Greeting friends and members of First United Methodist Church of Westfield,
I write to inform you that our church’s task force, made up our church’s leadership made the difficult decision earlier this week to suspend in-person, public worship in our church building. The suspension of in-person, public worship will begin Sunday, January 10th for the remainder of the month of January. During this time the church’s building will be restricted for gatherings of people. In the coming weeks, additional information will be provided for our return of in-person, public worship in early February.
Following the suspension of in-person, public worship in Mid-March 2020, our church leadership created a task force, a group of folks from our congregation that worked long and hard through plans, strategies, and procedures to ensure that our congregation could return for in-person, public worship in the summer of 2020. The same task force that was eager to get us back in our sacred building then now calls for our congregation to suspend in-person, public worship for the next couple of weeks due to the increasing numbers of COVID-19 in our county. Our District Superintendent and I agree and support the task force’s decision.
The current wave of COVID-19 is locally impacting the lives of close friends and family members of our congregation. While the task force has in place strong and effective policies such as: face masks, social-distancing, and no-singing, etc. this additional short-termed step of suspending in-person, public worship is simply another layer of protection for our congregation and local community. Be assured when we return in early February, we will continue to follow the policies mentioned above.
Before the pandemic began our church was already recording the Sunday sermon and putting them online. For the remainder of January, we will also provide recordings Mary playing our beloved hymns. Both sermons and musical recordings may be found on our church website (westfieldumc.org) and our church’s Facebook page (Westfield United Methodist Church, NY). In addition, Jan provides written sermons weekly to members of our congregation that do not have internet access. If you or someone you know would like to receive printed sermons, please contact the church office (716.326-3243).
As we hold our community and you in prayer, we ask that you continue to pray for our congregation, our staff, and our church’s leadership. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to reach out to the church office and/or Pastor Nick (716.940.9228). We want to contact everyone in our congregation about the suspension of in-person, public worship for the month of January. Help us get the word out. We love you. Until we meet again—Be well.
Christ’s Blessings,
Pastor Nick
Welcome to First United Methodist Church of Westfield.
Prevenient Grace— God’s Grace That Prepares Us
Justifying Grace—God’s Grace For Us
Sanctifying Grace—God’s Grace Perfecting Us
Glorifying Grace—God’s Grace Bringing Personal and Social Transformation
Our congregation is made up of families and individuals of various shapes and sizes but who are united in God’s grace. God’s grace is “God’s presence and power to create, heal, forgive, reconcile, and transform persons, communities, nations and entire cosmos.” This church offers for all a safe place to ask questions, wrestle with doubts, and struggle with uncertainties, so that one may grow deeper and stronger in a relationship with Christ.
Being entrusted with God’s grace, we as Methodists live by a simple pattern:
Do No Harm – Making More Room for God’s Grace
Do Good – Living Grace-Fully
Staying In Love With God – Growing in Grace.
In Christ’s Name,
Pastor
Mission statement:
To know Christ and to make Christ known
Vision Statement:
We are the voice and the hand that encourages people to change their lives with hope, comfort and peace