ZOOM instructions - PASSWORD UPDATED ON APRIL 4TH!!
Zoom now requires a password, so the instructions have slightly changed!! There are two ways to participate in Zoom Bible studies and meetings. The instructions will be the same every time:
- CLICK ON THIS LINK: https://zoom.us/j/5092179617?pwd=OXlOUTB5VGw5Z0ZrNjV5MjY5dG90Zz09.
- THE PASSWORD IS "509" (WITHOUT THE QUOTATION MARKS).
- Your first time you'll need to follow the instructions to download Zoom. It's easiest on your phone, but the computer works too. Give yourself 10 minutes to set it up, but you'll probably only need 1-2. Just follow the instructions, click "yes" to everything, and it should work.
- Call this phone number: 669 900 6833 and when prompted, use this meeting number: 509 217 9617 *AND THE PASSWORD "509"*. BUT, if you do this, be aware that if you put us on speakerphone, we need you to mute yourself, or we will hear too much background noise from your phone.
We cannot yet predict when we'll be back to in-person church. In the meantime...
Please call me with any prayer requests or to talk. I'm also available by phone or text most of the time at 509-217-9617. I believe I can still meet you in person if it is something important, serious, or urgent, but otherwise we should avoid in-person contact.
Sunday mornings will have three components
1. Bible study at 9am live via Zoom (see below)
2. At 10 am, everyone can briefly gather in Zoom (see below) for brief updates and a prayer together. This will take 10-20 minutes.
3. Then we have a home order of service (click "home worship" above). On your own, with some pre-recorded elements.
I recommend having the home order of service at about 10am on Sunday in order to keep the weekly habit alive.
2. At 10 am, everyone can briefly gather in Zoom (see below) for brief updates and a prayer together. This will take 10-20 minutes.
3. Then we have a home order of service (click "home worship" above). On your own, with some pre-recorded elements.
I recommend having the home order of service at about 10am on Sunday in order to keep the weekly habit alive.
We will have Wednesday night Bible studies at 6:30.
These replace the Lenten services, but I can continue them as long as we are prohibited from meeting together live. Use Zoom as described below. 4/1/2020 we will look at Romans 8, one of the most encouraging sections of scripture.
We have a special voters meeting Tuesday, 4/7, to call a new teacher
It will be at 6:30pm. This will be conducted via Zoom like all other meetings and Bible studies during the covid shutdown.
Other ways to stay connected to your St. Matthew family
- I will be uploading occasional short devotions on Facebook.
- Consider calling your friends from church on the phone, and especially checking in on those who might be lonely.
- Our council asked me to mention: Please consider continuing to give your regular offerings. If we miss several weeks of offerings, it could significantly impact our budget. You can learn about online giving here. You can always mail in a check as well. Or you can save your offering every week and bring it in when we reopen soon.
- I think most people are on the same page, but if you are bothered by the cancellation, I have some thoughts on why we did it here.
- A reminder, we have weeks worth of interesting online reading here and more online sermons than you can shake a stick at here. Yet none of these are as powerful as sitting down with your Bible open, just you and God in prayer and meditation.
Please take care of yourself, especially elderly and at-risk members:
- Follow the CDC guidelines for preventing transmission of the disease.
- Make sure you are in the best health possible in case you do catch the disease. Get plenty of sleep, drink plenty of water, eat a healthy diet, and take whatever medicines, vitamins, etc., you take to stay healthy.
