Peace be with you, in the name of Jesus, the teacher of faithful ways!
This we know: unprecedented times require the responsible ingenuity of our God-given gifts. For two hundred years, the women and men of Avon Congregational Church have served the spiritual needs of the community. The pioneering ‘great cloud of witnesses’ and their storied histories that have come before us have weathered pandemics and epidemics as well as domestic and international wars. They did so with faith-filled grace and left us the legacy of a world filled with more opportunity and longevity of life than any generation has ever known.
We shall, with God and each other’s help, do the same!
Following the wise counsel of our local Farmington Valley Health District, who is taking their lead from the experts of the Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization, Avon Congregational Church will promote the spiritual and physical safety and health of every person – all beloved children of God.
As Christians, though, who follow Jesus’ lead to touch the ‘untouchables,’ we will not forego our mission of loving God by loving each other with all our hearts, minds and strength. Why is the church and the assembly of a faith family relevant in the year 2020? It’s exactly for times such as these and for providing the purpose and meaning we all seek in daily life.
This church answers God’s call that asks, “will you love my people?” YES, we will!
So, we all must ask, “what are we doing to help and be helped?”
- Do you regularly receive our “E-Tidings?” These are both inspirational messages filled with spiritual nourishment along with the latest announcements about worship, events and the day to day updates. If you don’t currently receive them, email me at [email protected] and ask for your name and email to be added. This isn’t just for church members. This is for anyone who may want to connect spiritually and hear relevant faithful ways to meet these day-to-day challenges.
- While asked to keep a physical proximity to each other, we will NOT cancel our common bond or our need for human relationship and connection. Therefore, worship experiences, inspirational quotes and pictures and thoughtful creative ways to stay connected will be available regularly on Facebook. Worship experiences will broadcast live and become archived videos you can watch as and when you choose. Click on the “F” (for Facebook) located on the right side of the dark blue banner at the top of our homepage www.Avon-Church.org
- Our dedicated Called to Care Ministry Team is in the process of calling all those who are in our church directory. I asked them to check on how you are feeling about all of these odd and different circumstances, how you are coping and if we can offer spiritual support (or a physical need) to you. Christians are all called and ordained by God to be ministers. This is not relegated to the denominationally and educated ordained, so please reach out to your own circle of neighbors – those you know and those you maybe should.
Together, we will weather this storm and continue creating our vision of God’s realm, bolstered with the knowledge, that with God, nothing is impossible, we are never alone and we are eternally beloved.
Faithfully yours and in God’s service,
Pastor Chris