One of the gifts of being “church together” and a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the opportunity to share ideas and learn from one another.
COVID-19 Resources
Other Resources
Devotions
Online Worshop
ZOOM Basics
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Zoom for Beginners
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Using ZOOM for worship services or studies
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Scheduling Zoom and Starting a Zoom Meeting Instructions
Faith Formation
Infomation via the North Carolina Synod
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Morning Watch KIDS! with Pastors Matt and Jesse
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Moving Faith Formation Online by John Roberto
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Morning Watch by Pastors Matt Canniff-Kesecker and Jesse Canniff-Kuhn
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A cartoonist’s Guide to the Bible
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Families with littles – by Renee Hoffman
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Resources for home from Home Grown Faith
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Movies – a theological discussion from Pastor Michael Jannett. Watch a movie at home and discuss online.
ELCA Coaching Ministry’s Response
Being Church in the Time of COVID-19
“What is the next most faithful step we can take?”
ELCA Coaching Ministry would like to add our voice to those across our denomination and country speaking into this unique time of concern and care.
Many of us are in conversations that have revealed the extraordinary stress that COVID-19 and the associated fall-out has placed upon our faith communities and leaders. It has been said multiple times and in many different ways, “We don’t know how to be a leader in the midst of a deadly pandemic, and we don’t have all the answers.” Indeed, this is true.
We also recognize that getting through this means working together as God invites us in 1Corinthians 12 – the body of Christ, utilizing and recognizing all parts/resources; and most importantly, knowing that when one suffers, we all suffer; when one rejoices, we all rejoice.
ELCA’s Coaching Ministry wants to provide a platform for us to do this together. On a weekly basis we will be offering a ZOOM opportunity for leaders to gather in conversation around various topics related to: Being the Church in the Time of COVID-19.
This week we are offering space for these topics of conversation:
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Worship
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Finances
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Staying Connected and Caring for One Another & Our Neighbor
Our conversations will follow this template:
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Welcome and centering with scripture
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Short presentation on the topic area
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Break-out into small groups with discussion facilitated by an ELCA Coach
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Gather back in the larger plenary for a short debrief and time of prayer
The goal of these gatherings is to offer a safe, even brave, space for our leaders to come together and name out loud what they are experiencing and to figure out what possible action steps they might take to move forward in this new reality.
We engage in this endeavor knowing that we do not know all of the answers, but we do know that figuring out what a next step looks like is easier in collaboration and in an atmosphere of proclaiming the promises of God (hear: “We are church together”).
Our intent is to offer these types of conversations and spaces weekly. Topics and content will shift depending on the needs of those that attend.
COVID-19 will continue to impact our lives and our work in ministry, and eventually we will realize life has morphed into some new sense of normal. When this happens, I hope the world will also reach a new understanding - that we are all connected and better together than apart. As church, we have a unique opportunity to model what this looks like. Let’s show up tomorrow (and the next day, and the day after that) knowing that God meets us there – expecting that God has provided all we need for our next steps, and recognizing that we need one another to take them.
See you online. Dates, times and links to our ZOOM sessions are below:
ZOOM Links:
Topic: Being Church in the Time of COVID-19 - Worship
Time: Mar 17, 2020 02:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/368022505?pwd=YjYrZW9TNUJwSzFhTWU4TzlBL2dyQT09
Meeting ID: 368 022 505
Password: 901819
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,368022505# US (New York)
+13126266799,,368022505# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 368 022 505
Topic: Being Church in the Time of COVID-19 - Finances
Time: Mar 18, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/845890693?pwd=QVRjbFdnaHJ0WkIxTktnRXphVzBSUT09
Meeting ID: 845 890 693
Password: 857299
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,845890693# US (New York)
+13126266799,,845890693# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 845 890 693
Topic: Being Church in the Time of COVID-19 - Staying Connected & Caring for One Another & Our Neighbors
Time: Mar 19, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/535406471?pwd=ZjVJUXBkekRrQVlTUm9BLzI2ZUZXZz09
Meeting ID: 535 406 471
Password: 900535
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,535406471# US (New York)
+13126266799,,535406471# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US
Meeting ID: 535 406 471
Being Church in the Time of COVID-19 ELCA Coaching Ministry - Here to Serve
ELCA's Coaching Ministry continues to offer a safe and brave space for congregational leaders across the country to gather for topical presentations, followed by a time of sharing in small groups. Please join us Wednesday of Holy Week, April 8, as we welcome Rev. Dr. Phil Hirsch, Executive Director of the Domestic Mission Unit of the ELCA, as our guest presenter. He will speak to us on the topic of "Hope and Holy Week."
Phil was elected by the ELCA Church Council at its November 2018 meeting and started his role February 1, 2019. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA, in 1986 and his Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in 1990. The seminary is one of seven ELCA seminaries. Phil earned his Doctor of Ministry in homiletics from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, in 1997. Prior to serving on the Churchwide staff, he served as a congregational pastor in Virginia and New Jersey and also as the Director of Evangelical Mission for the Metro D.C. Synod. At the beginning of his ministry with the national office, Phil said:
"I am grateful for this opportunity to help serve and lead the church in its mission in the United States. I believe that Jesus Christ is the light of the world and the hope for our broken humanity. I am confident because I know the Holy Spirit always gives us wisdom, power and love far greater than the challenges we face."
