COVID-19 Announcements


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Join us for remote worship this Sunday at 11:00 am:

  • Boone UMC Website

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  • YouTube Live

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  • Listen to our 11:00 am Sunday services by radio by tuning in to WATA 1450 am/96.5 fm

June 25, 2020

The Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church is recommending that churches not return to in-person worship, due to the Governor’s decision to remain in Phase II for three more weeks because of a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Connect with us online for small group opportunities. Check our calendar for events with “ONLINE” in the title.

May 21, 2020

Worship Guidelines from WNCCUMC Announced
The Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church announced guidelines on May 21 regarding in-person worship during COVID-19. As the state of North Carolina prepares to enter Phase Two, the following will be effective Saturday, May 23, 2020, through at least June 30, 2020. The following is taken directly from their announcement:

“As we phase into in-person worship and ministry, we call on John Wesley’s ‘3 General Rules’ to undergird our direction.

1) Do No Harm.

2) Do Good.

3) Stay in Love with God.

As faithful disciples of Jesus Christ in the midst of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain committed to our biblical mandate to “love our neighbors as ourselves” and our Wesleyan call to ‘Do no harm. Do all the good we can. Follow the ordinances (stay in love) with God.’ In doing so, we seek ways to engage faithfully in worship, study, and ministry while ensuring the health and safety of our members and communities as our first priority.

Presently, UMC churches in Western North Carolina are not holding in-person, indoor worship. Discontinuing indoor worship has helped us love our neighbor

well by keeping everyone safe. These guidelines will be reviewed regularly and revised based on updated information.”

May 21, 2020Thursday and as needed

Boone UMC’s building remains closed with the following exceptions:

  • Essential Staff, Monday through Thursday and as needed

  • Essential Staff, Sunday worship

  • Non-staff and Non-essential Staff, Lobby only for donations and other drop-offs; all other areas of building are closed

The building remains closed until reopening procedures are developed and approved by the Church Council’s Health and Safety Team. Thank you for your understanding as we work to keep you and staff safe. If you have questions or need assistance, please call the Church Office at 828.264.6090 or email communications@booneumc.org.

March 17, 2020

(with updates made April 27, 2020 in bold green to programming information)

As we continue to assess Boone UMC’s response to COVID-19, our staff is busy making adjustments to programming. The following information is being offered to help you plan during this time of disruption. Each decision is being made with focus on our mission, Loving our community and inviting all to discover life in Christ. Our goal is to remain free grammar checker connected with you while keeping everyone safe. Please continue to check this page for updates as additional programming changes are made. For additional information, please send an email to communications@booneumc.org.

Discipleship

  • Onsite meetings WILL NOT BE HELD indefinitely. ONLINE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE USED as determined by group leaders. Direct communication will be given by group leaders. More information to come.

  • Lunch Bunch WILL NOT BE HELD.

General

  • Thursday Night Dinners WILL BE AVAILABLE 5:00-6:30 pm, drive-thru style from the portico, located at the lower left side of the church building at the Children’s Wing. No dining will occur inside the building.

  • Committee/group meetings WILL NOT BE HELD IN PERSON/ONLINE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE USED as decided by committee/group leaders indefinitely.

  • Summer Literacy Program plans HAVE NOT BEEN ALTERED at this time. More information to come.

Missions

  • Guatemala Mission Trip WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED.

  • Firewood Ministry WILL CONTINUE.

  • Hospitality House Meals WILL BE MODIFIED. Winter Shelter Check-Ins WILL BE MODIFIED. Email Pastor Laura for more information.

  • May 17 Mission Celebration WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED.

Music and Arts

  • All choirs, chimes, and dance and rehearsals WILL NOT BE HELD IN PERSON/ONLINE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE USED indefinitely. Online meetings have been scheduled and can found here.

  • May 17 Fine Arts Series performance: Boone United Methodist’s Nexsen Ringers Handbell Choir with special guests. John Rutter’s Mass of the Children WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED.

Children’s Programming

  • All children’s programs (Sunday School, Confirmation Sunday morning and evening gatherings, Club 45) WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED indefinitely.

  • Confirmation Sunday morning and evening gatherings WILL NOT BE HELD IN PERSON/ONLINE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE USED indefinitely. All other Confirmation activities WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED. More information to come.

