INVOCATION FOR STAY AT HOME DAYS

God, protect me from hopelessness.

Prepare me for courage, and

Push me to love.

From a Barbara Borkowski letter (Field Support Minister, Team Lead, Central USA Mission Field, Community of Christ)

MESSAGE FROM THE PAST FOR TODAY

In October 2007, Dorothy May provided the focus moment and John Snider provided the message at our morning worship. John’s message of thankfulness in times of stress resonates today. You can listen again today.

The recording is available at https://bit.ly/2V5tlMd

The focus moment starts at 6:15

The message starts at 14:05

But you may enjoy the entire recording of music and prayers plus the focus moment and message.

MISSING WORSHIPING WITH YOUR CHURCH FRIENDS?

During this COVID-19 season, don’t be isolated from your church family. There are numerous online opportunities for worship, Sunday School Class (both for adults and children), prayer service, and Sunday Chat and more. Check out the complete list on the world church website below.

https://www.cofchrist.org/online-ministries

And don’t forget that you can access past Mission Road Congregation worship service podcasts (recordings) online at https://bit.ly/2MSgZW8.

Additionally, the Toronto Congregation plans an online communion service this coming Sunday, April 5. If interested, follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TorontoCongregation/ for updates and additional information.

TIME TO REACH OUT

Many of our members live alone and during this “Stay at Home” period, they might enjoy a call from one of their church friends. Give your friends a call or if they have an iPhone or iPad, you can Facetime them.

ONLINE WEEKLY PRAYER CIRCLE

You are invited to participate in this week’s Online Prayer Circle. Starting at 7 PM on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, you can join our Zoom session.

NOTE: The Zoom session will open starting at 6:45 PM for anyone who has never used Zoom before, so we can work out any issues before the official start of the Prayer Circle.

If you have a computer, smartphone or tablet with Internet access, use the following link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8855297717

If you have a computer without speakers, a microphone or webcam, go to the same link (https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8855297717) and for audio, dial one of the numbers listed below. There is no Kansas City number, but you can access using any of the following:

720 707 2699 US (Denver)

346 248 7799 US (Houston)

312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

If you dial in, you’ll be prompted for a Meeting ID, which is 885 529 7717 followed by the # sign.

If you do not have a computer, you can dial in (to any of the above numbers) using any phone. You’ll also need to enter the Meeting ID listed above (when prompted).

If you’re using the phone to access audio (and not using your computer’s speakers), you can toggle between mute and unmute by pressing *6. You can also raise your hand by pressing *9

ZOOM TUTORIAL

If you’ve never used Zoom and have access using your computer, tablet or smartphone, watch the basic 8-minute Zoom introductory tutorial before the meeting at https://youtu.be/9isp3qPeQ0E. There’s a series of Zoom tutorials offered by the company itself at https://zoom.us/resources

REMINDER GOODBYE TO STEVE AND LAURIE HOLBEN!

Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, we’re unable to hold a farewell potluck for Laurie and Steve Holben. They’re moving next weekend, so please remember them in your prayers for a smooth and uneventful moving experience.

Without that opportunity to thank the Holben’s for their service and friendship, we’d suggest you can contact them using email (sgholben) or using Facebook. There’s no snow in Kansas but maybe we can create a blizzard of messages to Laurie and Steve!

ALL GOOD BOOKS GROUP MEETING ONLINE

The All Good Books discussion group was scheduled to meet at the church at 7:00 PM on Thursday, April 16, 2020, to discuss “The Confession Club” by Elizabeth Berg (the author of “The Story of Arthur Trulov,” “Night of Miracles” and “Open House”).

Instead of the face-to-face meeting, because of the stay at home order and Coronavirus, we’ll meet online using Zoom. Specific instructions will be available next week (but they’ll be very similar to the instructions for the online Prayer Circle).

MUSIC FOR THE SOUL

If you have not heard, every Friday, you can watch one of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musicals for free! Simply go on YouTube and search for "The Show Must Go On." Each week a different musical be broadcast/posted starting at 11:00 am and available for the next 48 hours. The first musical (posted Friday, April 3, 2020) was “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.” The full production features Donnie Osmond as Joseph!

