April 2020 Vol 20, No 4

40 Days and 40 nights . . .or maybe more?

Even though I had heard in February that there was a strange new
virus in the world, I had no idea how the spread of what is now a
worldwide pandemic would affect each and every one of us.

Like all of you, this last month has been a time of learning more
than I ever wanted to know about a whole host of new topics - from
how a virus can spread, to what it means to flatten the curve; from how to use a
multitude of technological tools, to recipes for obscure pantry items. Some people
have learned how to sew face-masks, and we’ve all been schooled again in the
proper way to wash our hands. On top of all that, our common vocabulary is
expanding. We now speak regularly of social distance and shelter in place.

We have all had a crash course in coping with a lot of change in a short amount of
time.

One word that wasn’t new to me, but which has taken on a more serious tone in
recent weeks, is quarantine. While I knew what it meant before this outbreak, I
wasn’t aware of how the word came to be. Apparently it originates from the
Italian and literally means forty days. It was used to describe the amount of time a
ship had to wait offshore before passengers were allowed on land during the
plague in the Middle Ages. As we have talked about before, forty days has some
significance in our scriptures. In fact the number forty is used to describe a long,
long time - usually a time when someone is learning something or going through
a serious shift in their life. Some examples include: the rains which fell for forty
days and nights during the great flood; Goliath taunting the Israelites for forty
days and nights before David defeated him; the amount of days given the
Ninevites to repent in the story of Jonah; and the number of days Moses, Elijah,
and Jesus all fasted.

The significance of that number is remembered each year when, for the forty days
between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday (not counting Sundays), Christians
observe Lent. Lent is meant to be a time of fasting, praying, giving, and reflecting
- a time to prepare our hearts for the good news of the Resurrection. It is typically
a time when people give up something or take up a spiritual practice - seeking to
re-focus one’s life on God.

You’ll get this newsletter as we welcome the month of April, right before we
observe Palm Sunday and Holy Week. While we aren’t officially in quarantine,
we are mostly sheltering in place. In order to help slow the spread of this disease,
and in the hope that we can protect those who do have to work in this precarious
time, many of us are living in a kind of self-imposed quarantine.

Most people have given up much more than they planned to this Lent. And for
many, it is a challenging time that already feels very long.
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 CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH STAFF
Perhaps one way we can face this challenge is by re-framing this Pastor: Rev. Jennifer Martin
mandated time apart. What if we were informed by both the spirit Lent Organist: Dan Rinnan
and Quarantine? Director of Music: Cole Blume
Sound Technician: Alex Pratt
If the original goal of the quarantine was to ensure the health of all the Office Manager: Sheryl Peterson
Financial Secretary: Arlene Hudgins
people in the land, perhaps we can observe this strange time by doing Maintenance Custodian: Michael James
all we can to improve our own health and that of our community - Building Host: Joe Olney
physically yes. But also spiritually, mentally, emotionally, ecologically, Child Care: Audreay Ellien
communally, and in whatever other areas we discover illness. It is SESSION
possible the spirit of our Lent, clearing out time and space for what truly Class of 2020 Class of 2021
matters, will ring more true this year than ever before. Maybe if we Lu-Nita Hawkins Kathleen Beisse
Nancy Richter Scott Pratt
carry the intention of Lent with us, regardless of how long our forty Pam Sheridan Alice Schroeder
days last this year, we will come out on the other side ready to live in
new ways that will result in a more holistic view of health for all of Class of 2022
Barbara Cookson
God’s children. Jane Holmes
Susan Schroeder
Perhaps instead of focusing on what we are denied, we can choose to
give up what we do not truly need and share what we have with others. Moderator: Rev. Jennifer Martin
Instead of clinging to anxiety or grief all alone, we can turn to prayer for Clerk of Session: Merle Bottge
Treasurer: Del Hawkins
solace. Rather than only mourning missed time with friends and family, Nominating Committee Chair: Jane Holmes
we can find new ways to reconnect with one another, and also with
God. DEACONS
Class of 2020 Class of 2021
One thing I know for sure is regardless of how long this Linda Anderson Louise deKluyver
Susan Bloom Janet Edmonsond
Lent/Quarantine lasts, Easter will come, because Easter has come. That Quentin Holmes Laurie Inglis
is why we don’t count the Sundays when we number the forty days of Jacquie Litchfield Tony Richter
Lent. Each and every week, we pause to celebrate the good news of the Jackie Onstad Julianne Stermer
resurrection. And we will be doing that this month, too. Class of 2022
Sally Hayden
In the meantime, know you are in my prayers daily. Jordan Ryder
With relentless hope, Jennifer ENDOWMENT FUND COMMITTEE
Chair: Kathleen Beisse
Marci Gordon Pat Hocken
Patty MacAfee Jane Rimerman
Steve Stermer Jim Whitmore

