Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates | Pender United Methodist Church

A Note from Pastor Will

Our Bishop, Sharma Lewis, has asked United Methodists to pray the following prayer during this pandemic. Please offer the following prayer when you can:

“Almighty God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank you for your blessings, past, present, and future. You are our rock and the source of our hope in all things and at all times. As Jehovah Jireh, our provider God, we ask you this day to stretch out your mighty hand and eradicate from the face of the earth forever; this virus called COVID-19 that is spreading rapidly from continent to continent.

We also pray that you, Jehovah Rapha, our healing God, would place your hand upon all of those who have been stricken by this virus and restore them to full health. Be with those who have lost loved ones and are grieving. Protect all who are caring for those with this virus and keep them from contracting it themselves.

Calm our fears and provide us with your peace that surpasses all understanding. Strengthen us with the joy of the Lord and help us to hold firmly to the hope that only you can provide.

Unify us that we, the Virginia Annual Conference, may be able to experience anew the promise of your presence in and through the unity of our faith, hope, and trust in you in the days ahead and forever. We offer this prayer in the mighty name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. AMEN.

Lift each prayer

Prayer for all caregivers, nurses, physicians, first responders, health care workers

Prayer for persons suffering from the coronavirus

Prayer for those who grieve the loss of their loved ones

Prayer for hope and peace in anxiety during the pandemic

Prayer for leaders, governments, nations

Prayer for an end to the pandemic

Prayer for churches, communities, and the world

Prayer for healing

Close with the Lord’s prayer

Update July 30, 2020

Pastor Will and Lay Leader Ken Ferris have created a "Plan for Stage 2 of the Return to In-Person Worship and Other Gatherings." This plan is prepared in response to, and compliance of, the 28-page Virginia Conference "Technical Assistance Manual (TAM) for Local Churches", disseminated on June 15 2020, and updated on July 8th, 2020.

The Pender plan is an overarching document that outlines how Pender UMC will conduct its mission to the community under Virginia Conference Stage 2 COVID-19 rules and protocols.

There is a distinction to note: Commonwealth of Virginia COVID phases are different than the much stricter Virginia Conference UMC phased responses. The Governor may call for Phase 3 COVIC restrictions, yet we could be in UMC Phase 2 COVID restrictions at the orders of the Bishop.

The plan has been submitted to Pender's Healthy Church Team, and upon review and approval, will be forwarded to the District Superintendent for final Conference approval.

When final approval is secured, Pender will have a document that is concrete in policy, yet flexible enough to allow for adaptation if our congregational needs change.

Update June 17, 2020

Bishop Lewis Announces Stage 2 for the Virginia United Methodist Conference from Virginia Conference of the UMC on Vimeo.

Update May 21, 2020

Update May 14, 2020

Resources are now available (https://vaumc.org/return/) from Bishop Lewis and the workgroup for phased return of in-person worship. Resources include this video, plan summary, visual presentation, handbook and more.

Here is a small collection of valuable resources.

Please feel free to share these with anyone who may need this information!

Text FOOD to 877-877
Send a text to 877-877 to find the closest school feeding site for children. Or visit https://state.nokidhungry.org/virginia/.

Call 211
Find tons of local resources. Call 211 or visit www.211virginia.org.

Common Help
Visit https://commonhelp.virginia.gov/ for a vast collection of resources.

VAVOAD
Volunteer services for disaster survivors.
Visit https://vavoad.org/

United Way Corona Virus Response Hotline
757-858-7777 (non-medical assistance)

From Fairfax County

Call the Fairfax Health Department Call Center at 703-267-3511 with Coronavirus questions; open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Text FFXCOVID to 888777 to receive updates from Fairfax County about COVID-19.
Email questions or concerns to . This email account will be staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. through 6 p.m.
Visit a web portal for coronavirus that serves as a one-stop online resource for information.
Learn more about COVID-19 on the Health Department Coronavirus (COVID-19) Webpage or FAQ page.
Follow the Fairfax County Government Facebook Page and Health Department Facebook Page.
Follow @fairfaxcounty and @fairfaxhealth on Twitter.

