Weekly Word from Pastor Curry: April 17, 2020

Greetings Friendship,

I pray this week’s update finds each of you doing well. I apologize that this update is a little late, I have had a long and busy week. Please know we, the staff and I, are praying for you as we continue to serve Friendship in a variety of ways.  This temporary normal requires creativity and commitment, and I am proud of my staff team for working to make it happen!
I am working to keep this shorter this week. LOL. Here is what I have for you:

• First, thank you for joining us for our Passion Week and Resurrection Services. I trust the services were a blessing to you and encouraged you as well.  I want to take a brief moment to thank Rev. Eric Archer, Executive Minister of Worship, Strategy, and Engagement for his hard work and leadership. He has big tasks and carries the load well. He and his Multi-Media/Audio team did a fantastic job. I also thank Sister Sonya Griffin, the Praise Team, and the Band for their faithfulness and participation. Time does not allow me to express to you the creativity employed to make those services work. Thank you, ALL! 

• Speaking of church/worship/services, I keep telling you I miss you. I know we all miss each other. I would like to add the Friendship Family to our future worship. That means you. ALL of you. I know you say, “Pastor, how do you plan to do that?” I am so glad you asked. I have two opportunities for you.

1. Prayer Video Collage: A video collage is a visually beautiful way of displaying videos, and can be combined with music to bring it to life. This video collage will feature you the Friendship Family. Below is a prayer we would like you or you and your family to record yourself reading. If you would read the whole prayer in your video recording, it will help my media team when they edit the final product. Now I need this back by Monday, April 20th. So you have the weekend to get it done. Also, please film landscape mode. That means your phone is turned sideways. Doing so will make our final video look better. We plan to feature the video during Worship on Sunday, April 26th. Send your video to [email protected].
   • Here's the prayer:  Dear God, We are thankful for your protection of us. Thank you for watching and guiding us in these challenging days. Thank you for your presence in our lives and the blessed assurance of your intervention.  We know this will not last always. Help us to remain in perfect peace as we put our lives in your capable hands. Thank you, Lord, for your Son, Jesus Christ, enduring the cross for victory over our sins and sicknesses. Help us all to exhibit love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We love you Lord, In Jesus name, Amen. 

2. Membership Shout outs & Hellos: For the First Sunday, May 3rd, we want to create a video greeting from the Members of Friendship to the Members of Friendship! LOL. We invite you to participate in our Shout outs & hellos by sending a 15-20 second video saying hello to the Friendship family and email it to [email protected]. Remember, record your video with your camera turned sideways (landscape). ☺

• As you have heard, our current stay at home orders will extend at least to May 15th. Therefore, we must find a way to continue to exist in this context. Many of our Bible studies and various groups are now working to continue their ministry through Google Meet, Zoom, FreeConferenceCall, or other services available to us, many of which have free options. I want to encourage you to get involved and stay connected.  Also, let’s reach out to one another. As you think of people, call or text them.  You will be surprised how encouraging this can be for individuals experiencing quarantine and isolation. Stay at home orders do not prevent us from being the church. 

• COVID Membership Assistance Fund: We are working to establish a modest Membership Assistance Fund to help those hit hard financially by this pandemic. We have received seed money to help us launch, and some of you have contacted me personally with a desire to donate to such a fund. My goal is to raise $15,000 above our budget and then work with our leaders and staff to award funds as needed. I invite you to give to the fund if you are able. I know there are lots of programs out there, but I feel we need to do something extra ourselves as the people of God, to help our members especially. You can give through our online giving platform and designate your gifts to the COVID Membership Assistance Fund. We have also created a fundraiser on Facebook you can give through with no processing fees charged to the church. Of course, you can mail in a check if you desire. Just note in the memo section that it is for the COVID Membership Assistance Fund. 

• RTNT: Read The New Testament! (TNT) ~ There’s power in the WORD! I pray you have gotten through your reading for this week. We were in all of the gospels. I will preach from Luke chapter two on Sunday. I am encouraged by the feedback and participation already. Please know we are working to make the reading plan easier to access on our website. Our apologies if you have experienced difficulty finding it. I know many of you are attempting to use the SOAP method. I have attached a copy of one of my journal pages this week. You can view it HERE. I hope this is helpful. Please excused my handwriting! ☺ 

• Stimulus Checks: Distribution of Stimulus Checks has begun for individuals who qualify. If you qualify and utilize direct deposit for your tax returns, check your account; it may already be there. If you qualify, but the IRS does not have your account information, you will receive a paper check in the mail. This may take two to four weeks. The IRS now has a website where you can see if you qualify and whether or not you will receive a stimulus check. That website is https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus-tax-relief-and-economic-impact-payments.  Also, this link helps to explain stimulus checks more https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2020/coronavirus-stimulus-checks.html.

As I close, I admire the faithfulness and leadership of both Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Eric Garcetti. They deliver daily updates to their constituency, and I know the tasks before these two men are demanding. Would you continue to pray for them? Leadership is not easy, and this context is especially difficult.

Praying for you,

Rev. Kenneth C. Curry, Jr.
Senior Pastor