Our Lives have been altered

Our lives have been altered! Our children and grandchildren will be remembered in the history books and will have stories to tell their children and grandchildren about the great novel coronavirus epidemic of 2020. As a church, one of our biggest changes has been in learning how to connect from a distance. I am so blessed by the energy and enthusiasm that has come through from you by our ‘virtual’ worship services each Sunday.
 
I have been challenged by preaching to my iPad (the video capture device). I am used to speaking to faces not square boxes. However, our small group assured me by text that, “We are all inside your iPad!” Eric has done a great job in leading us all in worship. Tina and I watch the services together at 10:30 on Sunday mornings. We sing the worship songs and enjoy the virtual “fellowship”, knowing that many of you are doing the same. And, the church is even going to celebrate communion this Sunday, each in our own homes, but together in spirit.
 
A big observation that I have made so far: as followers of Jesus, our kinship and connection with each other is so much more than our social gatherings. There is a substance to our fellowship that transcends us being in the same room at the same time. I guess the best description I can think of is that we are a spiritual family; we are connected to each other spiritually. I have always said that we are members of God’s forever family, but it has taken on a new meaning in this time of separation. Consider Ephesians 4:1-6…
 
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. New American Standard Bible
 
Born-again Believers in Jesus all have the same Spirit; we all have God the Father in us! Our fellowship is real, even when we are not gathered together in the same room. We are family!!!
 
On a practical note, I do want to encourage us all not to forget our humanity during this difficult time. Yes, we need to practice our social distancing but do it with a smile and a friendly tone in our voice. I think we fear that if we are friendly, the other person might be more apt to invade our space. But most of the people we come across are trying to ‘mind their perimeter’ just as much as we are. So, we need to let our words and facial expressions be characterized by love as we guard our distance.
 
Continue to shelter in place. Staying isolated from one another is still the prudent thing for us to do. I don’t want to give this disease to someone else. And, most certainly, I don’t want someone else to give it to me. Please remember there are no meetings of any kind at the church until further notice. I am so grateful to those who have called our home to check in on us. And am especially grateful to those who have made themselves available to go to the store for those in our at-risk community to bring supplies to them. Remember to keep praying for one another, to keep praying for our leaders, to keep praying for our missionaries, and especially, to keep praying for the medical personnel who are on the front lines of this war against Covid 19! May God bless you richly.
 
Still yours for making disciples of our Lord Jesus,
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​April 2020 Calendar Items:
April 5 – Communion Sunday on our church streaming
April 11 – Men’s Bible Study & Women’s Fellowship Brunch CANCELLED
Tuesdays – 6:00 p.m., Zoom Ladies' Bible Study
Wednesdays – 6:15 p.m., Zoom Youth Group
 
April Schedule of Messages
April 5 – Palm Sunday’s Urgent Message, Lk 19:28-44
April 10 – Good Friday: Jesus Seven Statements on the Cross
April 12 – Sunrise: The Dawning of a New Day
April 12 – The Resurrection: Our Ultimate Living Hope
April 19 – He Makes Wars to Cease, Psalm 46
April 26 – The Benefits of Wisdom, Proverbs 3