​WPUMC Family and Friends: 

For the coming weeks, we will continue to send out Monday and Thursday emails to keep you updated on the church and our responses to the COVID-19 situation. Keep updated with information on our Facebook page ("Washington Park UMC") and our website.
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UPDATE: Our Bishop has asked that we suspend in-person worship and activities until at least May 1st. See her full statement here.

​Palm Sunday: April 5th
Be a part of our Palm Parade! Watch Rev. Sandi's tutorial Palm Sunday DIY to make your own Palm Leaf at home! Then take a picture of you and your palm and email it to  pastor@washparkumc.org by THIS Friday, April 3rd to be a part of our "Palm Parade" slide show.

​COMMUNION
This Sunday is also our regular Communion Sunday. Our Bishop has given clergy in this time of social distancing the freedom to celebrate virtually this sacred meal. Please gather some bread and a drink and join worship at 9:30am via Facebook to celebrate this important sacrament together.

Easter Preparation
You can help us with our Easter preparations! Our Living Cross has been an important symbol in our neighborhood at Eastertime. This year, since we will not be able to gather in person on Easter Sunday, we ask that you help prepare by making flowers at home! Below are a few links to tutorials on how to make paper flowers.
On the Saturday before Easter (April 11th), we will have the cross outside on the lawn (if the weather is bad, the cross will be in the courtyard). Throughout the day, please come over to church and place your flower/s on the cross. Please make a point not to congregate with others and keep appropriate social distance while helping us prepare for our Easter celebration!

​Paper Flower DIY videos on YouTube: 

• Paper Hyacinth Flower Making
• DIY Paper Flower for Kids
• Paper Flower Craft for Kids

Resources

CHILDREN: Miss Sheri (our children's director) has filmed a children's message for you! See Miss Sheri and her family have too much fun with lemons and other citrus fruits! 

WORSHIP: If you were unable to join us yesterday, follow this link to worship with WPUMC this week. Virtual worship will continue to happen on Sundays at 9:30 am - join us via Facebook Live or look for the link in our Monday communication. We will continue to offer our Sunday sermon and Wednesday Taize podcasts each week, so subscribe to Wash Park UMC Sermons.

GIVING: Our church relies on your tithes and gifts to pay our bills and cover staff salary.  Thank you for continuing to be generous in this time.  You can give in many ways!  For more information, see Giving Back.

PRAYER: Connect to our online prayer card, or email the office or your pastors with any prayer requests or celebrations! If you indicate your request as a public prayer, we will share those via the Thursday email.

Peace and love today, 
Rev. Sandi

WPUMC Community: 

We need to communicate with you that one of our Preschool teachers tested positive for COVID-19. This teacher last worked on Thursday, March 12th, with symptoms starting on March 13th. The teacher did not report to work on March 13th, but went to the doctor and was tested for the virus. The teacher did not come back to the church or enter the preschool after March 12th. The results were available and shared with Preschool administration on March 25th. At this point, the teacher is feeling much better, and has not been away from home since March 13th. 

The preschool classrooms and toys have been sanitized and the preschool has been closed since March 13th. Our church building is likewise being regularly cleaned and surfaces sanitized, and there is very limited access to the building.

Please know we are taking all recommended and necessary precautions to keep our church environment safe. All of our staff and tenants are staying home and working remotely. 

Thank you for heeding the Governor's stay at home order. 
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Breathe. Make sure to center yourself in God's care today. 

Peace, Rev. Sandi Dillon pastor@washparkumc.org 

​WPUMC Family and Friends,

Happy Thursday!

For the coming weeks, we will continue to send out Monday and Thursday emails to keep you updated on the church and our response to the COVID 19 situation.  Keep updated with information on our Facebook page (“Washington Park UMC”) and here on the website.

A Message from your Pastor
Please click HERE for a video message from Rev. Sandi.

Holy Week Services
Due to the mayor’s and governor’s orders to stay at home until at least April 10, we are planning continued virtual worship for Holy Week as we anticipate the ban on groups over 10 will continue past that date. This means we will not have in-person worship for Easter.  Help us make this a special time! Here are some ways you can participate:

• April 5, PALM SUNDAY: We are asking individuals and families to make their own palm leaves at home before Palm Sunday, take a picture of yourself with your palm/s and send them to Rev. Sandi (pastor@washparkumc.org) by Friday, April 3rd so that we can make a slide show to view in our virtual worship service as our “Palm Parade”. Click HERE for a video on how to make your own palm leaf to wave!
• April 9, MAUNDY THURSDAY: We will offer a live virtual worship service Thursday evening at 6:30 on our Facebook page. Join us for a time of reflection during this Holy Week.
• April 12, EASTER SUNDAY: We’re still working on plans to make this virtual worship special, but one cornerstone of our Easter worship is the Living Cross that we place outside on our lawn and bring to life with beautiful flowers. This year, we ask you to create these flowers at home and bring them to decorate the cross. Details and directions will be coming next week – so please watch out for that!
• And when we are able to meet again in person, all together in our building and sanctuary– we will CELEBRATE!

Serving our Community
With increased safety measures in place, WPUMC continues to serve the community. As they have since 1973, FISH of East Denver food bank’s volunteers screen folks in need of emergency food, bag up groceries, and deliver them (with many precautions in place for drivers and recipients). South High School's food bank recently moved its operations to WPUMC. They are contributing surplus food donations to FISH.

WPUMC has supported FISH with food drives since February 2018. In a time when we are not able to bring our food donations to the church, we are asking instead for monetary donations. Please remember this food bank delivers food to those that are home bound.

Donations to FISH can be made HERE. There's also a tremendous need for volunteers at Food Bank of the Rockies warehouses -- if you are healthy and able to consider a shift, learn more here.

Praying for One Another
Connect to our online prayer card HERE, or email the office or your pastors with any prayer requests or celebrations! If you indicate your request as a public prayer, we will share those via the Thursday email.

Prayer Requests from our community:

• Tina Heinert asks for your prayers for her Aunt Lori, who has battled with alcoholism for years, and is not doing well. Also, prayers for her Uncle Dan who is Lori’s caretaker.
• Mary Katherine Pagels asks for prayers for her Aunt Peg who recently went to the ER after not feeling well, and was diagnosed with cancer that has spread to many areas of her body.
• Sonya Clark asks for prayers for her parents who are traveling in Arizona and praying for their health.

GIVE: your tithes & offerings are needed and appreciated!

• Our church relies on your tithes and gifts to pay our bills and cover staff salary. Thank you for continuing to be generous in this time. You can give in many ways!
• Online Giving – Visit our website and give online, or click HERE
• Text to Give – We are now offering a Text-to-Give opportunity! Just text “GIVE” to (720)730-5151. You will be asked the amount you wish to donate and then provided with a link. Click on the link and fill out the giving form with your contact and credit card information. You’ll receive a confirmation of your transaction. This is a quick, easy, and convenient way to donate.
• Venmo – Download the Venmo app, and send money to “michelle-hoskins-17”. Michelle is our church treasurer, and any money given by this method goes directly into our church account.
• Mail-in – Write a check and mail it to us: WPUMC 1955 E Arizona Ave. Denver, CO 80210


Call us, email us, text us. Take care of yourself, and remember that your church staff is here for you! We love and care for you always, but offer special prayers for you during this time.

Peace and love,
Rev. Sandi