THE CHURCH IS ALIVE!

God is good! All the time! All the time! God is good!

Do you believe that? Can you see that? We have just finished a sermon series called "Believing is Seeing." Sometimes you have to believe something before it can be real in your life, and then when you do, you can see it. Other times, like Thomas, you do get to see first which helps you believe. You need to see to believe.

Today, I want to help you see so that you can believe. And I want to help you believe so that you can see. These days, if you drive by the church, especially on Sunday morning, you see a couple of cars for those that are involved with the Facebook Live that kicks off our Sunday worship service at 10:00 a.m. It sure may appear that the church is dead, or at most, on life support.
 

That couldn't be farther from the truth. Sure, we are not worshipping together in the building yet, although that is coming. 

We are following the guidance of our bishop to "do no harm" and make sure that we have an intentional plan in place to reopen the building and keep people safe and healthy, the best we can. And so, we continue (and will continue after we reopen the building) to have an online presence and provide opportunities to worship virtually.

By the way, your continued financial support is allowing us the opportunity and privilege to provide worship online, which may reach more people than we can ever know, as well as worship back in the building when that occurs.

We thank you for your financial support in these uncertain times. Your gifts continue to help us be a church that provides opportunities to connect to God through Jesus Christ.

But even more than that, I want to share how the church is alive through SUMC. Because of your continued generosity, we have been able to be the church in the community by providing financial assistance to the following organizations that are so important in these days:

• Hunger Inc. - to purchase food
• Family Promise (Interfaith Hospitality Network) - help for homeless
• Indiana Diaper Bank - we found out recently that diapers are in short supply for families that go for assistance. Indiana Diaper Bank provides diapers to pantries that need them for families.
• Fletcher Place
• Ronald McDonald House

Now do you believe the church is alive? See it and believe it! Or, believe it, now see it!

Grace and hope....

Pastor Doug