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN: Jane Holmes, Moderator

CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN Central articles are due the third

OFFICE Monday of each month. Articles for
the May Central Newsletter are due
on Monday, April 18, 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak,
the Church Office will be generally
closed to the public during this
time. However, we are still
working on the business of the
church. Our goal is to meet the
needs of the people of the church. Sheryl Peterson, Office
Manager, is currently working from home and Arlene Hudgins,
our Bookkeeper is working part-time at the office. Phone
messages will be checked on week days, and Sheryl can be
contacted through the church email
centralpresbyterianeugene@gmail.com.

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HELP US BUILD THE
WORSHIP SERVICE
We want to involve as many people as possible in creating
worship. YOU can help contribute to our weekly worship in
several ways:
Images
Send us some pictures! We are looking for images to use in our
worship videos in the weeks to come. So as you get out for a
walk snap a picture of what you see. Or maybe take a picture of
something you have created (maybe on canvas, or maybe you
baked a loaf of bread, or knitted something, or???)
We are especially interested in images that fit into one of these
broad themes:
 Hope
 Grief
 Love
 Joy
So send pics of what you have seen or made to Pastor Jennifer
at centralpcjen@gmail.com
Reading
Would you like to be a liturgist or do a reading for a worship
service? All you need is a way to record yourself. A smart
phone, tablet, or laptop will probably work. If you are interested
let Jennifer know and she will be in touch with more details.
Prayers
While we will still have the Facebook Live prayers of the
people each week, you can still email prayer requests to Pastor
Jennifer or the church office if you would like them included in
the streaming service time of prayers.
You can email them to: centralpcjen@gmail.com or
centralpresbyterianeugene@gmail.com
NOTES FROM THE MARCH
SESSION MEETING
Merle Bottge
The Session discussed how best to respond to the coronavirus
(COVID-19 pandemic.
Jennifer reminded us that as the song says:
The church is not a building;
The church is not a steeple;
The church is not a resting place;
The church is a people.
The church office will remain open and available by
phone: 541-345-8724 and by
email: centralpresbyterianeugene@gmail.com
UPDATED INFORMATION: The office is not regularly
open due to the governor’s stay home order. Sheryl is
working from home and can currently be contacted
through the church email as listed above.
Worship services will be available on line.
Church groups and committees can get together virtually
through computer and phone. Central has subscribed to a
service that enables phone and computer conferencing. The
office will help groups use this service.
Central’s website – centraleugene.church - will be updated soon
to reflect the current situation and tell of ways to remain
connected and supportive.
Central’s deacons and elders will reach out to church members
and friends.
However, the building will be closed to groups until the Session
decides otherwise.
• No in-person worship services through Easter. On April
6 the Session will assess this decision and decide
whether or not to extend the suspension of in-person
worship services.
• No in-person meetings of church groups and
committees in the church building.
• No in-person non-church groups that meet in the
building.
The Session expressed its thanks to Wesley Lachman for his
many years coordinating Central’s relationship with Cesar
Chavez Elementary School as well as for his regular
contemplative column in the Central Newsletter. Central
adopted as a mission concern Chavez (then Westmoreland)
School in 1999. That special tie seems to have come to an end,
though some Central members continue to volunteer at Chavez
School. Thanks go out to both Ruth Koenig and Wesley
Lachman for their long-time leadership in that relationship.
The Session remembered with fondness the life of Arlene
Sorseth, a deacon and member of Central since 1972, who
passed away on March 5 in Eugene.
The Session received with thanks an unrestricted stock donation
from the estate of David James.
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 MINISTRY OF CHRISTIAN WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH FISH?
DISCIPLESHIP Merle Bottge
Pam Sheridan
FISH has been very busy in response to the coronavirus.
Requests for food and propane
Matthew 25:35-36. “For I was hungry and you gave me
are up the last few weeks. At
food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
the same time, many
was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and
