March 19th, 2020
Church Family,
I want to give you a brief update in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic about the status of our church. Right now, everything, and I mean everything, has been cancelled until at least March 31st. This date is a minimum and could be potentially extended, based upon the recommendations of the federal, state and local governments. In addition, Awana has been cancelled until after Easter and the Easter Egg Hunt has been cancelled as well. Right now, gatherings are restricted to 10 people and under. It is also encouraged that all non-essential activities involving people be cancelled. Therefore, here is what that means for us as a church:
First, again, there are no activities at our church building. Even so, that doesn’t mean we can’t stay in touch with one another. Call each other, touch base with your Sunday school class, check up on those in the nursing home, write notes, text, email, do whatever you have to do to keep up with one another. May this become a time where you begin habits of communicating that you perhaps have never done before. Let’s use this time to become more connected instead of disconnected.
Second, we are going to do our best to have services online. Sunday morning at 10:30am, Pastor Matt and I will lead a service that you will have access to. We are still working out some of the details, but look for information on how to connect to that service in the next day or two. In addition, we are looking into a way where we might be able to have a phone in prayer meeting on Wednesdays. I am not sure how this will work yet, but I hope to find a way.
Third, Pastor Matt Rodgers, Pastor Jesse Bonin, Jeff Norman, Scott Neal, David Hutchison, Clint Blankenship and myself will meet once a week to review the situation at hand, pray and discuss how we can continue to keep members in touch with one another. In addition to this, we have all divided up the names of everyone 65 and older to specifically care for them during this time.
Fourth, every week there will be a newsletter and a prayer sheet sent out. The purpose of the newsletter will be to provide updates and a short devotion. The purpose of the prayer sheet will be to keep you up to date with ways you can pray for one another. With that said, I strongly encourage you to email or call in your prayer requests to the church office and have them added to the prayer sheet.
Fifth, continue to give. You can access our online giving portal HERE. There are options to give one time or reoccurring. You can also mail in your offering or even drop it by the office. Let us remember that even though we are not together that the mission of our church is still strong. Please continue to give to the church and to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering during this time.
In the midst of all of this, let us remember why we are doing this. We could easily defy the requests of our federal, state and local governments and move forward with all of our normal activities. Perhaps some think that we should. The issue at hand is bigger than our comfort right now though. If our government asked us to stop meeting because they were opposed to Christ, then we would defy their request and honor God rather than man. But that is not the case here. Our government has asked us to stop meeting out of a love for others. The manner and the quickness in which the coronavirus is spread calls us to distance ourselves from one another. In addition, someone might be a carrier, not even know it and pass it one to someone else. On the whole, if we don’t do our part in distancing ourselves from one another, the results could be disastrous. Therefore, out of a love for our neighbor, we will temporarily sacrifice some of our own comforts so that we might serve them.
I want you to know that it truly breaks my heart not to be able to meet. I hope it does yours too. There is this natural desire within every single one of us to gather with others. Some are more extroverted in these desires than others, but nevertheless, God created us to live in community. That is one reason why in redemption, he gave us the church. I hope that during this time, our longing grows stronger for the times that we will have together and I pray that this time of separation only increases our love for each other, for our community, for the lost and for Christ.
Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson
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