Mt Pisgah Family,

Grace and peace to you. I was very much looking forward to being with you in person this coming Sunday, greeting you at the door, and worshiping together as a united church body. However, it looks like winter weather has other plans for us this weekend.

As we watch the forecast and listen to meteorologists do their best to predict what’s coming, we’re also reminded that Scripture tells us something deeper: God is ultimately in charge of creation. The psalmist writes, “He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes” (Psalm 147:16), and in Job we read, “He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’” (Job 37:6). Even in moments like these, we trust that God is present, active, and caring for all that God has made.

That said, after careful conversation with our parish leaders and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided that this Sunday we will replace our live worship services with a prerecorded online service. Although we won’t be gathering in person, you are still invited to worship from wherever you are. A sermon from the Rev. Dr. Robert E. Allen, who has been with us at Mt. Pisgah on several occasions, will be available for you to listen to, as well as other essential parts of our worship.

The service will be available on our Mt. Pisgah YouTube page beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday and may be watched at any time that works best for you. For those who wish to receive Holy Communion at home, at-home communion kits will be available for pickup outside the front door of our church beginning Thursday evening and throughout the weekend. As we gather in this way, we are reminded that the body of Christ is not limited to the physical walls of our church, but is alive and present through each of us. Even when we are physically apart for one more week, God continues to work in ways we cannot fully understand, and the gift of the Holy Spirit through worship wherever we are remains real, meaningful, and life-giving.

This decision has been made with your safety in mind, as loving our neighbors and ourselves sometimes means choosing caution and care. Please take good care of yourselves in the days ahead. Avoid unnecessary travel, check on neighbors if you are able, and make wise, safe decisions for you and your loved ones. God calls us not to take needless risks, but to care for the gift of life we’ve been given. May the peace of God guard your hearts and minds, and may the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you now and always.