volunteers are following
you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me,
guidelines and staying home
I was in prison and you visited me.”
rather than coming to help in the food pantry. Churches and
other organizations that collect food to donate to FISH are
Our Sunday morning Coin Offering is an easy way to
closed. Stores where FISH normally purchases or receives
support a local non-profit in our community. By collecting
donated food have empty shelves. What should FISH do?
coins during a two month period, we are able to contribute
between $200- $300 dollars to the organization that we
FISH hopes to continue to help others by responding to phone
have selected. If you wish to support this offering while the
requests for help filling propane tanks and paying for
church building is closed, please mail a check to the church,
prescription drugs. Unfortunately, FISH is temporarily closing
indicating coin offering on the memo line.
the food pantry because its supply of foods has dwindled.
The offering we
Do you need help with propane, prescriptions?
collect during
Call 541-689-9750 Monday – Friday, noon to 2pm
March and April
will be donated to
How can you help? Send your checks to FISH, P.O. Box 2412,
Sexual Assault
Eugene, OR 97402
Support Services. This organization is dedicated to
supporting survivors of sexual assault and abuse in Lane
County. They also advocate for the prevention of sexual
violence in our communities. Their services are free and CHEERS FOR RECYCLING
confidential to all survivors regardless of income,
Thanks to all who recycled at
immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation. They
Central after the holidays. A BIG
offer both a 24-hour crisis and support hotline and a drop in
THANKS to Barbara Cookson and
center as well as counseling, support groups and community
family, who did considerable work
outreach.
to prepare and deliver the
recyclables.
Coin offering totals for 2019
January-February Our Children’s Trust
Please note; ALL recyclables
($173 with additional $200 grant)
MUST be clean. Several hours had to be spent last time on
March -April Sponsors
cleaning items brought in. Check with Barbara for more
($202 with additional $50 grant)
information, or perhaps to volunteer help next time. Barbara
May-June Parenting Now! ($374)
would like people to put their name and phone number on
July-August Square One Villages ($345)
the bags of plastic that they will eventually bring to Central.
September-October Interfaith Family Shelter ($262)
That way, we recyclers can call if there are any problems.
November- December HIV Alliance ($322)
All item must be rinsed in a bleach solution because of the
COVID-19, and we will not accept material from anyone
exposed to COVID -19. Also, we won't have Recycle
The Dining Room is not using volunteers
Sunday at the end of April, but we will have it as soon as
in April. They are serving “to go” meals
we can. Please save the usual items. Please call if you have
with the paid Food for Lane County staff.
questions.
Look for current information in our May
newsletter.
THE NEXT RECYCLING WILL TAKE PLACE AT A
LATER DATE TO BE DETERMINED WHEN THE
CHURCH IS OPEN AGAIN.

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 ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING April 6 ~ Monday of Holy Week
Nancy Richter Isa. 42:1-9
Ps. 36:5-11
Received during the Heb. 9:11-15
season of Lent, One John 12:1-11
Great Hour of Sharing
is the single largest April 7 ~ Tuesday of Holy Week
way that Presbyterians
Isa. 49:1-7
join together to share
Ps. 71:1-14
God’s love with our
neighbors-in-need 1 Cor. 1:18-31
around the world. There are three ways that OGHS helps to John 13:21-32
improve the lives of people in challenging situations.
April 8 ~ Wednesday of Holy Week
Disaster Assistance works alongside communities as they Isa. 50:4-9a
recover and find hope after the devastation of natural or human Ps. 70
caused disasters. Heb.12:1-3
John 13:21-32
Presbyterian Hunger Program takes action to alleviate
hunger and the systemic causes of poverty so all may be fed. April 9 ~ Maundy Thursday
Exod. 12:1-4 (5-10) 11-14
Self-development of People invests in communities responding Ps. 116:1-2, 12-19
to their experiences of racism, oppression, poverty, and 1 Cor. 11:23-26
injustice while educating Presbyterians about the impact of John 13:1-17, 31b-35
these social ills.
April 10 ~ Good Friday
We historically collect this special offering to support these
Isa. 52:13-53:12
programs on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. You may still do
so by sending a check to the church and marking it as OGHS on Ps. 22
the memo line. NEW DATES WILL BE DETERMINED Heb. 10:16-25 or
LATER! Remember, if we all do a little, it adds up to a lot. Heb. 4:14-16, 5:7-9
John 18:1-19, 42

