New Resources
- Dove's Nest is offering a zoom training on Creating Safety for Children and Vulnerable Adults. The training explores the challenges churches face and the importance of creating a safe church environment. It provides tips on how to do so, including information about caring for each other during the COVID-19 pandemic and resources available to aid in prevention efforts and help support survivors. More information here.
- Pastoring at a Distance: MennoMedia Webinar Offering Pastoral Care while Practicing Social Distance, moderated by David Augsburger. Thursday, June 11 at 11am PST. Watch the recording here.
- Weathering the Pandemic for Families with Special Needs - Article from the Anabaptist Disabilities Network
- Relief Assistance for Immigrants in California - The state of California designated $125 million in funds for undocumented immigrants who aren't getting stimulus checks from the federal government. This document lists 12 immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations chosen by the California Department of Social Services that will help individuals apply for and receive this disaster relief assistance in their region.
- Three Articles on Singing
- Best practices for virtual meetings and work tools - Mini-video series with Crystal Washington.
Full Circle Thrift Has Reopened
Full Circle Thrift was closed for several months due to Covid-19. Even though the store is up and running again, these recent months of closure have had huge implications for our employees, the community and for PSMC and its ministries.
If you are interested in supporting the ministries of PSMC, donations can be made here.
If you are interested in supporting the ministries of PSMC, donations can be made here.
PSMC Annual Gathering OnlineOur Annual Delegate Meeting was held via Zoom on Saturday, June 13 at 11:00 a.m.
Our 2020 PSMC Gathering will be held on September 18-19 also via zoom. |
Camp Keola
Camp Keola has cancelled its Mennonite camps for the 2020 summer.
Read the full letter from the director here. |
Mennonite Church USA Resources
MC USA has a new helpful Covid-19 web page with a lengthy collection of resources for our churches on how to respond to the pandemic.
The continually updated site includes COVID-19 prevention tips and information, resources for at-home worship (including at Lent-at-home guide & free Sunday School materials for children), and a video message from Executive Director Glen Guyton. Select content provided in Spanish and Indonesian.
Crystal Washington's mini-video series on best practices for virtual meetings and work tools.
The continually updated site includes COVID-19 prevention tips and information, resources for at-home worship (including at Lent-at-home guide & free Sunday School materials for children), and a video message from Executive Director Glen Guyton. Select content provided in Spanish and Indonesian.
Crystal Washington's mini-video series on best practices for virtual meetings and work tools.
Menno Media Resources
Offering Pastoral Care while Practicing Social Distancing
Time: Thursday, June 11 at 2 p.m. ET
Questions? Contact info@mennomedia.org
Watch the recording here.
Moderated by David Augsburger, professor emeritus of of Pastoral Care and Counseling at Fuller School of Theology and bestselling author of numerous books on pastoral care.
At a time when many of us feel the need for increased levels of spiritual support, pastors and congregations are no longer able to practice traditional forms of face-to-face pastoral care due to COVID-19. How can we be present to each other spiritually when we are physically distant? How might we provide spiritual accompaniment for those experiencing fear, anxiety, grief, and death? MennoMedia’s Leader magazine will host a panel discussion with Anabaptist pastors and church leaders to unpack practical advice as well as theological considerations for providing pastoral care while practicing social distancing. Join us!
MennoMedia is offering a new weekly newsletter especially designed for quarantine. Subscribe here and click “Pandemic Resources”
Mennonite Mission Network Resources
Mennonite Mission Network has also created a new video series for Hope in Harrowing Times. As followers of Jesus Christ, these disorienting times remind us of our core Anabaptibeliefs and practice - drawing near to God, creating community and responding to the world with love (even as we are practicing social distancing and quarantine.)
- Drawing near to God
- Daily Prayer at 10am PST for 8-10 minutes on Facebook Live, begins Monday, March 23. Join Mennonite Mission Network is being together around scripture and prayer.
- Creating Community
- “Jesus as Healer,” weekly devotional Bible study with Joe Sawatzky, begins Wednesday, April 1 at 7:30 a.m. PST for 10-15 min.
- Making faith sense amidst the pandemic: a resource for youth groups.
Prayers, Liturgies, Poetry, and Religious Art
- A Prayer for Mercy written by Carmen Schrock-Hurst, Eastern Mennonite Seminary
- A Prayer for Covid-19 written by MC USA staff
- Prayer for Equity written by Joanna Shenk, Associate Pastor at First Mennonite Church of San Francisco
- A Prayer for Hope During this Pandemic written by Rabbi Naomi Levy
- Covid-19 Liturgy and Prayer Resources from the Church of England
- Lockdown poem by Irish priest Richard Hendrick
- Pandemic poem by Lynn Ungar
- Prayer & Worship resources from AMBS
- Way of Asylum Stations of the Cross with art by Michelina Nicotera-Taxiera, which recognizes that asylum seekers embody Christ in our midst, confronting us with the truly horrific journey that many who seek asylum endure on their journey to seek safety and refuge. Although the Tucson community had planned to enact these stations in a public demonstration, COVID 19 interfered with that plan. Instead, the website makes the inspiring art accessible.