  • Diaper Drive WILL CONTINUE until the end of March. Packages of diapers can be dropped off at the Health & Hunger Coalition.

  • Vacation Bible School plans HAVE NOT BEEN ALTERED at this time. More information to come.

  • Packets are being delivered to families so that worship and learning can continue at home.

Youth

  • Sunday School and Sunday evening programming WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED indefinitely.

  • Small Groups are considering connecting remotely. Information has been communicated directly through Youth ministry communications.

  • Middle School and High School Bible studiesWILL NOT BE HELD IN PERSON/ONLINE TECHNOLOGY WILL BE USED.

  • Discipleship Group will OCCUR REMOTELY.

  • Middle School retreat WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED.

  • High School retreat plans WILL NOT OCCUR AS SCHEDULED.

  • Online worship and learning opportunities for youth are being delivered electronically.

Boone United Methodist Preschool

  • Will FOLLOW WATAUGA COUNTY SCHOOL CLOSURES.

March 13, 2020

A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes.

With the bishop’s call to suspend worship the next two weeks, we are offering a new way to worship together. We invite you to join us online via Facebook Live or Instagram Live from your smartphone this Sunday morning, March 15, 2020, at 11:00 am. Engage with us through your social platform’s comment section while we experience worship in a new and different way. We will stick with our theme of Trusting God’s Leading as we look at part of the story of the Israelites in the Exodus. Invite your friends and family to gather around your largest screen and join us in seeking God’s presence and leading during these uncertain times.

In addition, we are streaming through Facebook Live from Blackburn’s Chapel with Pastor Ben Floyd at 11:00 am, this Sunday, March 15, 2020.

As we gather in our online space, we ask that you consider how you will continue to give to all that is happening in and through this congregation. We have recurring and one-time online giving options available through our website, as well as our phone app. Download the BUMC app for free from your smartphone’s app store, then create a profile to gain full access to features.

We are so excited to connect with you on Sunday and witness how the Holy Spirit moves us!

March 12, 2020

It has just been announced in a letter from Bishop Paul Leeland of the Western North Carolina Conferencethat public worship gatherings have been suspended for the next two weeks. All Boone United Methodist Church Sunday morning worship services, including Boone Sanctuary services, Crossroads, and Blackburn’s Chapel worship, are canceled until March 29, 2020. Sunday School classes are also canceled.

Current events are creating significant disruption to the rhythm of our lives, and this disruption can be unsettling. Worship reminds us that we can trust God’s provision for our lives and helps us connect with each other. To help us continue to worship as a community, pastors of Boone United Methodist Church are putting plans into place for online worship. Watch for more details during the next few days.

Please note that the continuation of smaller gatherings, including Bible studies and small groups, is at the discretion of group leaders. If you are a group leader, please be in communication with the pastor or staff person overseeing your group with any plans and updates. Contact information for Boone UMC staff can be found here.

As this rapidly evolving situation has unfolded this week, our messaging has quickly shifted. At the time that Bishop Leeland’s announcement was made on the afternoon of Thursday, March 12, the following COVID-19 update had been drafted. Since many of Boone United Methodist Church’s smaller gatherings occur within the walls of the church building, this information is still relevant.

Coronavirus Update

As we watch news regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, Boone UMC’s staff members are actively taking steps to protect you as you move around the church building.Here are steps that Boone UMC is taking to protect you and your family, as well as a few suggestions we can all follow during this time:

  1. Minimize Contact – We will no longer shake hands as we greet each other, though we acknowledge the important role that shaking hands and hugging plays in our worship community.

  2. Wash Hands – Please wash your hands often with soap and for 20 seconds. Flyers have been posted in restrooms as a reminder regarding the importance of handwashing. Hand sanitizer is available at multiple stations; please take time to sanitize your hands as you enter and exit spaces throughout the building. Avoid touching your face with your hands.

  3. Self Distance – If you do not feel well, please stay home and take care of yourself.

  4. Disinfect Surfaces – We are looking into several options for deep cleaning surfaces at the church. In the meantime, we are disinfecting commonly touched items, including the offering plate, sign-in notebooks, door handles, coffee pots, etc.

  5. Communion – We will change the way we serve communion during this time and will use individual cups instead of the common cup.

For up-to-date information about COVID-19, the following link for the CDC is provided at the following link:

cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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What Happens Next at BUMC?

