From the Pastor’s Desk
 
Greetings Living Hope family! Things are happening pretty fast on the transition from closure to reopening. At the time of this writing, the Elder Board has decided to reopen the church for in-person worship on Sunday, June 7th at our regular time of 10:30 a.m. We also decided to meet in the Gym rather than the Worship Center Auditorium. In the Gym, we have more room to keep a safe distance apart and the air circulation will help disperse airborne pathogens to the outside. We are using the Gym temporarily, a measure taken out of an abundance of caution as we begin this transition back to in-person worship. We expect to be back in the Worship Center very soon.
 
We have a lot of bases to cover in taking adequate precautions for our regathering, but it is definitely time to assemble ourselves together again. We will be sending out guidelines via email and our Facebook page in the days leading up to June 7th. Please be patient, please be flexible as we continue to do things that none of us have ever done before, either as individuals or as a church community.
 
I would also take this opportunity to encourage us all to remember the focus of our regathering: we exist to make disciples of our Lord Jesus. All the precautions we take to protect one another from infection is to facilitate our mission. So, while we are being sensitive to people’s virus concerns, let us also be sensitive to the visitors to welcome them to Living Hope and share with them the reason for our hope. With God’s guidance and our love for Him and for one another, we will move forward in advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our corner of the Globe.
 
Yours for making disciples of every nation,

June 2020 Calendar items:
June 7 – Communion Sunday in the Gym
Tuesdays – 6:00 p.m., Zoom Ladies Bible Study (janis@efcyv.org)
Wednesdays: 6:15 p.m., Zoom Youth Group
6:30 p.m., Zoom Adult Bible Study (if interested, email pastorbill@efcyv.org)
June 13 – Men’s Bible Study via Zoom (if interested, email pastorbill@efcyv.org)
June 21 – Father’s Day
 
June Schedule of Messages
June 7 – The Supremacy of Christ,
Col 1:15-20
June 14 – So Where Am I Anyway?
Col 1:21-23
June 21 – FATHER’S DAY: The Person God Blesses, Psalm 1
June 28 – The Purpose of Ministry,
​Col 1:24-29

From the Pastor's Desk

Just a short note this month. I have been impressed with many truths during this time of sheltering in place. Among them is this one: The church buildings are merely tools. The “Church” is its people. Buildings do not make disciples, people make disciples. And for Living Hope Church, we exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
 
I enjoy the “tools” God has entrusted to us. It is important that we keep them up and that we use them in the mission to which we have been called. But sometimes we get so enamored with the tools that we forget the real identity of the Church: people! Thus, as we have discovered in this time of separation, doing ministry involves our people, not our buildings.
 
I do indeed look forward to that time when we can again be together. When we can use those tools for worship, Bible study, prayer, fellowship, evangelism, and so on. But we must never forget this lesson that our ministry is about influencing the lives of people (making disciples), not mere activities inside of our buildings.
 
Isolated but still yours for making disciples of our Lord Jesus,
Pastor Bill

May Schedule of Messages
​
May 3 – Christ in Us, the Hope of Glory – Colossians Overview
May 10 – Mother’s Day: Some Remarkable Women
May 17 – The Personal Testimony of a Local Church, Col 1:1-8
May 24 – A Simple Prayer, Col 1:9-12
May 31 – Our Inheritance in Christ, Col 1:12-14


May 2020 Calendar items:
May 3 – Communion Sunday on our church stream
Tuesdays – 6:00 p.m., Zoom Ladies Bible Study -if interested, email janis@efcyv.org
Wednesdays: 6:15 p.m., Zoom Youth Group
6:30 p.m., Zoom Adult Bible Study (if interested, email pastorbill@efcyv.org
May 9 – Men’s Bible Study via Zoom (if interested, email pastorbill@efcyv.org
May 10 – Mother’s Day
May 25 – Memorial Day 

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