COVID-19 Update - May 15, 2020
When will the church be open again?
People have asked me this question. At this point I can only answer, we are working on it. We are listening to our state guidelines. (Which intentionally don’t mention churches.) We are talking with other churches. We are in a process of discernment. Opening a ministry like ours is complicated. Things are different for a small gathering of twenty or thirty people than a celebration of hundreds. We have activities for the young, the healthy, and for those who are older and more vulnerable. So, there are many things to consider to be certain we are making an appropriate, safe decision.
At this point in time, I can share a couple of things:
The pastor makes the decision to open a United Methodist Church. So please pray for me.
We will continue to have services and ministries online for the foreseeable future, even if we physically open.
Things will be different whenever the church opens.
Keep us in your prayers and share your ideas on this question.
How is the church doing financially?
People have asked this question and the best answer is: surprisingly well. Between the generosity of our people, and securing a government payroll loan, we can project that we look stable for the next couple of months if we can depend on our people to continue their generous support of the church.
Unexpected blessings
While we certainly miss being with each other in person, it has been amazing to see what is happening with our online presence. We have far more people participating in our worship services and Bible studies and other activities than we previously experienced in person. People we haven’t seen in a while are returning, people are joining us that have moved away, and new people are joining our ministry every week. It truly is new wine in new wineskins. Remember to fill out your online Friendship Card so we can know you are with us.
What can you do?
There are many ongoing ministries we can use help with. Notably are ministries to connect with people by telephone and mail. If you are a mask maker, we are still needing masks. We are still feeding people in Niagara Falls and Buffalo if you would like to make a contribution to those efforts. People are still making chalk drawings in the parking lot. And pray…. pray… pray…
Please stay connected
We are providing services and other activities online.
Each week we are offering a recorded worship service that is streamed Sunday morning at 9:00 and 11:15 right here at pendletonchurch.org/watch.
Most evenings on Facebook, there is a time of live worship music at 8:30 PM and live devotion & prayer following at 9:00 PM.
Every Wednesday, Pastor Tom is continuing his Bible study. This recording is streamed at 6:30 PM on pendletonchurch.org.
Other groups and activities are happening that you can find out about using our website or social media:
Website: pendletonchurch.org
Facebook Page: pendletoncenterumc
Facebook Group: PCUMC Fellowship Group
Instagram: @pendletonchurch
To stay up to date on our church activities, you can continue to check our website or follow us on social media: