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Has God gotten your attention lately via COVID-19? Friend, I believe God is waving at us and trying to get our attention, inviting us to know Him for the first time or to know Him better. We've been praying for revival, and this may well be how God intends to bring revival to our lives.
This is an early life lesson for the young adults graduating from high school and college, and I pray we will all learn the lesson well!
By the way, congratulations to our graduates! Way to go! Your efforts have paid off! We will recognize our graduates on Sunday as we commence having on-site worship services.
Sunday, we will begin hosting two on-site Sunday morning worship services. The early worship service will be at 9:00, and the later worship service will be at 10:30. They will be the same, except that nursery/preschool care will be available only at the 10:30 service. School-age children will stay with their parents during both services.
Those in higher risk categories, we encourage you to come to the 9:00 service. We will also continue streaming or posting recorded services online via Facebook, YouTube, and (soon) Vimeo.
It's really exciting to plan to meet together again, and I ask that you help us with a few things. First, prepare yourself spiritually. Much of our focus has been on sterilized physical environments, but our hearts are much more important to prepare for God to help us and change us. Sunday's sermon will hone in on what a revived home looks like as a child of God.
Second, support our efforts to meet together while recognizing the increased personal space others need. Some are ready to be "normal," and others are being very cautious. We are following the COVID-19 guidelines currently established for churches, desiring to live "peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18) and to honor those who rule, so we may "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (1 Timothy 2:2). Here is what we ask of on-site service participants:
- As you come and go: wear a mask if you have one, and pass through the foyer area. We will have someone to open the door for you. Restrooms will be available, and they will be disinfected periodically. As a precaution, limit your use of the water fountain. Preschool children may be brought to their classrooms at 10:15 for the late worship service. Between the services, we will clean hard surfaces.
- As you are seated: follow the instructions of the ushers. We will help seat people in a way that provides extra space (6-feet) between them. Families are encouraged to sit together on the same row. Participate as normal during the service, with or without a mask.
- As you are dismissed: take in what God is doing, and leave changed by the Word of God. We will have ushers posted for those giving in the offering, but we encourage you to give online, using the app, or via text. Use the hand sanitizing stations on the way out.
Finally, let me add that I am grateful for our staff and volunteers who have been stepping up and working (often harder) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The world has been quieter overall, but they have kept on humming along in creative ways to keep sharing the Gospel and ministering to people in these days of profound and quick change.
I look forward to seeing you at our services on-site or online! Any questions? Reply back to let me know.
In Christ,
Pastor Dennis M. Schaffer
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