What Happens Next at BUMC?

Lory Beth Huffman

Senior Pastor

I don’t know about you but I am almost in information overload. This week has felt a bit like when we initially went into COVID-19 mode- things have started changing rapidly and information is coming at me faster than I can get it all read. But we are approaching a transition point in our new reality and it’s time to update our Boone UMC community about what is happening and share with you how we are approaching this transition.

First let me start by saying how much I miss seeing your smiling faces and hearing your voices in person. Some of you I have been able to stay in contact via Zoom groups we are a part of or phone calls we have shared. But many of you I have not had that opportunity and I miss you.

At the same time I feel the tension of longing to reconnect with my church family and wanting to Do No Harm with safe practices while the COVID-19 continues to circulate around us. Many of you have shared with me this same tension. Let me share with you how our church is approaching making decisions about opening back up and why because as with most things, we may not all be on the exact same page regarding these decisions.

How and why we make the decisions we will make is as important as the actual decisions we make as a church. We the church should be leading the way by modeling a path forward that is safe, compassionate, and cares for the most vulnerable that others can follow. As a church we should also be modeling opening faithfully not just safely. And as Boone UMC we should look to our mission and vision as a guide to see if our decisions are helping us to “love our community.” Are our decisions helping us to “invite others to discover live in Christ”? Are our decisions helping others to become “transformed disciples living for the transformation of hearts, the church, our community and the world?” I hope each decision along the way the answer is an easily recognizable YES!

As I have observed what we have already done with innovative online ministry that has taken place with little preparation I am thankful for the amazing staff team serving this church currently. They have been working so hard to provide worship, pastoral care, study, spiritual formation and connection. Thank you for the ways in which you have engaged, offered us grace and feedback and adapted along with us! One of the most powerful lessons this new reality has revealed as that our church has never been closed! While most of our building has been closed down for 2 months the Church is not primarily a building. The church is our people in mission together. That has not stopped for one single minutes since early March! So while we may be discussing how we begin to use our church building again, we are not talking about restarting church. It never stopped!

One of the biggest questions on our minds is when can we start worshipping in person again? Currently we are remaining in our present status of no in-person indoor worship or on-site indoor ministry at the church through June 30th (exclusions being current preparing Thursday Night Dinner take-out meals). Any exceptions to on-site ministry will be approved by our Health and Safety Team and church leadership. While there are some mixed messages between some of the decision makers guiding us, we know that churches have been given permission to operate again in person. But just because we can doesn’t mean we should at this moment. So how are we making decisions at Boone UMC in order to guide our transition towards in-person ministry opportunities? We are following the directives of Bishop Leeland of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. We are following the laws and ordinances as provided by Governor Roy Cooper of NC as well as any local ordinances that might differ from the state recommendations and requirements. We are following CDC recommendations for forming our own protocols. And we have created a Health and Safety Team in order to make recommendations for what is best for BUMC. The members of that team include Marshall Ashcraft , Lida Boren, Claire Cline, Lisa DeLaurentiis, Adam Hege, Lory Beth Huffman, Susan Milhaupt, Susan Shirley, and Scott St. Clair. A great group of doctors, nurses, school/University, public health, business, worship and staff representatives. Here is what the team is currently working on:

1) Creating a cleaning protocol for the building

2) Creating a daily screening protocol for all on site staff

3) Creating a worship in-person protocol

4) Creating a relationship with the Health Department for any guidance they can provide when/if we ever need to do Contact Tracing

5) Creating a list of all BUMC ministries and rating them High/Medium/Low Risk in order to determine how we will phase ministries back in

6) Processing the results of the congregational survey

So when will be able to worship in person again? We are working on that. The difficult truth for our church is it will be a little while. With the size of our church and the current recommendations for appropriate social distancing practices and cleaning/sanitizing recommendations, it is not feasible for us to pull off in-person worship with a sense of spiritual integrity, worship quality, and physical safety. Worship like we knew it is a long way off and may never exist completely like it did before. One of the questions I read in a helpful article by Alex Shanks this week encouraged church leaders to ask: What are the essential worship elements that express who we are and who we believe God to be, and how can we ensure those are done authentically in this new model? Until the worship team believes we can offer essential worship in this new model authentically, we will continue to offer you the very best we can in Online worship. We will consider creative possibilities with some special opportunities to worship outdoors this summer. But our online capabilities currently are in the sanctuary so that limits us to live-streaming from the sanctuary. And the last thing we want to create for the Boone community is a COVID-19 hotspot because our desire to gather in-person was more important than protecting the wellbeing of our community or our staff. So for now, we will continue to develop Sunday morning worship and Wednesday evening opportunities on-line. And we will continue to make preparations for worshipping on-site.

