COVID-19 Archives - First Free Rockford

All posts in “COVID-19”

Graduation during COVID-19

Our high-school students’ lives have been scrambled by COVID-19. Meredith Domanico, Director of Student Ministries, talks with two new graduates about what they miss, what God has been teaching them … and what they hope for when society re-opens.

Participants:
Meredith Domanico (facilitator), Director of Student Ministries
Sierra Heckler, homeschool graduate
Kenaniah Kelley, GED graduate

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Music:
Summer Eyes by Airplanes (Musicbed license)

Opinions expressed are the individuals’ own, and do not necessarily represent First Free Rockford, Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA).

May 28, 2020 / 0

On praise: a prayer devotional

Each of the past seven Wednesdays, our church family has been setting aside time to fast and pray. Even as uncertainty continues, Pastor Luke and Jessi Uran use this week’s short video to suggest a three-point plan for moving forward with confidence.

May 27, 2020 / 0

Life at home during COVID-19

Our three pastors and their wives “gathered” this week for a wide-ranging Zoom conversation. Topics include toilet paper, bad outfits, scary kids’ movies … and encouraging words for our church family.

May 21, 2020 / 0

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On hurt and pain: a prayer devotional

Each Wednesday during this unusual season, our church family is setting aside time to fast and pray. In this week’s accompanying video message, Steve and Bev Ralph talk about learning to pray — and to trust God — in the midst of hurt and pain.

May 20, 2020 / 0

Caring for our elderly

by Jim Killam | 5-minute read

A multigenerational church like First Free Rockford faces a particular opportunity during COVID-19: caring for our elderly and most vulnerable.

Chuck Rife, Pastor of Caring Ministries, keeps a list of more than 100 people who receive visits in their homes, long-term care centers or hospital rooms. Normally, those visits come in person from Chuck and his wife, Ruth, the deaconesses, and a small group of guys who visit elderly men. During the stay-at-home order, visits have been limited to phone calls and letters.

As with the rest of the population, some people are struggling while others are doing OK.

“You get all kinds of responses,” Chuck says. “One lady (in a nursing home) said, ‘I feel like an animal in a cage.’ The room is just so small. It becomes very claustrophobic. But then another lady I talked to said, ‘I love it. I can finish writing my book that I’ve been working on for 25 years.’ She’s in her 90s.” Read More

May 14, 2020 / 0

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On life in the Holy Spirit: a prayer devotional

This week, for our Wednesday time of fasting and prayer, we are focusing on life in the Holy Spirit. As we learn to listen and recognize his voice, he becomes intimately involved in our everyday lives. In this short video message, Paul and Diane Geddes talk about some of the practical results this can bring.

May 13, 2020 / 0

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Kaylin’s Quarantine Run

Kaylin Carlson prayed for a way to bring creativity and fun to people during COVID-19. Kaylin’s Quarantine Run has done even more — and it just keeps growing.

May 9, 2020 / 0

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Healthcare during COVID-19

We spoke via Zoom with three healthcare professionals who are part of our church family. Topic: COVID-19 and bringing your faith to work.

May 7, 2020 / 0

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On silence: a prayer devotional

Each Wednesday during this unusual season, our church family is setting aside time to fast and pray. In this week’s short video message, Pastor Josh and Brandy Pardee talk about the value of silence — quieting our minds and listening to God.

May 6, 2020 / 0

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He still walks among us

by Kathy Holliday | 7-minute read

Sunday after Sunday, my dad and I sat in the last row of the church balcony, under the clock. As the organ swelled, we stood to sing hymns from a well-worn maroon hymnal. We always shared, and I remember my dad’s thumb, always on the lower righthand corner of the page.

As a young schoolgirl standing next to my dad, it didn’t occur to me to wonder why we always kept that weekly appointment. It was part of our weekly family rhythm. Years slipped by and eventually I started to question: Why do we keep coming? The hymns never change. What we hear never changes. What’s the point? Read More

April 30, 2020 / 2

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