Please go to our Online Library to download the In-Person Worship Protocol document.
Church Office Access During Covid-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 Precautions has put the office on more restricted access. Please call beforehand if you are coming to the office. Please also use the outdoor pick-up/drop off containers for various items like Manna House food (by arrangement), the Upper Room, The Spire newsletter and Pioneer receipts. And as always, if you feel sick or have any symptoms, please do not enter the Church Office. Please pray and do your part to help lower our cases.
Online Trainings in Preparation for In-Person Worship
If you have not already done so, please watch the following if you are planning on serving during worship services:
From Conference: Relaunching In-Person Worship and Ministry Activities (Watch Webinar) -1 hour, 20 minutes; (Download Powerpoint)
Training videos from Church Solutions (2-3 minutes, less than 30 minutes total):
https://vimeo.com/422868197/b3a2fb149a
https://vimeo.com/422869195/22c88f08f6
https://vimeo.com/421075672/db0c959407
https://vimeo.com/422868320/332e9e5003
https://vimeo.com/420771530/45b48ee111
We are blessed to extend our online Sunday ministry to include ZOOM as well. This is simply gathering via ZOOM, Sundays at 10:30am, to see each other live and in real-time. The 10:30 time is to simulate and practice getting into a Sunday morning schedule WHEN we return to in-person indoor worship.
A separate link is sent to those already on the YouTube Worship link. It is sent earlier as a distinct reminder of another opportunity to 'meet' together.
The lessons of using the internet with online worship in 2020 continue to be practiced and improved upon in 2021.
Thank you so much, Steve Smallcombe, for your video editing and updating of our equipment (software and hardware), in the on-going improvement of our YouTube worship videos.
Besides the musical talents of Beth Tomsick, Marian Folker and Susan Wilson in providing congregation and introduction music, we are blessed with our 'regular' musicians who have provided special music and musical offerings. We also thank Joy Kagawa, Bill Fiske, Lori Vegely, Janet Langley and Kathy Sutherland with some of the behind-the scenes work in getting the YouTube video to its final presentation.
Interdenominational Laity-Led Worship
Even with the change of seasons, the Sunday noontime interdenominational Laity-led worship service continues at Idle Wheels. Inspired as a result of the Shelter-in-Place that has included no in-person indoor worship in our facilities, (like at Mariposa UMC), a group gathers on Breeze Way for a brief worship time of prayer concluding with the Lord's Prayer. Physical distancing precautions followed.
(Note: Service is about 10-15 minutes)
Kudos to the Chimes Choir
The Chimes Choir is the only small group ministry (so far) that has and can meet at the church sanctuary. Thanks to Janet Langley, we are playing and recording a variety of Christian songs used for our worship. Come and check us out on Thursdays at 5:30pm.
How to Give During the Shutdown
We welcome and truly appreciate your gifts, however you choose to get them to the church. You can mail your check to the church at P.O. Box 248, Mariposa, CA 95338. Online Giving is a convenient option, via either the church's website or the GivePlus mobile app. If you have any questions about how to make an online gift, or set up a recurring online gift, please feel free to contact me at 209-742-6131 or glennsutherland@sti.net.
Keeping Updated
The Church Office is continually updating its database.
Please contact the Church Office for any updates or changes to your contact information so we can stay in touch and have the correct information for our database and records. Thank you.
Conference Disaster Response Funds
Have you been considering more ways to help those impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic? Determining the best way to responsibly give to legitimate agencies or persons can be a challenge.
Thankfully, we have agencies/specialized ministries in our own Methodist system. Please join others in financially contributing to the California-Nevada Conference COVID-19 Pandemic Fund so that critical life-saving work can continue. Please give your help gifts to Mariposa UMC with a note or write in the memo line of your check letting us you would like your gift to go towards the Pandemic Fund.
