Dear Church family,
 
After both worship services last Sunday, 3-16-2020, many felt very positive and hopeful. I went away thinking that we would offer services this coming Sunday. But that afternoon, strong voices were urging the suspension of our public worship services beginning next Sunday. Government officials were discouraging gatherings of 50 or more and that seniors 65+ should self-isolate. I also heard that someone from Orcutt had been diagnosed. So I had a change of heart and mind. As I write this, the capacity guidelines for gatherings and the age ceiling for self-isolation are getting lower and lower.
 
In the evening, I was more and more convinced that we should suspend, so I emailed our Church Council members and the paid and volunteer staff to listen to their thoughts. Those who replied agreed that we should suspend.
 
Then I received an email from our Bishop Grant Hagiya. He says, 
 
“…we are being instructed by our local authorities to limit exposure and not meet in groups larger than 10… Therefore… we are instructing all of our churches in the California-Pacific Conference not to hold public worship services. We firmly suggest that those over 65 years of age, or who have underlying health conditions, stay at home and not attend church worship services or meetings. We also suggest that church gatherings over 10 people not meet, and if you do meet… that you allow a safe distance of 6 feet between people. We hope that you can livestream or use internet meetings…we must ensure the safety of our congregations and shut-ins.”
 
(Instruction to pastors) “We are recommending that you do not physically visit nursing homes or the elderly to limit their exposure, unless it is a close to death experience or hospice situation where they would like to see you. We recommend regular phone calls to parishioners, and you can expand upon this to organize phone/email trees…”
 
Thus I’ve decided that we are not offering Sunday morning worship services beginning this Sunday, March 22. What is the timetable for resuming? I saw that one of my colleagues in Los Angeles, at a large size congregation, stated that they are not having services for 8 weeks. I’m not putting a timetable right now. We just have to take it one step at a time and to just wait until further notice. I’m thinking that we may have to miss Easter service gatherings.
 
LIVESTREAM WORSHIP
 
We will offer online worship with a sermon at the usual Sunday worship times of 8:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Will there be music? Choir anthem?  The usual prayers? What about offerings? The exact format is yet to be determined. We offered livestream last Sunday and the majority of comments were positive, although we need to work on sound consistency. We may pre-record the music and/or the message and play it on Sundays. I haven’t gotten that far yet.  If you would like a transcript of the sermon e-mailed to you, just let me know at bobisip@gmail.com With regards to your offerings and pledges, you can mail them in. We will be doing some research into online giving and hope to come to a decision soon.
Prayer requests can be emailed or texted to me and we can circulate on the all church email group if you wish.
 
Our website:  santamariafumc.net
Facebook page:  Santa Maria First United Methodist Church
YouTube Sunday Service:  Santa Maria First UMC
 
OFFICE HOURS
 
With regards to our office, we will still have Dora come as usual 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Thursday to receive regular mail, attend to e-mails, take phone calls and messages, produce newsletters, and deal with other administrative needs. I would recommend calling if you plan to drop in.  I’ll be keeping to my usual office time of coming in around 10 a.m. and staying until about 1 or 2 p.m., depending on the week, Tuesdays through Thursdays. I’m flexible on Fridays and Saturdays.
 
PROGRAMMING
 
Weekly/monthly gatherings:  Ladies of Faith, Choir Practice, Country Oaks Ministry, Youth Group, Children’s choir, and play rehearsals are on hold.
 
With regards to committees, we will call meetings as needed and/or conduct meetings and make decisions via e-mail or phone calls.
 
If you need to contact me, my cell number is 626-487-2329 or email me bobisip@gmail.com
 
If we don’t have your email address or not sure if we have it, please contact us at the office so that you can be added. Also, if you have a cell-phone # that you wish to share with us, you can also give it to us.
 
I’ll be posting more often on our Facebook web page:  Santa Maria First United Methodist Church, and sending out more announcements and content each week.
 
We will send this communication out via regular mail to those who we know that don’t have a computer or are not online.  If you know someone in our church family who doesn’t have a computer or is not on the internet please pass on this information or call them on the phone to keep contact.
 
 
Sincerely,

​(signed) Pastor Bob Isip

Dear Friends,

What a strange time we find ourselves in!  In Esther 4:14, Esther’s uncle Mordecai says to her, “For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” 
 
It is a unique time to communicate, be informed, make decisions, and take courage and exercise our faith.
 
Although there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Santa Barbara County, we want to be prepared, and we want you to be informed. We care for your well-being and safety, and your church is here for you. Thus, we encourage you to be engaged in discussions, and take precautions to keep yourself and others safe.

With regards to our facilities, we have requested our cleaning company JanPro, which cleans twice a week, to do some extra sanitizing including hand railings and door knobs and door handles. They use a product called EnviroShield, which is an electrostatic spray. It is a non-toxic, safe antimicrobial agent.

While we are working to keep our facility sanitized, there are additional actions to take to prevent the spread of the flu or coronavirus:
 

• Stay home when you or family members are sick. 
• Avoid hand shakes and hugs. 
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Or use hand sanitizers.
• Cover your sneeze or cough with a tissue or your arm.
• Do not touching your face so often.
• If you attended a high-alert area, consider not attending services until the 14-day time-frame has been observed.
• Use hand sanitizer that we have available.

 
Two weeks ago, we stopped our Showers of Blessings ministry until further notice. Today, March 12, we decided to postpone Acts the musical and also cancelled the Living Last supper. We hope to present the musical sometime in May or June.
 
Knowing that this crisis may dramatically affect Sunday services, we are providing a streaming option for you on Sunday mornings. Check out our facebook page at Santa Maria First United Methodist Church, our website:  santamariafumc.net, or find us on youTube by typing in our church name. Also we are making the sermon manuscript via e mail available upon request.
 
In addition, other aspects of our flow of operations will be affected so we are working on a proposal to make online giving an option. We would encourage you to mail in your offering if you won’t be attending church.

As a people of faith, let us pray:
 

• not to be overcome by fear and panic.

Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

• for those who have been directly impacted—those tested positive, those hospitalized, those in quarantine, those who can’t be in the presence of family members and loved ones due to imposed restrictions.
• for health care workers and responders.
• for scientists working on vaccines, treatments.
• for calm, civility, and respectful behavior.
• for hope and courage. May we not lose sight that our hope is in the power of God and the need to provide comfort to the distressed.

Pastor Bob