We look forward to hearing an inspirational message from Phil, followed by breaking into small groups for each of us to share and discover our next faithful step in our own contexts, as we navigate together finding Hope in the midst of a Holy Week shaped by the reality of COVID-19.
ELCA Coaching is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Being Church in the Time of COVID-19 - Weekly Meeting for ELCA Leaders
Time: Apr 8, 2020 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 180 439 412
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,180439412# US (Chicago)
+16468769923,,180439412# US (New York)
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 253 215 8782 US
+1 301 715 8592 US
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 180 439 412Resources for Oklahoma Congregations Re Payroll Loans
Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod Vice President Holly Lantagne provided the information below for Oklahoma Congregations. I will try to find the information for Arkansas Congregations through the Arkansas Government website and send in another email.
Here are the links and info that I talked about last night to share with the other churches.
The below was forwarded from one of our United Ways and was a recording from a Zoom meeting today hosted by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. It's a very concise and easy to digest run down of the SBA and PPP loans.
April 1, 2020 (12 p.m.) OKCNP Helpline Chat focused on SBA Loans
https://zoom.us/rec/play/vsAtcuD-_zk3EtLEtASDC_QtW9W6Lv-s2idN-_QEyhznUncAYwChY-FHZOLU0QdoVgWnpryH7sJpjNhW?continueMode=true&_x_zm_rtaid=eiX8PlBWQCycjhld-UAqqw.1585766577949.4d24c118e49b51faa92a56168404499b&_x_zm_rhtaid=269
List of resources from the meeting linked above:
Questions in regard to the industry calls send to: OKindustryassistance@okcommerce.gov
questions specific to SBA loans: OKSBAquestions@okcommerce.gov
visit website at okcommerce.gov/covid19
okjobmatch.com
www.ok.gov/oesc
disaster loan.sba.gov
https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/top-priorities/cares-act/assistance-for-small-businesses
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Paycheck-Protection-Program-Application-3-30-2020-v3.pdf
this is the link to the application
Also, this link is a summary of the new law by another attorney in our congregation, Evan Way.
Who CARES? Every Small and Mid-Sized Business Should!
Synod-wide Text Study
Tuesdays at 9am-10:30am? It is designed for pastors and lay leaders who may be doing sermon preparation.
https://zoom.us/j/545375118
Church on FM Radio!
Central Oklahoma is blessed to have KUCO 90.1 FM radio (livestream or over the air). Every Sunday at 8:30am you can listen to SING FOR JOY produced by St Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and supported by Metro OKC ELCA churches. The program is a half hour of great sacred choral music with commentary on the day’s scripture readings by Pastor Bruce Benson, chaplain of St Olaf. Tune in your radio or listen to the livestream on your computer or other device.
Returning to Church
A number of resources for helping congregations determine when and how to return to physical, in-person worship have been developed. One of the most helpful and thorough documents was put together by the Wisconsin Council of Churches staff with input from religious leaders, local church pastors, insurance agents, public health and emergency management officials. The “Badger Bounce Back” plan referred to in the document is based on the Federal three phase “Opening Up America Again” plan https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/
The Wisconsin Council of Churches guide can be found at their website: https://www.wichurches.org/2020/04/23/returning-to-church/
It is also available to download as a PDF.
NEW INFORMATION FROM THE ELCA!
Living in Hope: Pandemic Stewardship for Today and What Comes Next
Sermon by Bishop Eaton - Trinity Sunday, June 7
Bishop Eaton has been invited to and agreed to provide a sermon for Trinity Sunday, June 7 which will be available to the whole ELCA. This will be available both as a video and also as a text which can be read or shared. Details will be forthcoming. If sharing the sermon on Trinity Sunday won't work in your plans, the sermon can be shared on another Sunday as well. We are grateful to our Presiding Bishop for this gift.
What congregations in the Syond are doing
The Neighborhood Church
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Lutheran Partners of Western Oklahoma
Ressurection Lutheran Church
Fellowship Lutheran Church
Trinity Lutheran Church
Covenant Lutheran Oklahoma City Churches
Lord of Life Lutheran
Since we cannot gather for worship in person today, we invite everyone to worship with Lord of Life online. Please see the attached bulletin and use the following link to access a video of this week's service: https://youtu.be/ke7r-5OPNf0
Prayer:
Lutheran Men in Mission - Online Bible Study
Shared Ministry of North Central Oklahoma Online Ministries
Faith Lutheran in Enid, OK
Joy Tulsa
Joy Tulsa is worshiping via Zoom for the foreseeable future. You are welcome to join us on Sundays at 9:30am at:
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Mountain Home, Arkansas is videoing worship services and posting them to our Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/HCLC72653/) and our website ( http://holycrossmtnhome.com/).
Returning to Church
A number of resources for helping congregations determine when and how to return to physical, in-person worship have been developed. One of the most helpful and thorough documents was put together by the Wisconsin Council of Churches staff with input from religious leaders, local church pastors, insurance agents, public health and emergency management officials. The “Badger Bounce Back” plan referred to in the document is based on the Federal three phase “Opening Up America Again” plan https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/
The Wisconsin Council of Churches guide can be found at their website: https://www.wichurches.org/2020/04/23/returning-to-church/
It is also available to download as a PDF.