Announcements for the week of March 29, 2020
Church Operations
These are definitely trying times! In the past few weeks, we’ve experienced a drastic shift in our personal lives and in how we do church. That will continue. Bishop LaTrelle Easterling directs churches throughout the BWC to refrain from gathering in their buildings through Sunday, April 26. The Bishop wrote, “churches in the Baltimore-Washington Conference have been responding in extraordinary ways as they live out the call to be the presence of Christ in their communities. Within the Baltimore-Washington Conference, the physical and spiritual well-being of every person is our focus.”
Church Office Phone
The church office phone message has been updated to reflect the cancellation of all on-site activities and worship. You may leave a message for staff or you may select Option 8# to listen to the latest update about worship and other information.
Morning Prayer Call
The morning prayer call continues daily at 6:30 -6:45 a.m. (except Sundays). Call 1-712-775-7031; enter access code 111-576-270# for an uplifting start to your day.
Daily Devotional
Isaac and others are presenting a daily devotional on Facebook which will be accessible from a link on our website. It is updated by 8 p.m. each day except for Wednesdays when the Simple Service will take place instead.
Worship Services
Worship will be held each Sunday morning at 10 a.m. and each Wednesday at 7 p.m. Work is being done to provide the best quality experience by phone-in or video streaming. Watch for emails from the church with the order of worship prior to each service that will also include details on how to join in the service. Facebook is not required to tune in.
Special Moments
We will be continuing a very popular of our worship service, Joys and Concerns. We also have shared special moments called Where Have You Seen God Today? Email us your joys and concerns, or where you have seen God at work in the past week to joysandconcerns@stmatthews-bowie.org. Your shared thoughts, hopes, prayers, and concerns will be lifted together to the Lord during our Sunday worship service.
St. Matthew’s Care Team
One of our most important priorities in the midst of uncertain times is that we stay connected to each other. For that reason, we have assembled the St. Matthew’s Care Team. It is a group of church members who will be calling you to check on you. If you think we do not have your phone number or if you recently changed your information, please contact the church office with your new contact information. If you need anything, you can call the church office at 301-262-1408 between 9AM–1 PM. You can also email any of the contacts below for help.
Church Office: admin@stmatthews-bowie.org
Pastor Daniel: danielmejia@stmatthews-bowie.org
Music Director: isaacborocz@stmatthews-bowie.org
Little Free Pantry Serves the Community
The Little Free Pantry (LFP) is a small wooden box located on the left side of the parking lot at St. Matthew’s, and is filled with food and personal hygiene items. It is available for anyone in the community who needs them. It encourages community and love for your neighbor and helps address food insecurity at the neighborhood level. The basic principal for the LFP is Give What You Can—Take What You Need. Help yourself anytime to food and hygiene products. It is free, anonymous, and open 24/7. The LFP is most often for those who are not easily able to meet everyday food and personal needs, or those with an emergency need. No sign-up, registration, or paperwork required. Contents varies based on current contributions.
The Little Free Pantry needs ready-to-eat food with easy-open packaging (pull-top lids, fruit cups, or granola bars) and food (cereal, pasta, dried beans, meal kits, canned fruits and vegetables) that helps an individual or family make meals. Soup are also needed (we get a lot of chicken noodle) that are ready to eat (not condensed). Hygiene products (soap, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, and toilet paper) are also needed. Please provide nonperishable, unexpired food and hygiene products that are in unopened, unbreakable containers. Disinfectant wipes would also be helpful. Donations can be left anytime in the bin in the coatroom at St. Matthew’s. Thanks for helping your neighbors. Need to know more about the LFP? Contact us at LFP@stmatthews-bowie.org.
Elastic Needed for Masks
A group in Bowie is making masks for additional protection of healthcare workers. They need 1/4″ and 1/2″ elastic. If you can provide any, please leave it in the shopping cart in the coatroom.
Prayers For and From Guatemala and Liberia
The Missions Committee has been receiving reports from our friends in Guatemala and Liberia. Their initial messages were full of prayers for us in the U.S. More recently, they shared that COVID-19 has arrived in both countries and is impacting lives there. Please keep them in your prayers.
Bowie Food Pantry News
The Pantry continues to operate M,W,F 9 a.m.–12 noon. Donations are accepted on M,W,F from 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m. They are providing drive-up service only. Clients will be checked in and groceries loaded into their vehicles. Donors should pull up and volunteers will take their donations into the Pantry.
As the community’s need for food grows, the Pantry shelves are emptying. The greatest needs are soup, beans, spaghetti sauce, beefaroni/ravioli, peanut butter, tuna fish, canned fruit/applesauce, rice (bagged or boxed), canned meats, toilet paper, and personal care items. They could also use sturdy, medium size boxes, brown paper bags, and NEW cloth totes. Donations can be left anytime in the coatroom at St. Matthew’s or brought to the Pantry during the hours listed above Thank you for your continued support. The entire Bowie community has been tremendous. Check the Pantry’s website (www.bowiefoodpantry.org) or Facebook page (@bowiefoodpantry) for updates.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors – Can You Help?
Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a program designed to help seniors (65+) or individuals with a disability who live in the City of Bowie and need assistance. At the current time seniors and those with compromised immune systems are being encouraged to remain at home. To assist them in obtaining necessary food and medications, we are looking for volunteers willing to shop for groceries or pick-up a prescription at a drug store. If you are able to help, please complete a Neighbors Helping Neighbors application and return it as soon as possible. Applications can be found at www.cityofbowie.org/cityforms. To learn more about the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program visit www.cityofbowie.org/nhn.