ADDITIONAL VIRTUAL WORSHIP EXPERIENCES

Join Mission Center Invitational Support Minister Craig Hidy for a worship service via Zoom – 6:30 Thursday evenings. Watch the Mission Center Facebook page for details and a link each week!

Check out Seventy Craig Hidy’s weekly blog: www.emporiacofchrist.org/70craigblog

Other virtual ministry opportunities – including Bethel and Olathe – can be found at www.cofchrist.org/online-ministries.

In this time of need please continue your generous response via eTithing. It is safe and easy. Find more information at www.cofchrist.org/etithing.

EASTER WORLD CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICE

On Sunday, April 12, 2020, at 2 PM Central Time, the World Church will stream a live Easter worship service. Take a look at https://www.cofchrist.org/live-webcast for details and how to be prepared for watching and listening to the service.

TITHES AND OFFERINGS

Please remember that church expenses continue, even when we’re not meeting in the building. Mary Reichenbach, the Congregation’s Financial Officer has indicated that contributions can be mailed to her house (10223 Briar Dr., Overland Park, KS 66207) or the church 7842 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208), or you can sign up for eTithing on the World Church website https://www.cofchrist.org/etithing). If you use the eTithing site, select the United States link. Any of these options work.

MISSION ROAD CALENDAR

Per World Church recommendations, all church gatherings are

suspended until at least May 1, 2020.

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS MESSAGE

When church services resume at Mission Road, we’ll continue the adult Sunday School class with a discussion of Chapter 1 of Amy-Jill Levine’s book “Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial Rabbi.” Be sure you’ve read the Introduction too.

If you’re curious to learn more about the author, who is Jewish but teaches classes on Christianity, check out her humor and her comments on faith and belief at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFy_jjP2WzU

NEED SOMETHING TO READ IN QUARANTINE?

If you wish to purchase a copy of the adult Sunday school text (“Short Stories by Jesus” by Amy-Jill Levine) please contact Jonathan Bacon (his phone and email address are in the church directory). We can arrange to have the book delivered to your home.

The cost of the book is $13 and should be added to your offering with an indication that it’s for the Sunday School text.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITHOUT EMAIL OR FACEBOOK ACCESS?

If you know someone in the congregation that does not have email and does not use Facebook, please let Jonathan Bacon know. We’re trying to be sure everyone in the congregation has access to periodic news updates and information on congregational activities.

CONCERNING PRAYER REQUESTS

Please know that any member of the congregation can post prayer requests or share information about members and events on the Mission Road Members Only Facebook page. You do not need to send the information for approval to anyone. In fact, doing so may slow down the dissemination of your request. Be sure to include the person needing prayers and what situation has occurred (if you wish to share that information). If your post concerns an event or news item, be sure to include the basics in your posting (such as who, what, where and when).

For prayer requests, if you do not have access to Facebook, then please call Paul Bennetts our Congregational Pastoral Care Coordinator.

OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE VIA EMAIL

The email address for general church drafts of your Order of Worship and church business (Clint Reine) is mrcoc

The email address for CFO business (Mary Reichenbach) is mrcoccfo

IMPORTANT CONGREGATIONAL LINKS

The Mission Road Congregation hosts the following social media sites:

Congregational (public) website at www.mission-road.org

Facebook Page (public) at https://www.facebook.com/MissionRoad.CoC

Facebook Group (open only to congregational members) at https://www.facebook.com/groups/MissionRoad/

The link to Mission Road worship service audio recordings at https://bit.ly/2MSgZW8

The All Good Books discussion group website at https://allbooksclub.wordpress.com/

Visit and "like" each of these sites to keep up-to-date on congregational news.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS EMAIL

If you have news items and calendar additions or changes that need to be included in the congregational news email, please contact Larry Birkby. His email address and phone number are both in the Church Directory.