Hey there First Church! Welcome to summer! I'm Barnabas, the FUMC staff encourager. Not to brag or anything, but I also happen to be, you know, in the Bible (hint: see Acts). Pastor Taylor thought I was so good at encouraging the early church, that she hired me last year to be her staff encourager!
Well, now we're in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and I wondered if you might need some regular encouragement too. Some of you are working the front lines and some of you have been stuck at home for weeks on end. Some of you have lost jobs or loved ones in this crisis. Your church staff is here for you. We are praying for each of you to find strength in this challenging time.
We're also working on a new summer series about parables in the Bible. We know you've enjoyed having a summer challenge over the last couple years, but you may not be traveling very far from home this year. So, we'll be offering weekly guides for engaging with the parables in your own life, wherever you may be.
If you'd like to opt in, I'll send you some weekly encouragement via email every Monday - something to get us through the times! And guess what!? You'll also receive our guide to living with the parables during the months of June and July. Then, we'll invite you to send in a quick picture or post about your fun online. Each week we'll share a few pictures during worship to encourage more people to join the fun. You won't want to miss out!
I shared my idea recently with Pastor Taylor and she loved it! Check out the video and then sign up for my emails. Remember, we're all in this together!
Be encouraged.
Barnabas
