Message from Pastor Devon – March 23, 2020

by | Mar 23, 2020 | Message from Pastor Devon, Wintergarden Presbyterian Ongoing Updates

What a week: Wintergarden Presbyterian and COVID-19 updates

 As we know from watching the news and reading various forms of social media, the reports on COVID-19 around the world and here are changing on a moment by moment basis. Pastor Devon is not a doctor. Her mom always thought she should have been, but that’s another conversation. So Devon and the leadership of the church will continue to make the most wise decisions based on the information we have at the time. I pray you bear with us, offer us grace and love and prayers. We will be doing the same for all of you. The session will be meeting at the end of the week to discuss further details in regards to reopening the building and starting groups back up again. 
The big question is how do we stay connected. I have many friends doing all sorts of electronic formats for staying in touch with people. We want to try a few different ways. I wanted to share them with you in one email. 


1. Facebook. Many of us have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. And not everyone in our congregation is on Facebook. Here is how we will be using Facebook. Here is the link to the Wintergarden Facebook “Watch” Page and it “should” work without a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/watch/wintergardenpres/

  • If you DO NOT have a Facebook page and would like help setting one up, please let Pastor Devon know and she can help. Or you can watch this video:
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkKnIRQO2KI. 
  • Every morning, Pastor Devon’s face will appear on Facebook with the daily devotion. This devotion has scripture, a lesson, reflection questions, and prayer. The goal is for this to be posted at 9:30am every day. The devotions come from “Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion Through Ten Objects” by Jill Duffield. The reflection questions will be posted in the comment section. Please take a minute to respond if you can. 
  • We will also try to post encouraging messages and thoughts and scripture on the Facebook Page. 
  • We have created a private group for the families of Wintergarden. The group name is called “Wintergarden Virtual Family Fun Night.” Families are being encouraged to share their games, devotions, activities, and dancing on this page. If you are interested in joining, please let Pastor Devon know. 
  • On Sunday mornings beginning around 8:30am, we will be “Live-Streaming” with Facebook the Sacred Space Mediation service. You are welcome to join us in the garden 6 feet apart from one another or virtually on-line. You can directly reach the link here: https://www.facebook.com/wintergardenpres/

2. Zoom. Zoom is a video conferencing tool. Zoom allows for everyone who has access to a webcam (on their phone, tablet, or computer), to see one another from our homes. Here are two things we are doing using Zoom. 

  • The first is for weekly prayer meetings. Everyone is invited to join every Wednesday night at 7pm for prayer together. You will join the meeting by clicking this link: https://zoom.us/j/824192898 and enter this Meeting ID: 824 192 898. 
  • The second thing for zoom will be used for the kids and families of the church. If you want to participate, please click on this link: https://forms.gle/CLsqMEUobYpQEwfh7. Once we hear back from everyone, a day and time will be set.  

3. Phone. We all have them. So let’s use them! On Wednesday, we will email a PDF of the church directory or send you a link via the website for everyone to be able to have a full directory. Here is a crazy idea…Let’s call one another! Let’s take the time our every day to call members in our church family and check in to see how our sisters and brothers are doing. If you have any phone numbers, email addresses, mailing addresses that have changed or we might not have, please send an email to Julie at office@wintergardenpres.org. 

Again, we are figuring this out as we go. As we all are. Please be wise, safe, and well. Know you are being prayed for and thought about frequently. If you need Pastor Devon for anything, please call/text her at 941-525-6671 or email at revdev08@gmail.com. 

Much love to you all. 

In Christ,

Pastor Devon