Edgcumbe Presbyterian Church
April 1, 2020

In this issue: Letting Go, Holy Week, Zoom mtgs, Session Update, MN FoodShare, Church Giving, Coloring!, Scripture, Song and Poem

letting go….reflections by pastor julie
here we are in the last sunday of lent… our intention in this season has been to explore “letting go”--and wow!! what constant practice we have been invited into each week as the world responds to the coronavirus. letting go is simple enough concept, but it can be tricky to live into...and we want to practice letting go, not simply knowing about it. how is it going, dear ones, in the living into this practice of letting go? i invite you and pause, and listen--is there something in this moment to let go of?? is there something you have been resisting letting go of?? included in this email are two resources to support this practice for you: a piano piece by lydia gebbengreen, “let it go” (from the movie, frozen), and a poem, penned by me, entitled, “letting go.” (see bottom of this update.) even though physically apart, we are more together than ever… we take courage and strength from each other, and we ask the holy spirit to be in charge!! be well!!🧡

Holy Week
Holy Week is not cancelled. It is just going to look different than it has ever looked or felt before. This Sunday is Palm Sunday and we will worship together on Zoom at 10am. During our Wednesday evening Zoom gathering, we will check-in and also spend some time thinking together about the last days of Jesus before his death. Sunday, April 12, will be Easter. I (Phil) have some mourning around the loss of our usual Holy Week traditions: palms and then flowers in the sanctuary, gathering around tables for Maundy Thursday, singing rousing Easter hymns together. When I let myself feel the sadness of what I miss, then I relax a little more into the reality of my life and our life together as it is right now. And I remember that the good news and power of life over death is just as applicable and meaningful right now as it ever was. So let’s feel sad, and let’s worship together. And let’s remember what is most important.

Zoom Meetings for Everyone!
We now have four Zoom meetings scheduled for our congregation for each week. All of these meetings are open to you and to everyone. They are:
• Sunday morning Worship at 10am
• Sunday evening Bible Study at 6:30pm
• Tuesday Centering Prayer at 3pm
• Wednesday evening Gathering at 7pm
The links for each of these meetings are on the church website at http://www.epchurch.org/ Please use the website links rather than any links we have sent out in the past.

Session Update
The EPC Session met (on Zoom, of course) on Thursday, March 26. Here are the highlights.
1. Suspend in-person worship and church gatherings until further notice, following MN state and Presbytery guidelines. The Elders wanted to emphasize that we are not cancelling church--we are moving to a different way to connect and worship with each other.
2. Begin a congregational care program where every member receives some contact and support from an Elder or Deacon of EPC.
3. Explore both online giving options and offering financial support to congregational members in need during this time. Look for more information on both these possibilities soon.
4. Celebrate the finishing of the flooring project while the building is mostly closed down!

MN FoodShare Continues through April
During this COVID-19 isolation time, keeping everyone fed is more important than ever. The statewide drive to support food shelves will continue through April. Any donations to EPC designated to “food shelf” will go to this outreach.

Church Giving
The best way to give to church continues to be mailing a check or putting the check in the mail slot at church. However, if you would like to explore giving from an investment account or through direct transfer from your bank, those are both options as well. If interested, please contact church treasurer Ron Eggert. Ron and the church office are also hoping to add a PayPal option for online giving to our church website in the near future.

Coloring
Here is a link to some free coloring pages, from a company that we have ordered from before at church: https://illustratedmin.s3.amazonaws.com/freebies/WhenYouFeelAnxious.pdf?ck_subscriber_id=136889631

Texts for this Sunday
Isaiah 50:4-9a
The Lord God gave me an educated tongue
to know how to respond to the weary
with a word that will awaken them in the morning.
God awakens my ear in the morning to listen,
as educated people do.
5 The Lord God opened my ear;
I didn’t rebel; I didn’t turn my back.
6 Instead, I gave my body to attackers,
and my cheeks to beard pluckers.
I didn’t hide my face
from insults and spitting.
7 The Lord God will help me;
therefore, I haven’t been insulted.
Therefore, I set my face like flint,
and knew I wouldn’t be ashamed.
8 The one who will declare me innocent is near.
Who will argue with me?
Let’s stand up together.
Who will bring judgment against me?
Let him approach me.
9 Look! The Lord God will help me.
Who will condemn me?

Philippians 2:5-11
Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus:
6 Though he was in the form of God,
he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit.
7 But he emptied himself
by taking the form of a slave
and by becoming like human beings.
When he found himself in the form of a human,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God highly honored him
and gave him a name above all names,
10 so that at the name of Jesus everyone
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth might bow
11 and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

To hear Lydia's song and read Julie's poem, please click on the Midweek Update link in the navigation bar to the left.