Fellowship Presbyterian Church issued the following announcement on March 19.
Dear Fellowship Presbyterian Family and Friends,
With reports about the spread of the coronavirus (or COVID-19), we want you to know that the health of our community is of utmost concern to the pastor, session and staff of this congregation. We are doing all that we can to stay current with public health guidelines, follow best practices for hygiene, and exercise an abundance of caution and care in responding to this situation.
Following the urging of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Session has canceled all on-site worship and rehearsals for the time being. We will continue to monitor the CDC’s recommendations and keep you informed.
It is our hope that we will be able to return to the sanctuary on April 19th for worship and a special congregational meeting to hear the report of our Pastoral Nominating Committee (See the other letter attached). If it is still not advisable for us to be together by that point, we will inform you and delay our gathering until the “all clear” sign.
As we anticipate a vote on a new pastor, another part of this timeline includes Rev. Dederer’s completion of her service as our Interim Pastor. Her last Sunday with us will be May 3rd. A celebration of her ministry with us is planned for that day following the single 9:30AM worship service. Stay tuned for more details. The first Sunday for our new pastor is scheduled for June 7th. Pulpit supply pastors will be with us from May 10th through May 31st.
Even though we will not gather in person for the coming weeks, “church” is not cancelled. The Church is the people of God! We still are called to witness to the saving love of Jesus Christ. Look for healthy ways you can reach out to your neighbor, co-worker, friend and stranger to ease their burdens. With social distancing, who might be in need of a phone call or text? And please, remember to send in your offering to the church! Our mission and ministry continue and our witness may now be even more important than ever. Pastor Nancy is available for pastoral care. Give her a call or text (708-642-2742) or email her (njcdederer@gmail.com) if you’d like to schedule an appointment. Also, we are exploring other technology such as Zoom for electronic meetings and gatherings. In the meantime, we will livestream our worship on the church’s Facebook page at 9:30 on Sunday mornings. Let us know if you need help connecting. We hope you will be able to join us as part of the great “iCloud of Witnesses!”
Grace and peace,
Julie Davis, Clerk of Session
Rev. Dr. Nancy Jo Dederer Interim
Letter from the Pastor Nominating Committee Link Here
Original source can be found here.
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