Additional Resources for Churches
- Eastern Mennonite University's online forum series for pastors.
- Eastern Mennonite University's Summer Peacebuilding Institute will offered online this summer.
- Resiliency in the Time of Coronavirus: a Toolkit for Leaning into Our Anxiety and Trauma written by Peter Anderson, AMBS grad
- Free Guide for Creating Online, Participatory Worship Services by Angela Gorrell, former Pasadena Mennonite youth pastor
- To get a better sense of what your congregation needs at this time, here is an example of a survey that was developed by a Mutual Aid Committee that was just created at First Mennonite, San Francisco.
- As the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak continues to unfold, ONE LICENSE—together with hundreds of their Member Publishers—is honored to assist worshiping communities worldwide during this extraordinary time. They are providing two different gratis license options valid through April 15, 2020.
A ONE LICENSE license grants churches, schools, religious communities, retreat centers, and other worshiping bodies permission to reprint or project music for their congregations from any of their Member Publishers. A ONE LICENSE Podcast / Streaming License grants permission to podcast or stream religious services that contain music from their Member Publishers.
More information here.
Mutual Aid and Financial Resources
- Mutual Aid, Stimulus Checks, and PMC article written by Tim Reardon, Pastor of Pasadena Mennonite Church
- Livestream about Mutual Aid with Glen Guyton, Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA
- Everence, MCC and MC USA have partnered to create a new Covid-19 relief fund. Read this letter for more information. Please contact Rhoda Blough at rhoda.blough@everence.com or 970-219-0900 if you have questions.
- Everence - As part of its mission to help people, churches, businesses and organizations integrate their faith and values into their financial decisions, Everence® is offering assistance and relief options to help members and customers impacted by the evolving COVID-19 outbreak. Everence is introducing several initiatives to specifically help you and your churches address the needs around you, including:
- Increased Sharing Funds dollars: Everence has doubled the dollars in the Sharing Fund this year to help any church with significant rising needs due to sickness or lost income in your communities.
- Added new eligibility for pastor compensation replacement: The Sharing Fund will now help you pay pastors (salary or other benefits) if your church has experienced reduced offerings due to COVID-19.
Resources for Kids and Youth
- Dove's Nest is offering a zoom training on Creating Safety for Children and Vulnerable Adults. The training explores the challenges churches face and the importance of creating a safe church environment. It provides tips on how to do so, including information about caring for each other during the COVID-19 pandemic and resources available to aid in prevention efforts and help support survivors. More information here.
- An extensive collection of activities for children from MCC.
- Angela Gorrell's downloadable PDF on how to take your youth ministry online.
- 10 Ways to Keep Kids Safe with Virtual Learning from Dove's Nest
- 11 Ways to Keep Children Safe While at Home from Dove's Nest
- Making faith sense amidst the pandemic: a resource for youth groups, from Mennonite Mission Network
- Free Shine Curriculum for Sunday School at Home
- Doing Youth Ministry During a Pandemic
- Faith in an Anxious World Parenting Podcast
- Advice for talking to kids about Covid-19
- 53 Recipes to Cook with Kids
- Audible now has numerous free audio books for kids.
- Resources for kids from authors.
- List of educational companies offering free subscriptions due to school closings.
- 150 educational shows on Netflix
Health Resources for Churches
Here is a Covid-19 screening site provided by our PSMC insurance company in cooperation with MedCall Advisors. The screening is free. If it recommends that you see a doctor, a doctor is available at that point if you choose to have an online consultation. The consultation would cost $105. That will likely be covered by insurance.
Other church-related health resources for Covid-19, including 3 webinars this week.
Other church-related health resources for Covid-19, including 3 webinars this week.
Immigration-Related Resources for Covid-19
Here is a recent helpful article regarding Covid-19 Resources for undocumented Californians.
See link.
All US Citizenship and Immigration Services offices are closed through at least April 1, 2020. Anyone with interviews or appointments scheduled during this time will be rescheduled.
See link.
MCC invites you to a free six-part webinar series on immigration and border realities. Join MCC staff and partners in the field who will provide insight into the current reality of the U.S. immigration and border crisis. We will seek to understand in a comprehensive way the complexities along the southern U.S. border, the sister communities affected by it and the different ongoing narratives about migration. Explore the role we in faith-based communities can play to witness, provide support, raise awareness and advocate for the most vulnerable.
Visit https://mcc.org/immigration-webinar-series to view upcoming webinars topics. The next webinar on Asylum will be on May 19, 2020 at 11am PST. Event registration is limited. Please register soon!
See link.
All US Citizenship and Immigration Services offices are closed through at least April 1, 2020. Anyone with interviews or appointments scheduled during this time will be rescheduled.
