Welcome to the Connections Blog!

Hi Everyone! 
Welcome to another way we can communicate with one another and connect during (and potentially after) the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Since this is a blog page, you may leave comments, discussion items, and encouraging words for our whole community to read and share. 

Each day, Monday- Friday, you will find a short message and/or devotional from one of our Ministerial Staff.  Today's message comes from Senior Pastor Linda Pepe.  When you are finished reading, why not take a moment to let us know you've found our page, and perhaps leave an note of encouragement for someone else!

Enjoy, and Let's Connect!

Today's Message:
Hebrews 10:25 The Message (MSG)22-25 So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. God always keeps God's word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
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What a wonderful scripture passage; so relevant for all of us as we go about navigating the shift in normal life during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  I hope you were able to watch yesterday's live-stream worship service. If not, here is a link to the recording: https://www.fbcmoorestown.org/
In the sermon, you heard me talk about the importance of remaining connected.  Hearing from one another during various levels of social distancing, self-quarantine, or more stringent measures (curfews, closures, etc.) is crucial, not just for us as a congregation, but for our individual emotional and mental health.  
Our modes of meeting together have changed, and that will take some getting used to.  However, as I mentioned yesterday, we have a plan to help us all stay connected, and all of us are invited to participate.  We are asking each person in our church to call 3-5 fellow congregants per week to share concerns, joys, and even pray together should you feel the spirit move in that direction.  As you might imagine, a project like this will take some organization to ensure that all of our congregants are contacted, and I am asking for your patience as well as your flexibility as we put the connection lists together. 
Admittedly, our comfort level with speaking on the phone may not be what it used to be in the days of no email (for those of us who remember what it was like to NOT have internet) and each of us have different gifts when it comes to talking to people we do not yet know well.  As we begin, I am asking for each of you to sign up to participate so that we can form call lists.  As you sign up, please indicate your comfort level of calling based on 1-3 system.  1: I am only comfortable calling 3 people a week and only those I already know very well.  2: I am comfortable calling 3-5 people per week and will call those I know well or moderately well. 3: I'll call anybody, and I may not get off the phone for an hour!  
My hope (and yes I am still an eternal optimist- after all, we serve a God who loves us with an everlasting love) is that we have 100% participation in this.  Yes, it is THAT important.  Feeling isolated or alone is a dangerous and unhealthy state to live in, and unless we are intentional (and for some of us, that means stepping outside of our comfort zone) we may not reach everyone in our congregation; and each person is important.
To sign up, please reply via email to lindapepepastor@gmail.com 
Please include your level of participation/comfort 1,2,3
I look forward to hearing from each of you.  Together, we can make it through this challenging time as the church, as a connectional and relational people.  And I believe with my whole heart that we will come out stronger on the other side of this. 
With much love and gratitude,
Pastor Linda

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