who have keys to the building to not access it during this time. The restricted access to the building will help keep our building clean.
One of the implications of canceling Sunday morning is that our regular offering will not be collected. It’s essential to support our church to maintain our responsibilities to our staff and building. We should find ways to be generous even while we’re not together. Please mail your offering to the church. You may also use online bill pay through your bank. Knowing that our income will be impacted, we invite those with extra resources to consider making a special gift.
In times of anxiety and crisis, the church finds its true mission to be a beacon of love and peace in the world. Let’s commit to praying for one another, for the church and for the world in this time of global pandemic. We know that it is often the most vulnerable that are more deeply affected by crisis.
Reach out to those who may be isolated. Send a card to encourage a neighbor. Pray for your pastors, our musicians, and all staff. Breathe deeply into God’s grace to calm your fear. We have hope because Christ is on this journey with us. New doors will be opened, and new possibilities created. Watch for their emergence, even as winter gives way to spring. Life can’t be stopped, and Easter always comes!
Pastor Erica Cunningham & the Congregation Council