A recording of the April 8 Holy Week worship service led by Bishop Peggy Johnson and her Cabinet is available above, and also on our Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
In addition, Bishop Johnson preached two video-recorded sermons for Good Friday and Easter that were requested by two local churches in the Eastern PA and Peninsula-Delaware conferences. NEWSpirit Communications adapted those two sermons for viewing by our general audience (and for churches to use in worship if they wish).
View them here and please share them with others:
The Other Seven Last Words – A Good Friday Sermon
By Bishop Peggy Johnson
Advice from an Angel – An Easter Sermon
By Bishop Peggy Johnson
DS Morton offers 2 videos messages for your encouragement this sacred week. Feel free to share with your congregation and/or use in your own setting:
Chaplain offers seniors “Easter worship on wheels”
The Rev. Debra Neild writes:
I am a Deacon appointed to Chalfont UMC, and I serve as a chaplain at The Willows of Living Branches in Hatfield, PA. My residents are confined to their rooms. So I created this altar on a cart with wheels.
Underneath the altar is a speaker and microphone that connects to my phone using Bluetooth. I was able to wheel my altar around the building sharing an Easter message and singing Resurrection hymns.
By the end of the morning, I found my heart to be full while physically exhausted! All the Easter “extras” were removed, and all that was left was worship-focused on sharing the Good News.
My residents could not be with their families, but we could worship “together” as a community, as a family of believers. They expressed gratitude that we were able to worship this way because they had feared that they would be completely alone on this day that typically includes large family and worship gatherings.
Cornwall UMC reaches out on Palm Sunday
Marcia Riegle writes:
We had drive thru communion on Palm Sunday. Pastor Tim blessed the elements during the online service then people got in their cars and drove to the church to receive communion. Pastor Tim and Judy Troxell donned with gloves and mask, gave the elements to people thru their car window.
The youth had their cake pops and Easter eggs made before the virus shut us down. They had 2 sessions of drive thru sales. This is a yearly event members look forward to. The proceeds from these Easter treats usually pay for their Creation trip every year. Unfortunately, this year, Creation Festival is canceled for 2020.
Lehman Memorial UMC, Hatboro
Brad Beck, Technical Worship & Arts Director at Lehman Memorial UMC in Hatboro sent us videos of their creative Holy Week and Easter celebrations. The Rev. Andy Krpata, Pastor, and the Rev. Nancy Ludwig, Associate Pastor, led and promoted enterprising efforts that, while honoring COVID-19 gathering restrictions, enabled church members to come celebrate safely in person, while wearing masks and practicing social distancing.
The four videos, which include views from a drone, show members:
- Two drive-through processions to pick up “Holy Week in a Bag,” small bags containing worship items to use that week: a hand towelette, two individual communion cups, a votive, a palm cross, an artificial flower, and instructions.
- Sharing in Holy Communion together at home with their Palm crosses.
- Attending a quiet Good Friday observance with candle-lighting to violin music.
- Taking turns in the traditional Easter morning “flowering of the cross.”
- And a video montage shows “how we worshiped this week.”
The videos can be viewed on the church’s YouTube channel.