April 12 ~ Easter
Acts 10:34-43 or Jer. 31:1-6
Ps. 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Cor. 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43
John 20:1-18 or Matt. 28:1-10
Easter Evening: Isa. 25:6-9
Ps. 114
1Cor. 5:6b-8
Luke 24:13-49

April 19
Lectionary for April Acts 2:14a. 22-32
Ps. 16
1 Peter 1:3-9
April 5 ~ Palm Sunday
John 20:19-31
Palms: Matt. 2:1-11
Ps. 118:1-2, 19-29
April 26
Passion: Isa. 50:4-9a Acts 2:14a
Ps. 31; 9-16 Ps. 116:1-4, 12-19
Phil. 2:5-11 1 Peter 1:17-23
Matt. 26:14-27:66 or Luke 24:13-35
Matt. 27:11-54
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 ONLINE GIVING IS HERE!
Do you know that 62% of church-goers
want to give electronically? If that’s
YOU, Central now has this option.
We have partnered with the Presbyterian Foundation to
accept pledges, non-pledge giving, and special offerings
(think One Great Hour of Sharing) online via our church
website. We know it will be especially helpful during this
time when we aren’t gathering physically for worship.
Worship hasn’t stopped, and giving doesn’t have to stop
either!
The Online Giving page is accessible from every page on
the CPC website, at the top right. CLICK HERE to go
directly to the Online Giving page. Then choose the
white and green GIVE NOW button. The first time you
donate, you’ll be asked to create a profile, which involves
giving the program your name and address.
Choose the type of donation you’re making. Choices are:
 Planned Giving (Pledges)
 Sunday Giving, Not Pledges or Coin Offering
 Special Offerings
The Presbyterian Foundation partners with Vanco Payment
Solutions to handle online giving. They process and record
all online gifts and send record of each transaction plus a
monthly tally to our bookkeeper. You will also receive a
receipt via email.
There was no set-up fee, and there is no annual or monthly
fee. But there is a 2% administration fee for each
transaction. You will be given the option of adding 2% to
your donation to cover the transaction fee. Most online
givers do this, and we hope you will too.
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HOW TO ZOOM
In addition to the instructions below, you may find it helpful to
view this short You Tube video at
https://youtu.be/hIkCmbvAHQQ . It shows how to join a
meeting using video and audio.
You can join a Zoom gathering online using smartphones,
tablets, or computers OR you can call on a telephone. Know
that if you are one of the first people to join a call or video
conference you may be put on hold until the organizer gets
things going.
ON A COMPUTER OR TABLET
At the appointed time of any CPC meeting or gathering you
want to join, go to:
https://zoom.us/j/8503396012
If this is the first time you are using Zoom you will be asked to
download or launch the zoom app.
Once you have the app on your computer or tablet, you can just
open it and click “join” whenever you want to join in on a CPC
meeting or gathering.
You will just need to use Meeting # 850 339 6012 when
prompted.
ON A SMARTPHONE OR TABLET
Go to you App Store and get free Zoom app.
At the appointed time of any CPC meeting or gathering you
want to join, open the app and click on “join”.
You will need to use Meeting # 850 339 6012 when prompted.
ON A TELEPHONE
Dial: 1-669-900-6833
You will need to use Meeting # 850 339 6012 when prompted.
 CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
555 E 15TH AVE
EUGENE OR 97401
Phone: (541) 345-8724
email:
centralpresbyterianeugene@gmail.com
web site: www.centraleugene.church

Mission Statement
Central Presbyterian Church is
a caring, inquiring, inclusive community of faith.