Happenings - Special Edition

April 3, 2020

Streaming Worship

While we are suspending services we encourage our congregation to worship together online. We are preparing virtual services that can be streamed directly from our website at memoriallutherantn.org.  I hope you will choose to stream them at 10:00 on Sunday mornings so that we can at least be worshiping in Spirit together at the same time in our homes.

Please note that these will not be "live" services per se, so you can stream them at any time once they are posted. So if you can't join us at 10:00 a.m I hope you will avail yourself of that online worship resource when you can.  We will upload them to our website on Saturday nights.

We will be continuing our Lenten study of "How Lutherans Interpet the Bible."  We have received special approval from the owner of that series to include Dr. Mark Allen Powell's teaching in our virtual worship services  and virtual Sunday School the next few weeks. These videos can also be found on our website each week.

We are excited that our online services are a shared experience with our sister congregation, Zion Lutheran Church in Franklin, KY.  Pastor Joel remains their Interim Pastor and it is exciting to work together to maintain our worship life.

Holy Week Services Online

We will be providing online Holy Week services for Maundy Thurdsay and Good Friday.  You can stream those from our website.  And, like our other online services, we encourage people to stream them at 7:00 p.m. each night, but you can stream them at other times if needed.  

While we will miss being together during these services, please make an effort to worship together as we once again seek to travel the Holy Week journey as a community of faith.

Coronavirus Information and Support

I want to stress a few points as we all seek to navigate these chaotic waters together.

1)  I am available to anyone who wants/needs direct pastoral care during this time.  You can call (615) 262-0224 or email me at joel.emerson@memoriallutherantn.org.  Please don't hesitate to reach out to me.  Sometimes when we are working through the unknowns of this life, it is helpful just to talk and pray together.

2)  Speaking of...please stay in touch with each other in the coming weeks.  Being supportive of each other is so important and we are the body of Christ, not just individuals with a common faith in Jesus.  

3)  There is a lot of misinformation circulating out there.  Please be sure that you are getting and sharing the most recent information directly from the most knowledgeable sources.  You can always get reliable and current information from the CDC.

4)  Please take the instructions on social distancing seriously and practice them as best you can.  This is particular challenging for those of us involved in a religious community as that is one of the most social things out there.  But from every reliable and informed medical source I can find, our ability to practice social distancing in the coming weeks may well be the difference in this outbreak having catastrophic impacts on people's lives.,

5)  Pray throughout each day that God will give us strength and courage during these coming months.

6)  Do the things in your life at home that bring you peace and joy...listen to your favorite music, play games with your loved ones, meditate, read your favorite author...whatever helps you to find peace and joy in your life.

Well, that is preachy enough don't you think!  I love you all and am praying for you daily.

Pastor Joel

Tithes and Offerings

We want to encourage you to continue to support the church as you are able by mailing your tithes and offerings to the PO box of the church.  That address is:

Memorial Lutheran Church
PO Box 60428
Nashville, TN 37206-1433

If you need us to mail you pre-addressed and pre-stamped envelopes, please email Pastor Joel at joel.emerson@memoriallutherantn.org.

We are currently working on electronic giving for those who would like to give using that option and hope to have more information on that soon.

The ongoing costs of our church remain even though so much of our world has come to a halt.  Please prayerfully consider your continued offerings over these coming months.  

Cancellation of Synod Assembly and Bishop Letter

Please take a moment and read this recent letter from Bishop Kevin Strickland to our Synod.  He discusses the difficult decision of cancelling Synod Assembly as well as his own encouragement that churches continue to meet online at least through April.  We are fortunate to have his leadership and his calming presence during this time.