April 7, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the June 2020 session of the Virginia Annual Conference has been postponed until September 18 -19, 2020. Meeting Max, the company managing the conference’s hotel reservation system, will make cancellations for all participants who reserved through the Annual Conference housing process.

More information.

April 1, 2020

Virginia Governer's Executive Temporary Stay At Home Order Due To Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

March 31, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions: Virginia Conference COVID-19 Precautions, Revised March 31, 2020

March 30, 2020

March 26, 2020

From Our Bishop, Sharma Lewis

March 18, 2020

From Pastor Marg

Many thanks to our visitation team coordinated by Cheryl Moxley for contacting our older members, those living alone or in senior facilities. Scripture instructs us to tend to our own, especially the elderly and sick. We are doing that. Please continue to mail cards to those same folks.

Theresa, Val and I are developing 3 plans for worship through Easter. Plan A is if all the restrictions are lifted and we can return to church as usual. Plan B is if we stay at the current limitation of 10 (this is the option where we did our most creative work!). Plan C is if we are directed to shelter in place. I won’t confuse you with these plans at this point. For now just know that you can watch the recording of weekly worship at our website www.penderumc.org

Several major events have been postponed including the Congregation Conversations with Just Peace, Mission Weekend, Boutique, Brunch with the Bunny, and the Easter Breakfast (but not Sunrise service – that’s part of Plan A and Plan B).

Hypothermia guests will leave Sunday morning. Monday morning our cleaning crew will do a deep clean and sanitize all areas of the church used by hypothermia. Church Council will meet Monday night (officers only in the building with others calling in on gotomeeting). Their primary agenda item is to consider all the issues created by the coronavirus including church finances. Tuesday morning the staff will return from working at home to working at the church. They will be meeting with Rev. Will White, our next pastor.

David Raich is working with his team to provide Sunday School lessons for children and their families. Confirmation Class will continue this Sunday from 3-5.

I hope you can sense the church is still being the church, in worship, study, and service. More than ever we are aware that the church is not a building but a people. We the people of Pender United Methodist Church are ambassadors for Christ, his representatives right here, during this unprecedented pandemic. We were chosen for such a time as this.

I cannot emphasize enough the need to stay in prayer, alert to the Spirit’s call to service. Use this time wisely, as a gift from God. If you have prayer requests, please let me know. If you have ideas for how to be the church in new ways during this time, let me know. Our best ideas are coming from all of you! Please continue to give your tithes and offerings to the church. You can do that by writing a check and mailing it, on-line giving, or texting. We are working to reduce as many building expenses as possible but most expenses will continue. Your continuing donations are critical.

Thank you for being the Church of Jesus Christ, his aroma, his letter of reference, clay pots carrying the treasure which is Him, and serving as his faithful ambassadors.

From Our Bishop, Sharma Lewis

March 17, 2020

March 16, 2020

Sunday, March 22 and Sunday, March 29, 2020: In-person worship services are cancelled

Monday, March 16 - Monday, March 23: churches remain open as necessary to attend to business with no groups over 10 people meeting

Preschools closed until March 30

A Letter to Clergy from our Bishop, Sharma Lewis

March 13, 2020

Pender UMC is taking the following precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus:

* If you are sick, please stay home and care for yourself. If you or family members are not feeling well and let us know how we can pray for you.

* Even with the virus, Pender's expenses continue. Contributions, tithes and gifts may be made on-line,

by texting PUMC to 73256,

or by mailing a check to:
Pender United Methodist Church
12401 Alder Woods Drive
Fairfax, VA US 22033.

* Our greeting will be “elbow greeting” or a smile and wave.

* Our custodial staff is taking extra precautions to sanitize our building, including making sure employees stay home if not well.

Information from our Bishop, Sharma Lewis.

Information from our District Superintendent, Sarah Calvert.

Before deciding to participate in an activity at Pender, we encourage visitors to review the following information provided by the Centers for Disease Control:

Pender is continually monitoring the situation and will offer periodic updates via our website, newsletter and email.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Mathew 6:21

Online Giving

Text PUMC to 73256

Faith Promise Pledge

Pender United Methodist Church
12401 Alder Woods Drive
Fairfax, VA 22033