Worship

ZOOM LINK. Our Zoom link and worship guides are distributed through our weekly email. Please contact us to be added, and to receive this week’s link!

OFFERING. We invite you to support our ministry by giving online or mailing your offerings.

ACCESSIBILITY. Each week, we turn on the live transcript option for our services on Zoom. If you believe we may have forgotten to do this or you do not know how to access this option, please indicate this in the chat!

“JOYS AND CONCERNS”. Community prayer is an important part of our worship service. This is a time for the gathered people to voice any “joys” or “concerns” from our lives, communities, and world. With hybrid worship, we will begin by listening to the prayers of people in the sanctuary. Then a Zoom Worship Leader will facilitate the same process on Zoom. If you would like to offer a prayer, you can do so in the chat or wave your hand until the Worship Leader unmutes you. At the end, the leaders will make it possible for people on the phone to unmute themselves by pressing *6.

ZOOM COFFEE HOUR. We invite all Zoom participants to a 15 minute “Zoom Coffee Hour” after the postlude. Just stay on, and the Zoom Worship Leader will facilitate some casual conversation and fellowship!

WORSHIP STYLE. Our worship is fairly traditional, but informal. Most weeks we’ll have hymns accompanied by organ and/or piano, unison prayers, scripture reading, a children’s moment, a sermon, a time for joys and concerns, offering, and a sending blessing. While some folks dress up for church, some wear jeans and other more informal clothes. Don’t let your attire keep you from community - being together is the most important thing!

CHILDREN AT CHURCH. Kids are always welcome at FSUMC! Pastor Jamie’s toddler frequently roams the sanctuary during worship. There is a children’s moment each week, when kids of all ages are invited forward to benches at the front of the sanctuary for a message just for them. On first and third Sundays, all kids are then invited downstairs for an all-ages Sunday School time. If you’re curious about what that looks like, please email Pastor Jamie, who will be glad to talk more with you, and hear about your children! If your kids are uncomfortable going to Sunday School without you, they are welcome to stay in the sanctuary. In the back of the room there are some books, crayons, and colored pencils. They are welcome to move around the room however their bodies and brains need. You are also welcome to join them in Sunday School!

MASKS. Currently, masks are optional within the building. However, as conditions can change rapidly, we may ask folks to mask if COVID infection rates rise. We ask that you be prepared to mask if asked to do so. If you would like to wear a mask, you are welcome to do so, and we will keep a healthy distance from you!

SOCIAL DISTANCING. We have our chairs spaced apart, with some groupings of chairs for people in the same household. There is usually plenty of room to spread out.

OFFERINGS. We are not currently passing the plate around. There is a small wooden “Offering” box at the back of the sanctuary where you can drop off your offering. We also encourage you to give online or send offerings by mail.

COMMUNION AND SINGING. Methodism’s founder, John Wesley, was a big proponent of both corporate singing and communion. He believed them both to be avenues for God to speak with us. The words to all our hymns are printed in the worship guide, and you will also find hymnals in each row of seats, if you prefer to read the music. We celebrate communion on the first Sunday of the month. You do not need to be a member of FSUMC - or any church - to participate in this sacrament. We typically take communion by intinction; the Pastor will break off a piece of the bread, hand it to you, and invite you to dip it in the cup. You may then eat it and return to your seat. If you prefer not to come forward, servers will come to you. We use non-alcoholic grape juice and bread that contains no gluten, dairy, egg, soy, or nuts.

ZOOM PARTICIPANTS. It has been important to us that our community is together in real-time, both in person and . We have people who participate from Zoom, and you will see them on a TV in the front of the sanctuary. They will be able to see and hear us in the sanctuary through a camera and microphones.

“JOYS AND CONCERNS”. Community prayer is an important part of our worship service. This is a time for the gathered people to voice any “joys” or “concerns” from our lives, communities, and world. With hybrid worship, we will begin with allowing people in the sanctuary to take the microphone and voice their prayers socially distanced from others. Then we will listen while people joining through Zoom voice their prayers.

ACCESSIBILITY. There is one flight of stairs to get to our sanctuary door. The sanctuary is not accessible by wheelchair. If there are accommodations we can provide to help you fully participate in our services, please be in touch with us.