RECURRING EVENTS
Weekly
Worship Service, Sundays, 9:30 AM
Coffee Hour, Sundays after Worship, 10:30 AM
Sunday Lunch Bunch, 11:15 AM
UM Youth Fellowship, Monday, 3:30 PM (FH)
Boy Scout Troop 94, Monday, 6-7:30 PM (KH)
Chimes Practice, Thursday, 5:30 PM (Sanctuary)
TGIF Club, Friday, 2:30-5:15 PM (during school year)
Monthly
UMM Breakfast, 1st Saurday., 8 AM
Fix-It Team, 1st Saturday, 9:30 AM
Worship Team Meeting, 1st Wednesday, 4:15 PM
The Feast, 4th Wednesday, 5:30 PM
Homebound Ministry, 3rd Thursday, 1 PM
Faithful Readers, 3rd Thursday, 6:30 PM
Dream Weavers!
Visit our Dream Weavers web page for information and lots of resources.
THIS AND THAT
WORSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING
The April Worship Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 4:30pm via Zoom.
Please contact the church office for more information. All are invited to attend.
Community Shredding Event
Time to gather your confidential documents to shred at our annual Community Shredding Event fundraiser on Saturday, May 8 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Individuals and businesses are invited. The shredding will take place in the parking lot behind the church with a suggested donation of $7/file box. As always, proceeds will benefit our children and Youth programs.
United Methodist Men
The next UMM breakfast meeting will be held Saturday, April 4 at 8:00 am at the Parsonage, (5019 Mariposa Street) with a Filipino themed breakfast menu. Following, a Fix-it team meeting will be held at the church at 9:30 am.
For questions, contact John Scott at 966-4328.
KEEPING UPDATED
With the regularity of sending out the Worship Links via email, while also wanting to keep in touch with persons using physical mail, the office is continually updating its database. Please contact the office for any updates and changes that we might stay in touch. Thank you.
The Upper Room
The Upper Room daily devotions are also available online at https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals.
Prayer Flags
Looking for something to do during the pandemic? From the garden, look up at the covered patio area peeking through the maple tree. We hope you enjoy the prayer flags! If you would like to add your prayers, please contact the church office to receive a "blank" you can use for your prayer. The office will also have photographs of other prayer flags you can use for inspiration. The prayers will be out in the weather year-round so please keep that in mind. It is perfectly fine for our prayers to experience the seasons. Members of the wonderful FIX-IT team will add your prayer flags at appropriate intervals to our "collection". Your prayer flags do not need to be elaborate. Questions? Call or email Christina Rouse at mariposaquilter@gmail.com or 209-626-6043. Have fun with this and cast your prayers to God, the wind, and the community.
Pioneer Market Receipts
Please remember to save your receipts; these benefit our Youth Programs. You may drop them in the church drop box facing Bullion Street, or mail with your offering. If you total your receipts, please only total the sub-total amounts (pre-tax).
Join Pastor Mark in reading the Bible from beginning to end.
Visit our web page for details and this month's readings.
April Birthdays
5 - Sara Sutherland
6 - Mahal Buenafe, Carol Michael
7 - Patrick McCarthy
10 - Karen Warren
11 - John Tomsick
22 - Jessica Vegely
24 - John Scott
30 - Rich Keller
April Anniversaries
2 - Dan & Carol Michael
15 - Robert & Loretta Hudson
HELP NEEDED
Chimes Help Needed!
Suggestions wanted for hymns or songs to chime. Any favorites?
Call Janet at 966-4454 evenings, or email her at thelangleyco@gmail.com
We need help with the PowerPoint presentations If you have experience with creating PowerPoint presentations, that's great! However, even if you don't but are comfortable with a computer, we can use your help. Talk to Pastor Mark Buenafe or Christina Hibert.
The Worship Committee
is looking for a creative, detail orientated person to write short blurbs to encourage the community to attend our AWESOME services, particularly special services. The person needs to be able to meet the deadlines of the Mariposa Gazette and other publications. The right candidate will be compensated with PRAISE! Please contact Christina Hibert if you are interested.
Manna House needs our help!
Manna House has assigned each of their supporting churches one of the staple food items they always need. We have been asked to focus on cans of tuna. Please bring cans of tuna to church on Communion Sunday each month.