See link.
MCC invites you to a free six-part webinar series on immigration and border realities. Join MCC staff and partners in the field who will provide insight into the current reality of the U.S. immigration and border crisis. We will seek to understand in a comprehensive way the complexities along the southern U.S. border, the sister communities affected by it and the different ongoing narratives about migration. Explore the role we in faith-based communities can play to witness, provide support, raise awareness and advocate for the most vulnerable.
Visit https://mcc.org/immigration-webinar-series to view upcoming webinars topics. The next webinar on Asylum will be on May 19, 2020 at 11am PST. Event registration is limited. Please register soon!
Cooking Ideas
Now is the perfect time to try new recipes to nourish yourself and your loved ones. Relax and make substitutions based on what you have in your pantry.
- NY Times' list of easy recipes for quarantine
- NY Times' 53 Recipes to Cook with Kids
- Francis Lam's Versatile Ginger Scallion Sauce
- Bryant Terry's Green Rice
- Hetty McKinnon's Restorative Ginger and Turmeric Noodle Soup
- Bon Appetit's Ramen Noodles with Miso Pesto
- Bon Appetit's "Quite Possibly the Best Chickpeas"
- Keitopotato's Chinese Pear Soup for Lung Health
- Vegan Richa's Samosa Wraps
- 101 Cookbooks' Coconut Baked Oatmeal (use whatever fruit you have)
- A Daily Dish of Life's Lebanese Lentil Soup with Lemon & Noodles
- Zahav's Ultimate Hummus
Art Resources
- Take free drawing classes from famous illustrators.
- Twelve museums around the world are offering free virtual tours.
- The Paris Opera is screening its performances online for free.
- The Metropolitan Opera is offering free live audio streams of their performances.
Covid-19 Technology Resources
Free Cell Phone & Data
Many cell phone providers may offer free cell phone devices if you qualify as low income. Here is the information for California LifeLine.
Access to Wifi
AT&T
For the next 60 days, AT&T will not terminate service for any wireless, home phone, or broadband residential or small bus customer due to inability to pay.
Comcast Xfinity
Comcast is opening their Xfinity WiFi network for free along with providing unlimited data. Data plans will be paused for 60 days, which will give all customers unlimited data for no additional charge. No late disconnects or late fees for those who contact the company about not being able to pay their bill.
Verizon Free WiFi
Verizon will not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus. They are waiving late fees for those impacted by COVID-19 and tripling data allowance for Verizon Innovative Learning schools.
Charter Spectrum Free WiFi
Charter is offering similar services during the coronavirus pandemic. As of March 16, Charter will offer free spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 or college students who don't have a Spectrum broadband subscription. Call
1-844-488-8395 to enroll. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
Sprint
Sprint won’t terminate service if customers are unable to pay due to coronavirus issues. They will also waive late fees caused by economic disturbances related to the coronavirus pandemic. Customers with international long-distance plans will get complimentary international calling rates from the U.S. to countries defined by the CDC as Level 3.
T-Mobile
All current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers who have data plans will have unlimited smartphone data, excluding roaming. T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers will get an additional 20GB of mobile hotspots/tethering service for the next 60 days. The company says this feature will be coming soon. T-Mobile is working with Lifeline partners to get customers extra free data up to 5GB per month over the next two months and increase free data allowance to schools and students for the next 60 days.
Many cell phone providers may offer free cell phone devices if you qualify as low income. Here is the information for California LifeLine.
Access to Wifi
AT&T
For the next 60 days, AT&T will not terminate service for any wireless, home phone, or broadband residential or small bus customer due to inability to pay.
Comcast Xfinity
Comcast is opening their Xfinity WiFi network for free along with providing unlimited data. Data plans will be paused for 60 days, which will give all customers unlimited data for no additional charge. No late disconnects or late fees for those who contact the company about not being able to pay their bill.
Verizon Free WiFi
Verizon will not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their inability to pay bills due to disruptions caused by the coronavirus. They are waiving late fees for those impacted by COVID-19 and tripling data allowance for Verizon Innovative Learning schools.
Charter Spectrum Free WiFi
Charter is offering similar services during the coronavirus pandemic. As of March 16, Charter will offer free spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 or college students who don't have a Spectrum broadband subscription. Call
1-844-488-8395 to enroll. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
Sprint
Sprint won’t terminate service if customers are unable to pay due to coronavirus issues. They will also waive late fees caused by economic disturbances related to the coronavirus pandemic. Customers with international long-distance plans will get complimentary international calling rates from the U.S. to countries defined by the CDC as Level 3.
T-Mobile
All current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers who have data plans will have unlimited smartphone data, excluding roaming. T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers will get an additional 20GB of mobile hotspots/tethering service for the next 60 days. The company says this feature will be coming soon. T-Mobile is working with Lifeline partners to get customers extra free data up to 5GB per month over the next two months and increase free data allowance to schools and students for the next 60 days.