Worship with us on Facebook at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday!

Worship for Sunday,

October 20, 2020 The 20th

Sunday after Pentecost.  ==> 

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Exercise for looking

back at your life ==>

from October 20 sermon.

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Our church photo montage,

shared during worship on 

Pentecost, so we can be

reminded of the joy of being

God's people bound together

by the Holy Spirit! ==>

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Thank you to the Mercersburg

Chorale for the music accompanying this video.

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Bulletin and hymn for Sunday, October 18, 10:30 a.m. worship. 

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Information from the Session of Middle Spring PCUSA

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Below you'll find information about the latest decisions made by the session of Middle Spring regarding our in-person status. Cumberland and Franklin Counties are now in the green but as we're all finding, green doesn't mean "go back to normal." Here is the content of the letter that was sent to members and friends. Please read this entire letter from the session so that you know not only what steps we’re taking, but how we’re taking them, and why!

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Steps We’re Taking:

Beginning on Wednesday, July 15th pre-established small groups of the church will be permitted to meet outside on the grounds of the church under the safety precautions listed below. Pre-established small groups include all groups that were already formed and meeting either at the church or elsewhere. The church isn’t available for family gatherings or for outside groups.

Also on September 23 at 6:30 pm we will hold another in-person outdoor Prayerful Fellowship Gathering. All church members, who feel comfortable doing so, are invited to be part of this gathering for prayer and fellowship (without food) which we hope will be one of several in the coming months. Members and friends gathering for prayer on this night will also be required to follow safety procedures listed below.

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How We’re Taking These Steps:

People who feel comfortable coming to the grounds of the church for both pre-established small group meetings and for the Prayerful Fellowship Gathering can expect the following:

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1. You are asked to wear a mask. If you arrive without one, we will provide one for you. If you feel you are unable to wear a mask for health reasons, the state allows for wearing a face shield. We will not have face shields available. If you feel you cannot wear either, we respectfully ask that you not join gatherings at the church.

2. You are asked to social distance (minimum of 6-foot spacing) from people with whom you are not currently living (so family units can sit together).

3. Upon arrival, your temperature will be taken. If it is 100.4 or higher it will be retaken after a period of two minutes. If it is still 100.4 or higher, you will be asked to return to your home.

4. If you are feeling physically unwell, we ask that you refrain from coming to the church.

5. Bathrooms will be available but we ask that you avoid using them unless absolutely necessary.

6. Pre-established small groups wishing to use the outside grounds of the church must make a reservation with Mary even if you are meeting at your standard meeting time.

7. The person making the reservation is asked to take the temperature of those coming to the meeting and to keep a list of names of those present. There will be an infrared thermometer in the church office for you to use for temperature taking and the list of names will only be asked for if anyone at the gathering tests positive for Covid-19 within 48 hours of the gathering.

8. Persons should bring lawn chairs so that socially distanced seating is possible. Chairs from the church may be used if necessary but they are to be wiped down with a bleach and water solution/Lysol wipes prior to being returned to fellowship hall.

9. While we understand that singing is important to our prayer and worship, we will not sing at the Prayerful Fellowship Gathering and we encourage all groups to refrain from singing as mounting evidence shows that singing increases the risk of spreading Covid-19.

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Why We’re Taking These Steps

We recognize that the steps we’ve outlined for now will be not enough for some and too much for others. The session has stated in the past that we’ll be guided by our Presbytery, the CDC, and the PA department of health as we consider what is best for Middle Spring’s members and friends. Our safety precautions are based on CDC recommendations. We choose to take these steps now because we recognize the increasing sense of isolation in many and the longing for in-person fellowship around the word of God. We choose to be cautious in taking these steps out of a desire to honor both our mission statement and God’s word.

Our mission statement is “Middle Spring Presbyterian Church called together by God to worship, grow, and serve.” The word “together” was crucial in the formation of our statement and was crucial to our decision making. We seek to open the church in ways that allow gatherings for everyone who feels comfortable doing so, as safely as possible. In focusing on the word “together” we also feel that we’re honoring what it is to be the body of Christ. As the body of Christ, we’re called to remember the importance of each member and also to give greater honor to those who are weaker (1 Cor. 12:22-26). Our weaker members in this case are those who are more at risk from Covid-19, and we seek to do everything in our power to protect them. Why not allow each person to choose for themselves that with which they’re comfortable? We are together the body of Christ and the body of Christ is called to interdependence, to loving God and caring for neighbors (Matt. 22:38-39), and to putting the interests of others ahead of our own (Phil 2.4). We believe the steps and the precautions we are taking are tangible ways of doing so.

We all long for a return to normal life and normal worship. We all miss being together, especially in our sanctuary. A return to “what was” is not within our control. What is within our control is to make it possible for as many people as possible to gather as safely as possible. What is within our control is for each of us to choose to continue abiding together. What is within our control is to use our creative power to see that on the other side of this pandemic we don’t go back to normal but with God’s grace we go to something better than before. We continue in prayer that it will be so for Middle Spring.

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Grace and peace be yours, 

The Session of Middle Spring

Bradley Beidel      Kathy Bierbower    Dane Bricker     Jeannie Chamberlin   John Dyson

Alice Judy    Tim McFeely    Ray Staver    Kim Wadlington

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Other Information about the church's life during this time:

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•  Pastor Kim Wadlington will continue to be available throughout the week. When requested, she is permitted to do in-person visitation outside with appropriate precautions.

• Our church secretary, Mary Stouffer, will be available on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

• Worship live stream begins on Sunday morning at 10:30am on Facebook. The worship service is also recorded and will be posted here and on the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church YouTube channel, typically by noon on Sunday.

• We have not yet rescheduled the Youth Fellowship Chicken BBQ. Please continue to save your tickets. When we feel it is safe to gather adults and youth together we will reschedule. 

• We continue to meet via zoom for Bible Study and leadership groups. Anyone wishing to be part of a zoom Bible Study should contact Pastor Kim.

• We continue to participate in serving community meals with Christ UMC via drive-thru on first Tuesdays at 5pm. 

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