FISHERS OF MEN LUTHERAN CHURCH

AN INDEPENDENT LUTHERAN CONGREGATION

I​t's wonderful to be back worshiping together again! The changes we put in place due to the
Corona-virus seem to be working well. Most everyone has been wearing masks. The new blue
slips in the bulletins means we do not have to “pass the book” anymore and they provide a place
to write prayer requests. We now have large print bulletins available. There has been so many
changes – some due to the virus and many because members and the council suggested them. It
is a joy to be doing ministry together at FOM! If you have any other suggestions for helping us
to stay safe please call Roger Black (260-691-2717), Bob Gordon (712-578-8747) or the church
office. We have included the list of changes made due the virus as a reminder for everyone.

1. We invite and encourage folks to wear masks. There are masks available just inside the narthex doors.
2. Every other pew will be roped off and hymnals will be placed on the pew cushion spaced 6 feet apart.
The 6 feet social distancing means that there will only be space for a maximum of 2 couples on each
pew we are using.
3. We will not be passing the offering plates. We are moving the baptismal font to just outside the
sanctuary doors and invite everyone to drop their offerings in the baptismal shell.
4. Holy Communion will be a little different too. Please stay standing. We have placed hymnals on the
step to indicate where to stand. The Communion elements are pre-sealed in a small Communion cup.
We'll talk more about that on Sunday morning.
5. We won't be shaking hands and hugging . . . for a while anyway.
6. A very special thank you to the family that donated the cost of Stanley Steamer cleaning and sanitizing
our pew cushions, and all the carpets in the sanctuary, narthex/coffee area and the church offices.
Stanley Steamer returned the day after everything was cleaned to fog disinfect ALL of the sanctuary
building with an EPA approved fogging disinfectant. We are cleaner than we have ever been!
7. The church council will keep you informed of any other changes we may have to make as we learn how
to be together – separately.

The red books that used to be passed up and down the pews have been replaced with a simple,
blue slip in every bulletin. Please use the Blue Slip to indicate your participation in Holy
Communion. It can also be used to update your mailing or email address or phone number. The
back of the Blue Slip is space to share your prayer concerns. The ushers will collect the Blue
Slips as the offering is brought up to the altar and then the pastor will include your joys or
concerns as part of the prayers of the church. If you want only the pastor to be aware of prayer
concerns please note that clearly on the Blue Slip.
 Sara McAuley has our new FaceBook page up and running. We are posting sermons,
newsletters, pictures, etc. to the page. If you have pictures from worship or a special event that
you think would be good to have on our page please send them to Sara and she will try to get
them onto our page. The simplest way to get to our new page is to search “Fishers of Men
Lutheran”.

We have a new Piano! Shirley and Ovid discovered this beautiful Baldwin baby
grand for sale at a very reasonable price and then found another member of the
congregation who graciously offered to buy the piano for the congregation. The
piano was delivered June 9. It sounds wonderful in our sanctuary! This past
Sunday morning we dedicated it to the praise and glory of God. Shirley played
the postlude on our new piano. Shirley said it was first time in her many years of
playing that the whole congregation stayed for all of her postlude.

The Matlacha Hookers are again collecting school supplies for our local school.
We have a collection box in the narthex under the bulletin board. Our kids need:
backpacks, pencil boxes, scissors, #2 pencils, erasers, colored pencils, Crayola
crayons, scotch tape, disinfectant wipes, ink pens, pocket folders and glue sticks.
This is only a partial list of the supplies needed. Please check the box in the
narthex for a complete list. All donations must be received by Sunday, July 26
(cash or checks are welcome too).

FOM has partnered with Beacon of Hope on Pine Island for many years. A portion of our benevolence
offerings goes to the Beacon. We also help our neighbors on the island by
giving food to the Beacon of Hope food pantry. But we are going to try
something different . . . you could say, “We've never done it this way before!”
Instead of just the box in the narthex for pantry items (it seems all to easy to
forget about the box), we are going to start collecting a different kind of food
each week. The 1​st​ Sunday of the month we will collect canned veggies and
fruits. The 2​nd​ Sunday will be designated Mac & Cheese Sunday(or anything
that comes in a box). The 3​rd​ Sunday will be Spam and Ham Sunday(any kind of canned meats). The 4​th
Sunday will be Spaghetti/Ravioli Sunday(you get the idea). Watch the bulletin each week for the next Sunday's
items.

There are so many thank yous to share this month: Thank you to Sara and Kevin M for
the new microwave in the fellowship area. Thank you to Roger and Rose Black for
painting and redecorating the men's bathroom. Thank you to Rose Black for beginning to
organize our library. Thank you to Sara M for volunteering to be our “Sign Putter
Upper.” Thank you to Marilyn M and Steve C for getting the new ladder and shop vac
delivered to the church. Thank you to Steve C for changing all the AC filters. Thank you
to Shirley and Ovid and our anonymous benefactor for the beautiful piano. Thank you to
Laurie for so faithfully folding bulletins and setting up the chancel each week. Thank you
to Deb G, Laurie M, and Marilyn M for cleaning the offices and fellowship area. Thank
you to Rita A for faithfully posting our prayer concerns and email announcements. ​AND thank you to
everyone who so graciously gave to our FOM Special Offering 2020. You have made it possible to keep
the ministry of Fishers of Men alive during these challenging times! ​I'm sure I have missed someone . . .
and to you I apologize(remind me and I'll get it in next month).
NEW OFFICE HOURS​ The church office is open: ​Tuesday and Thursday from 9AM to noon.
OUR NEW MAILING ADDRESS​: Fishers of Men Lutheran, PO BOX 664 St James City, FL 33956