Normally, a congregation attending a worship service on a Sunday shouldn’t be news. But in this upside down world of a Coronavirus pandemic, the notion of people in pews on a Sunday morning is nothing but normal! Since March of 2020, the pandemic has restricted us to holding “Live Stream Only” services. Gathering with even a small congregation was not safe. 
For months, the sidebar on our website has announced the unthinkable: “Don’t Come to Church on Sunday!”
But that’s about to change!
The Days of Live Stream Only
Since March 15, our services have been offered via Live Stream only. Pastor Jim, the Praise Team, and the Tech. Team have been faithfully producing a “made for TV” worship service. Nobody has been in the pews. Website analytics report that an average of 126 “devices”are viewing the 
service each week. Most of the “hits” are from the local area, but states and countries from all over the world are being reported. It’s estimated that an average of approximately 200 people have been watching these services each week.
Many hadn’t discovered our Live Stream service until the pandemic hit. We began to broadcast our services in the Spring of 2017, but during the pandemic it has become an essential part of our experience at PUMC. Instead of the familiar surroundings of our church sanctuary, our “pews” have relocated to places such as back yards, dining rooms, and living rooms. We will continue to broadcast our services on Live Stream, but now it will be possible for a few people to be in the pews during the service.
To “join” in worship from home, click this button: Live Stream
Planing for Safety
Last month, the Trustees developed a Safety Plan which was to be followed when a congregation was re-invited to attend our Sunday worship 
services. The Safety Plan was written following guidelines set forth by our Bishop, state, and health experts. The Administrative Council approved the plan, and and a slate of usher volunteers did a “dry run” of the process during our service on Oct. 11.
The planning and practicing were successful, and Pastor Jim, the Praise Team, and the Tech. Team won’t be alone for next week’s worship service. We are now ready to resume in-person worship, but it will be on a restricted and safety-first basis.
Opening for Worship!
Starting on October 18 2020, it will be possible to join the worship service in person! After eight months of stay at home worship, we can now enter our sanctuary on Sunday morning. Our church has been actively engaged in missions, Bible Study, and worship throughout the pandemic. Our church hasn’t missed a beat, but our sanctuary has been closed. 
The pandemic still rages, and we can’t return to the way things were. The sanctuary doors are opening, but we need to take extreme care to ensure that everyone involved is protected from this virus. We also need to be responsible to our community by not participating in the spread of the virus.
Our sanctuary is opening, but things will be far from normal. Click this button to see how we’re currently conducting In-Person worship:
Covid Safety Plan for In-Person Worship
We Never Closed!
Whether you take advantage of the opportunity to participate in worship in person, or if you decide to worship via Live Stream, worship is an essential part of our Christian walk. Our building has been closed during the pandemic and in most ways it remains closed. But the church is wide open!
Small Groups are meeting online and off-site. Leadership teams have been meeting on Zoom. The Pitman Food Pantry, “Soap and Such” pantry, and school lunch programs are ministering to the needy. A Children’s Sunday School lesson is presented every Sunday morning via Facebook. The Adult Sunday School class meets every Sunday via Zoom. This summer, we held an online Vacation Bible School, and we are currently planning a Drive-Thru Trunk or Treat.
The above paragraph is peppered with hyperlinks to articles on this website; they show that the church is not closed! The pandemic has changed the way we do things and has given us opportunities to create new ministries (some of which will continue after the pandemic). We are now announcing the resumption of in-person worship services. But whether we worship in the sanctuary or in our back yard, God continues to work through us; the church has never “closed!” Let’s continue to worship God for all He is doing in us and through us!
+ + + + + + +
To learn more about Worship at PUMC, click this button: Worship
