Mar 18, 2020
Dear Church,
Our church has been monitoring the Coronavirus pandemic very closely. Recently, the CDC asked that all gatherings of 10 or more people be suspended to help combat the spread of COVID-19. At this juncture, we are not suspending services. We will have a smaller group of people meet on Sunday and we will do a modified worship service and record it live for those who want to watch a t home. We are going to carry on with a skeleton crew for as long as it is reasonable to do so. I feel that we owe that to God and to those who are staying home to carry on. We will be posting our worship online for those who want to watch at home.
There were 47 people physically in the sanctuary Sunday, but another 115 worshiped with us on Facebook live. We will not be gathering for bible study during the next 8 weeks to limit exposure vectors, but I will be posting a video version of bible study each week, on Facebook, our website, and in the weekly email. If you don’t get the weekly email and would like to, you can sign up on our website fccpalestine.org. Some of our younger healthier people are also offering to be of assistance to those of you who are staying at home. If you need someone to run an errand for you so you don’t have to get out, please call or text me at 903-312-2927 and arrangements will be made for us to help.
Could you use a little encouragement? Read psalm 91. The Lord is our fortress. “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.”
But also read Matthew 4:1-11. Psalm 91 is the scripture the Devil quotes to try and get Jesus to jump off a tower. Needless to say, Jesus called the devils bluff. Trust in the Lord. Be brave, not stupid. Be faithful, not foolish. Protect yourself and stay safe all the while, knowing that God is going to see us through this.
We will be worshiping Sundays, and you are welcome to come if you take responsibility for your part. We will also be streaming the service on our Facebook page, for those of you who will not be attending. If you have any kind of symptoms, or you are in a high-risk demographic, please do not come to church. You can watch from home.
Since I am new to the church it has been a nice time of fellowship with other church members. Jordan makes the class so enjoyable with his enthusiasm while answering our questions. He explains passages in terms that make it easy for us to understand. I am really learning a lot about Bible Stories! I would encourage anyone, who wants to learn more about the Bible to come & join us. You'll be glad you did!
