Update Letter for the Week of March 15
Good Evening Joy Family,
As you all heard early this week, we are unfortunately unable to gather as a community this Sunday. However, even though we aren’t able to be together in one location, I wanted to make sure you all were kept updated as to what is going on at Joy. So, in lieu of a church bulletin, please consider this a bulletin in letter form.
Church services may be suspended for the time being, but that does not mean the church is closed. The song We Are the Church says it perfectly in the first verse when it says, “The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people.” We are the people of God—we are the church—and because of that the ministry of the church continues even when we can’t gather in one building. The challenge for us, however, is that means we need to rethink how we minister to one another, gather around God’s Word, and communicate with each other. I’ll begin with the latter of these first.
In order to help us communicate during this time, we are in the process of significantly increasing our online presence. Our website (https://www.joylutheran.net/) has a new section dedicated exclusively to providing church updates and resources during this unusual time. This includes copies of the all-church emails that I am sending out, short video clips from throughout the week (only one of those so far, but expect more), and any other relevant church information that may arise. We have also added an online giving page to our site that includes our direct deposit from and a mobile giving app for your smartphones.
Another way we are working to increase our communication is through all-church emails and social media. The email addresses that Denice had on her “all-church email list” have now been uploaded into our online directory. This will allow both Leadership and I to email you easier and quicker. We also plan to be posting on Facebook fairly frequently in the coming days however, since I know that not all of you have Facebook accounts, these updates will also be added to our website. For example, while there was a short devotional done on Facebook Live on Wednesday night, it has since been uploaded to Joy’s website.
With a growing framework for communications and sharing God’s Word, we have also begun to explore ministry opportunities in the greater community. We were contacted by the City of Cambridge and asked if they could potentially use our parking lot as a food distribution site for the kids who are no longer in school. Families had been able to pick up food for their kids at the schools, but they were requesting that Cambridge explore pickup sites throughout the community. Tentatively, Joy’s parking lot will serve as one of these distribution sites as early as next week (although planning at the city level is still in the works, so this may change).
We have also had a couple of people from Joy offer to pick up any groceries, medicines, etc. that some of you may be needing if you are unable to get to the store or feel unsafe doing so for medical reasons. If you need assistance in this regard, please contact either me or the church office. Likewise, if you would be willing to potentially help pick up household essentials for those who can’t get out at this time, please let me know.
Lastly, our Sunday services are now up on our website under the new “Church at Home” section. I know it’s a little early, but I wanted to give you all the option of joining in on Saturday if you are busy on Sunday. I’m not sure if we’ll use the exact same format each week, so bear with me as we try some things out.
God’s peace be with you all,
Pastor
P.S. – Here’s my challenge for you all this week. As we all practice social distancing, I challenge you to think of someone who lives alone or for who for some other reason may be feeling more isolated and alone during this time. I encourage you to give them a call this weekend or sometime next week. Let’s support and encourage one another during this time!
P.P.S. – Starting on Monday, March 23, the Minnesota North District is planning to have a daily devotional on their website. Feel free to check it out next week! Their website may be found at: https://www.mnnlcms.org/
As you all heard early this week, we are unfortunately unable to gather as a community this Sunday. However, even though we aren’t able to be together in one location, I wanted to make sure you all were kept updated as to what is going on at Joy. So, in lieu of a church bulletin, please consider this a bulletin in letter form.
Church services may be suspended for the time being, but that does not mean the church is closed. The song We Are the Church says it perfectly in the first verse when it says, “The church is not a building, the church is not a steeple, the church is not a resting place, the church is a people.” We are the people of God—we are the church—and because of that the ministry of the church continues even when we can’t gather in one building. The challenge for us, however, is that means we need to rethink how we minister to one another, gather around God’s Word, and communicate with each other. I’ll begin with the latter of these first.
In order to help us communicate during this time, we are in the process of significantly increasing our online presence. Our website (https://www.joylutheran.net/) has a new section dedicated exclusively to providing church updates and resources during this unusual time. This includes copies of the all-church emails that I am sending out, short video clips from throughout the week (only one of those so far, but expect more), and any other relevant church information that may arise. We have also added an online giving page to our site that includes our direct deposit from and a mobile giving app for your smartphones.
Another way we are working to increase our communication is through all-church emails and social media. The email addresses that Denice had on her “all-church email list” have now been uploaded into our online directory. This will allow both Leadership and I to email you easier and quicker. We also plan to be posting on Facebook fairly frequently in the coming days however, since I know that not all of you have Facebook accounts, these updates will also be added to our website. For example, while there was a short devotional done on Facebook Live on Wednesday night, it has since been uploaded to Joy’s website.
With a growing framework for communications and sharing God’s Word, we have also begun to explore ministry opportunities in the greater community. We were contacted by the City of Cambridge and asked if they could potentially use our parking lot as a food distribution site for the kids who are no longer in school. Families had been able to pick up food for their kids at the schools, but they were requesting that Cambridge explore pickup sites throughout the community. Tentatively, Joy’s parking lot will serve as one of these distribution sites as early as next week (although planning at the city level is still in the works, so this may change).
We have also had a couple of people from Joy offer to pick up any groceries, medicines, etc. that some of you may be needing if you are unable to get to the store or feel unsafe doing so for medical reasons. If you need assistance in this regard, please contact either me or the church office. Likewise, if you would be willing to potentially help pick up household essentials for those who can’t get out at this time, please let me know.
Lastly, our Sunday services are now up on our website under the new “Church at Home” section. I know it’s a little early, but I wanted to give you all the option of joining in on Saturday if you are busy on Sunday. I’m not sure if we’ll use the exact same format each week, so bear with me as we try some things out.
God’s peace be with you all,
Pastor
P.S. – Here’s my challenge for you all this week. As we all practice social distancing, I challenge you to think of someone who lives alone or for who for some other reason may be feeling more isolated and alone during this time. I encourage you to give them a call this weekend or sometime next week. Let’s support and encourage one another during this time!
P.P.S. – Starting on Monday, March 23, the Minnesota North District is planning to have a daily devotional on their website. Feel free to check it out next week! Their website may be found at: https://www.mnnlcms.org/