But we will look for ways to safely bring folks together in person. I promise you that. We just ask for your patience. And we encourage folks to connect into a small group because those groups will be able to come back in person before our large worship experiences will. Let us help you get connected if you are not currently. Email me! Reach out to any of our staff if you need anything.

To see our latest updates as we move forward you can always check out our COVID-19 page on our website and in our church app. You will find the latest information from the Conference and District as well as recommendations from CDC and other helpful resources. We will update you on BUMC decisions and any changes to our current plan of action. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me or our staff.

In the meantime I invite you to join me in continued prayer and discernment as we await that glorious but right moment to worship God together as the gathered community in-person. Make no mistake about it, we are still worshipping God on Sunday mornings as the gathered community connected by the Holy Spirit in our kitchens or living rooms or backyards. I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to bless you and your family, keep you safe, surround you with peace, and comfort the lonely, sick or grieving. Know that if I could, I would give you a big bear hug filled with God’s love. But for now, a virtual fist bump will have to do.

Grace and Peace,

Lory Beth

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Boone United Methodist Women Scholarship Report 2020


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Boone United Methodist Women
Scholarship Report 2020

It is a mission of the Boone United Methodist Women to offer scholarships to deserving applicants to assist with their financial needs at post high school education levels. The applicants must demonstrate financial need and there are NO restrictions based on the age, race, religion, or gender with priority given to undergraduate studies or non-traditional/adult students.

The recipients are chosen on financial need and strength of the application as the names are not revealed until the final review process. We are pleased to announce the scholarship recipients for this year:

Andrew Thomas Freeman is a high school senior who is also enrolled at CCCT&I. He is a member of DECA and National Honor Society. Andrew received his Varsity letter in both Basketball and Baseball for the past 2 years. He plans to double major in Finance and Insurance/Risk Management at Appalachian State. Andrew is disciplined, focused and driven. There is no doubt that he will succeed in whatever path he chooses.

Jennifer Nielson Helms is attending Appalachian State to complete her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater, with hopes of completing a Master of Fine Arts in Costuming. She is a wife and the mother of three beautiful daughters. She is a leader in her church and shares her faith openly. Jennifer shares her many talents with the Watauga High School drama department as well as Ensemble Stage.

Maggie Grace Milhaupt is an active member of BUMC and a senior at Watauga High School where she has earned her CNA License. Her goal is to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from East Tennessee State University. Maggie shares her faith openly and is described as having a heart for others and a quiet kindness. We are confident that she will make an outstanding nurse.

Alivya Bryan Stamey is a senior at Watauga High School who has earned her Cosmetology License. Her goal is to attend Appalachian State University to major in Business and Marketing so that she can open and manage her own salon. Alivya will be the first in her family to attend college. Her story is one of overcoming devastating events while trusting in God and sharing her faith as she perseveres.

Li Yang is a senior at Watauga High School and plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and tutors ASU freshman struggling with English as well as helping with a Chinese Summer Camp. She is a Junior Marshal, a member of National Honor Society and Future Farmers of America. Li shows maturity in her thinking and leadership skills.

The committee thanks everyone who has donated to the Scholarship Fund or who participates in the ABC Sale, which contributes significantly to this fund. The Scholarship Fund can also be enhanced by contributions, memorials, and honoraria. For more information, please contact Denise Stanley, UMW Scholarship Chairperson.

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Worship With Us


MOST RECENT SERVICE

Come back here on Sunday at 11:00 am to worship with us live.

Watch Sunday’s service live at 11:00 am, from one of the following online platforms:

  • YouTube Live – Sunday’s service can be watched on our YouTube channel live or at a later time

  • Facebook Live (login recommended) – Sunday’s service can be watched live or at a later time

  • Boone UMC Phone App – open our phone app and click ‘Watch’ live or throughout the week (download the free church app from your mobile device’s app store and follow prompts to create profile)