May 21, 2021

Dear Prairie Avenue Family,

The boiler recirculating pumps for the education wing have been turned off for the season, and the thermostats have been switched to A/C in the sanctuary as we approach the summer season. School is ending today in Decatur Public Schools. Concerts and events are returning to the Devon Amphitheater. Several national chain stores have lifted mask restrictions for the fully vaccinated. We have also modified our guidelines here (see below) and look forward to our ability to gather in groups regularly in worship, in study, and in prayer.

As we anticipate a "return to normal," our world and habits have changed in the Post COVID-19 world. The worship schedule will be 5 pm Saturday, 8 am & 9:30 am Sundays. Our online presence will continue, and with our audio problems solved, should be a quality live stream program. Youth programming on Wednesday nights will resume next month.

Some have asked about adult Sunday School, also known as the Sunshine class. Our Sunday worship schedule changes my availability to convene and teach this group. I would be interested in developing additional teachers to expand our topics and interests. It is not impossible for these groups to meet during the worship service hours, opting to join the worship service prior to or following class. For the near term, I will continue to offer a Stephen Minister training class at 11 am on Sundays, and organizing an Alpha course this fall.

The 2020 internal finance audit is nearly completed, and with the assistance of our Payroll Protection Program loan, as well as your generosity, we were able to weather the pandemic's financial havoc well. Work on modernizing our elevator will commence later this year. The Church Council (board) will begin reviewing policy and procedures and working with me to develop a strategic plan for 2022-2024. Planning will begin for our Centennial Celebration shortly.

Look for volunteering opportunities to assist in hospitality, service, and more to be shared in the coming weeks.

Worship This Weekend:
Witness: Living in a Postresurrection World
A New Temple
We conclude our Easter season this weekend with the familiar story of Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit in establishing a new community. Be sure to wear red this weekend!

In some church sanctuaries, you may have observed the presence of a hanging lamp or flame that never ceases or is extinguished. It is a visual reminder of the ever-presence of God within. We often call our church buildings "houses of God," as if the church address is where God lives and receives mail. In the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, when both the tabernacle and temple were established, the people knew God was present within the Holy of Holies because God appeared as a wild flame of fire; this was called the shekinah of God. In the times of the prophets (just before and after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE), they foresaw a time when God would dwell directly in the hearts of his people, his instructions placed upon and within human flesh. Temples, with their exclusive rights and potentially burdensome religious laws, would be done away with, and the revelation of God's presence in all and through all would be experienced.

As Peter boldly proclaims to those gathered in Jerusalem, drawing from the writings of the prophet Joel, the last days of God's presence have come, as the shekinah of God now rests above not temples of stone and structure, but above the heads (dare one say "temples") of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. A new community was birthed, one not bound by law but liberated by grace. A new day has begun, a new revelation that God's dwelling place was within all people, and absolutely o one was excluded. The age of divisiveness is concluded, the punishment of Babel is reversed, for all have the ability to proclaim God's deeds of powers directly in their own native language. Every tribe and nation has people-temples, living and breathing bodies who can proclaim God's forgiveness, administer God's purpose, and become part of God's will on earth as it is in heaven. Do we perceive this new reality? Jesus did not die so that we can come to an address for God made of stone, but to become a living temple, pulsating with God's purpose, giving us God-given ability to reconcile and forgive, love and serve.

Join us (or reconnect) in worship at 8 am or 9:30 am Sunday, and online via Facebook or website: prairieavenuechristianchurch.org


COVID-19 GUIDELINE & PROTOCOL CHANGES
Governor Pritzker announced the state of Illinois has entered the "Bridge phase" towards full reopening next month (June 11). Fully vaccinated individuals do not count towards capacity limits, which are now lifted to 50% or 50 persons, whichever is smaller. All worship services have a 50 person limit at this point, an attendance we have not seen in nearly 15 months.

The CDC also announced new guidance about masks and vaccinated people. It has indicated that the chances of a fully vaccinated person contracting COVID are very low, and if they do, chances of having a life-threatening case of it, are negligible. Therefore, fully vaccinated people (I trust your honesty in claiming vaccination) no longer are required to wear masks in worship. Fully vaccinated people are also encouraged to sing! The masking requirement is still recommended for unvaccinated persons and will be in place.

We know that some of you are not yet comfortable in public without masks, and some have yet to be vaccinated, so while masks are optional, we encourage you to wear your mask until you are seated in the pew. I will wear my mask in group settings until I am aware or informed that all in our community are vaccinated.

2021 PENTECOST OFFERING: Be the New Church
Sunday, May 16 & May 23
From hospital and prison chaplains to tri-vocational pastors, courageous new church leaders have answered the call to be the new church.

To support them and their efforts to continue the new church movement, please contribute to the 2021 Pentecost Offering, which we will collect on Sundays, May 16 and May 23. Thank you for your generous support! We have received $243.50!

Each year, half of the gifts made go to your own Region to support local new church development. The other half goes to New Church Ministry, which trains, equips, assists, and multiplies new church leaders. Through programs such as Leadership Academy, New Church Hacks, and Water the Plants, your gifts make a difference across the life of the Church. By participating in this Special Day Offering, you ensure the viability, vitality, and sustainability of unique new church plants in your area and in states, provinces, and territories far away.

Please give generously. Let’s all be the new church, together.

Worship Leaders Needed
Our in-person services need worship leaders to assist in speaking the call to worship, invocation prayer, and the call to worship for each of our services: Saturday at 5 pm or Sundays at 8 am or 9:30 am. These materials are prepared each week by Tuesday afternoon, so you do not have to create your own! You can sign up a particular Sunday of the month, a particular time, or which service you already (or will eventually) attend in person. Contact Barb Hodges at 217-620-3268 if you would like to sign up or have questions.

Parking Lot Attendants / Greeters Needed
We need smiling faces and joyful hearts in greeting and security. I need two parking lot attendants to greet our guests and assist them with their entrance. Once service begins, these parking lot attendants will secure all entrances to the building, locking the doors, closing the garage about 15 minutes into the worship services. I would like to have attendants for each service -Saturdays at 5 pm and Sundays at 8 am & 9:30 am. Contact the church office (217-428-3327) if you are interested in helping assist in guest/welcome services.

Building Fund Needs
Thank you for your generous response to our campaign! We have collected $1300 of our $5000 goal. The final cost of our circulating pump repair was nearly $2,300. Our building fund is not as robust as it should be to handle this expenditure in addition to anticipated capital needs associated with the elevator modernization project later this year. I am asking you to consider a one-time special offering or a recurring gift to increase our building fund balance by $5,000. Each donor with offering envelopes has building fund envelopes included to solicit support for costly maintenance and anticipated replacement, remodel, and repair costs outside of the operating budget. Please mark your donations "building fund" if not using a building fund envelope.

Invite friends to join you for worship
this weekend, in person, online
In-person on Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday mornings at 8 am or 9:30 am (masks and social distancing required for unvaccinated).
Online at prairieavenuechristianchurch.org, Saturday at 5 pm or Facebook Live Sunday at 8 am or 9:30 am.

See you this weekend online or in person,

Blessings to you all,
Jason
As a church family, we care for and pray for one another.

As a matter of online privacy, we will only disclose public sympathy to a church friend or family member whose passing has also been publicly disclosed.

The Family of Kathleen Hubbell, who passed on Sunday, May 16.

If you would like prayer, please submit your prayer request online, and Pastor Jason and prayer team members will pray for you.
Prairie Avenue Christian Church | Website