Our Last Week’s Palm Sunday virtual parade was viewed 15,288 times and brought smiles to —14,163 people and was shared 89 times – an all-time First Church record. . . our Facebook following crossed the 11,000 mark this past week with new followers attracted by the content we are sharing during this time of social distancing . . . our online attendance continues to rise with 1160 total devices signed in for last Sunday’s live worship, including 523 tuning in for the Sanctuary, 727 for the Gathering, and 197 for eleven eleven — and each device usually represents more than one person — and often whole families! . . . . Giving for the month of March is holding steady at 88% of March 2019, and April is looking good already, according to Steve Fagan, Director of Finance. We have lots of members previously marked “inactive” who have returned and made new gifts, and five new givers who were not previously in our system at all! . . . our Easter Offering is running a bit behind, but numbers from last week are still being tallied. “Please remember to support these ministries supported by the Easter offering when you are making your online gifts,” urges Director of Stewardship Nancy Fisher. . . Our First Street Methodist Mission set a new record last week, with 123 people coming through for services; 202 families (800 people) were fed due to the generosity of our church members and the tireless efforts of the Mission and church staff who continued to show up and help provide food for the hungry. Linda says that in addition to the weekly Mission Scavenger Hunt items, which this week include breakfast cereal, spaghetti noodles, and men’s shoes,  she needs more grocery volunteers to help both with the packing of grocery bags at the Mission and the doorstep delivery of these bags to families in need. . . the Easter Lily Count is in! As of last Friday’s deadline, 75 lilies have been purchased in honor or memory of loved ones by members of our First Church family to adorn our sacred spaces for Sunday’s live online Easter worship services. “They’re going to be everywhere! Exclaims Elaine Johnson, Worship Coordinator, who adds her sincere thanks to all who participated. Following Easter’s services, some of the lilies will be picked up by the donors (safely, curbside from their cars, delivered with gloves and masks), and the rest will be planted in sunny flowerbed locations all over campus as determined by Master Gardner and Trustee Barbara Duckworth.