Our FPC Family at Home: Future FPC Director of Music
Check out this FPC cutie exploring her musical talents at grandma’s house. Thanks to Grandma for sharing this extra dose of sweetness in our day!
What are YOU doing at home?
We want to see what’s going on at your house! Please send us pictures or video links so our church family can feel connected when we can’t physically be together. Send your photos, links of your 1-2 minute video, or stories to communications@myfpc.org so we can share it in an upcoming Connector. Let’s be intentional about Living Faith Together!
Reopening the Church
Weekly Update from Your Site Reopening Action Team
We communicated with you last week regarding our efforts to hold an onsite worship experience at FPC on July 19th. As you may have seen, on Wednesday July 1st, Dane County issued Emergency Order #7 which limits indoor mass gatherings to 10 people plus paid staff and outdoor mass gatherings to 25 people plus paid staff, effective July 2nd. Session has previously approved that FPC will comply with the mass gathering limits established by the Dane County Public Health Department. Based on this new Emergency Order changing the mass gathering limits downward, last evening Session decided not to hold any onsite worship at FPC until such time as Dane County allows outdoor mass gatherings of at least 100 people, but rather to continue with our virtual worship services only.
Consideration was given to holding an outdoor worship service with worship attendance limited to 25 people and recording that service for distribution to the congregation as our virtual worship service for the week. This was decided against primarily for two reasons:
- Limiting in person attendance to 25 people in a congregation our size creates challenges. We would anticipate more than 25 people would be interested in attending; thus, many would still be unable to worship onsite.
- The current virtual experience is getting a large number of “hits” each week, leading us to believe we are getting more people worshipping with us virtually each week than we typically do in a normal week of in-person worship. This experience would be degraded somewhat from the current virtual experience; since this is how the vast majority of the congregation would experience worship, the decision was made not to go this direction.
Our team is continuing our work of identifying how to safely use the beautiful site that we have been blessed with – once Session deems it is the proper timing to do so. We are addressing not only worship services, but also weddings, funerals, Sunday school, Youth ministry, Adult ministry, and much more. Our plan is to present this comprehensive plan to Session for their consideration at their August Session meeting. Please continue to watch the Connector for updates. Our plan is to communicate with you each week, including letting you know when Session approves bringing us back onsite for worship. In the meantime, please continue to worship using the virtual experience that FPC is preparing each week. We truly are blessed to have such talented people that make this experience so incredibly meaningful during this time of not being able to worship onsite and together!
Site Reopening Action Team
RJ Binau, Elder of Buildings & Grounds
Steve Cable, Chair
Nancy Groeneveld, Director of Music & Worship Arts
Kirk Morledge, Senior Pastor
Liz Weller, Elder of Worship & Music
Pictures from our recent Fellowship event!
We had a great time at this outdoor event. About 30 (allowed during that phase of Badger Bounce Back Plan) of our FPC family attended and enjoyed some much needed fellowship while social distancing.
Book Club
Book club Invitation from First Presbyterian Church on Vimeo.
Join Christa Schmeelk, Director of Family Ministries, in reading this book and an opportunity to talk about racism from a faith perspective. Email Christa with any questions and to let her know you’d like to be part of the group.
For Your Calendar:
Video Devotional: “In the World You Will Have Tribulation”
Bethel Series Executive Director and FPC member, Rev. Jeff Quinto’s devotion, “In the World You Will Have Tribulation” is based on John 16:33 and Colossians 2:8.
Stephen Ministry
We know the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone—raising the level of fear, stress, and anxiety for people all over the world and underscoring the importance of caring ministry. As a Stephen Ministry congregation, we equip and empower lay caregivers to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care. Our commitment to this ministry is extrememly important during these uncertain times.
If you, or someone you know, could benefit from this ministry, contact the church office.
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