Dear members and friends of the Franklin United Methodist Church,
We are about to wrap up an unprecedented year as a community of faith. This year has been like no other. We have had to learn and adapt as a community of faith in ways few of us could have expected; and, in the process, we have accomplished some amazing things together as the people of the Franklin United Methodist Church.
As of the writing of this letter, we have gathered for 38 worship services virtually—something we had not done before the pandemic began. Our sanctuary has been outfitted with teleconferencing equipment that allows in-the-sanctuary and virtual worshippers to interact with one another. Since mid-March, there have been nearly 70 opportunities to check-in and pray together during the week. By year’s end, our virtual choir (which began in mid-July) will have co-created and sang over 60 songs—all of which are premiered in our worship together and made continually available for you to access via the church’s YouTube channel. As part of our pandemic response, we helped distribute (March-June, 2020) 4,900 meals to families from the Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School who receive free or reduced lunches. And, we started a community garden which yielded over 40 pounds of fresh vegetables to the Franklin Food Pantry. To help us mature in the faith together, we now offer a free daily devotional resource (online and in print) for you to use individually, with your family, and/or in a small group. And, our website has become a hub of information providing access to our virtual gatherings and detailing opportunities for you to volunteer and give.
Through this unprecedented year, we have continued to do much of what we have always done, but in new ways. We worship and fellowship regularly (though, right now, primarily online). We continue to supply the Franklin Food Pantry with Ensure (an item that the pantry cannot purchase through the regional Food Bank). The Book Club continues to gather (virtually) to discuss a new book each month and fellowship together. We have trained six in-person ushers so that when we’re ready to offer in-person worship again, we will have persons to guide us and remind us of safe gathering practices. We’ve also trained four virtual ushers and five audio/video technicians to help monitor and create our virtual worship space.
2020 has been an unprecedented year. We have done many new (unprecedented!) and amazing things together! As these unprecedented times become normal, as Christmas approaches and a new year begins, you are encouraged to make a year-end contribution to support the worship, life, and work of the Franklin United Methodist Church. It is only with your support that our ministry (unprecedented and otherwise) is possible.
Thank you for your support through these unprecedented times! You can donate online (https://franklinumc.org/giving) or by sending your contribution via USPS (please put “Christmas Offering” on the memo line of the check and send to PO Box 313, Franklin MA 02038).
I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Peace.
Pastor Jacob
This correspondence was sent out to members and friends of the Franklin United Methodist Church via USPS on December 10, 2020 (the letter was dated December 8) and emailed on December 15 using the church database. If you have not created or linked to your profile in the church database (so that you can update your contact information, access our virtual directory, and monitor your giving), then click here to learn more and get setup.