At Grace, our response to this Covid-19 National Crisis is first and foremost a call to prayer for our nation, our world, and for those who are suffering with the demands and limitations of quarantine and grieving from loss of loved ones.
Secondly, we petition all believers to join in our collective national effort to reduce transmission and infection to a minimum through responsible hygiene and following the recommendations from officials to gather with care, and for a time – to limit our public gathering.
To that end, we are canceling all services and gatherings until April, at which point we will reevaluate based off of the most updated information at that time. It is important that we support the collective efforts of our community based upon FACTS and not fear.
The fact is: viruses travel even amid our best preventative measures. If we can help keep our medical facilities along with doctors and nurses from becoming overwhelmed by temporarily suspending communal interaction, then let us get creative with ministry and bring the Word of God to our streets, living rooms, and communication platforms – for the church is a people and not a place.
Finally, although services will be canceled, there are some new opportunities and requests that I’d like to optimistically share:
- Food Ministry Drop-off: Despite the fact that services are canceled, the church will be OPEN on Sunday from 9-10am for the specific purpose of bringing food and supplies to be handed out (hopefully weekly). These weeks will bring an increased strain on many in our community and we have the opportunity to bring real tangible help by filling our cupboards to give away. Sue will be evaluating our food supply, and we would ask each one as they are able to purchase a little extra and send it up to church on or before Sunday morning. We will not be congregating, but we will all be contributing.
- Easter Book Study: Along with our Daily Lenten Devotional we will be starting a church-wide book study on Easter. Copies will be available at the church starting Wednesday, March 25th, and there is one waiting there just for you to pick up. As many are staying in and hunkering down, we hope you will find unexpected time to brush-up on your spiritual discipline of study and reading. Because these are crazy-days we are living in, this is a church-wide effort to engage together and keep our attention and focus on Jesus and His resurrection.
- Corona-Circles: Although it may sound like a beer around a campfire – it’s not. With the working title “Corona-Circles”, we have created mini-fellowships or “Circles” for EVERYONE in our church. These are not intended to be permanent but it would be incredible if they lasted beyond this current cultural scare. The purpose of each “Circle” is threefold: (1) Communication – think of it as a phone tree to stay in touch and connected in our socially-distant time; (2) Care – the other individuals in your circle are each of your responsibility to be a support and encouragement with calls, cards, texts, and treats; (3) Community – these “Circles” will be your most tangible expression of the church during this temporary time of distancing, please make an effort to reach out and support one another. You will be receiving a group email from me this week with your “Circle” and the contact information for each family in your circle.
- Digital Sermons: We hope this is only a brief hiatus from our regular morning worship services, but until then I will have a short devotional video posted to our website under “Sermons” that I hope you can take advantage of and use for spiritual enrichment. I know you’ll all miss my 60 minute messages, but don’t worry we’ll get through this together before you know it!
- The Community Meal: This month’s Community Meal on March 25th will not be canceled, but it will be amended. Rather than our regular fellowship at 5:30, we will instead be packaging “to-go” meals that will be handed out at the door. If you know of anyone who is unable to make it to the meal, you are welcome to take more meals to help with delivery. We will postpone our “International Cuisine” theme for a different time, and so we will not be taking any food dishes from the church. Everything will be prepared and cooked at the Township Hall and all volunteers will be strictly abiding above and beyond in food handling and sanitization. Take-out meals will begin at 5:30.
Thank you for taking the time to read through all our plans and procedures for the next couple weeks. Please be in prayer for all those working in Medical Services, First Responders, and Home Care. Thank you for your willingness to try something new and go the extra mile to be one another’s keepers and cheerleaders. And thank you for participating in a way that will reveal to the world that we are making the most of every opportunity and, as God’s representatives, seeking the welfare of our city.
Blessings,
Pastor Ryan