WE ARE NOT “CLOSING CHURCH”

GREETINGS​​​​​​​

Normally, this article is used to welcome all who have chosen to attend worship and bible classes at the church building, but this week is not normal.  Apparently, “normal” will be  different from what we ever imagined, but we resolve to serve our God and to worship Him.  To that end, we have made special arrangements so all who have Internet can worship together at the same time as we usually do, but just in our homes instead of in the church building.  Log on to www.thechurch.cc and be part of the worship Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

WE ARE NOT “CLOSING CHURCH”

The people of God are the church and will always be.  We couldn’t close or cancel that.  Nor are we canceling worship on the Lord’s Day. We just need to make a plan that will allow us to worship as usual, in an unusual place: our homes.  By live streaming the sermon and leading all of us in the Lord’s Supper at the same time, we hope to create a feeling of being together, although we are unable to be in the same room.  We do not have any real insight into how long we will be asked to forego assembling for the sake of the health of our families and the community.  Until then, we will improvise as well as possible.  Please understand and be patient.

The sermons for several weeks are designed to help us through whatever we are facing with Covid-19.  I have developed sermons that I hope will speak to times like these and which I hope will give us all courage and strength and will deepen our faith and commitment to our God. I hope you will join us each time. The lessons will also continue to be archived on our web site, as well.

Often during my years of ministry, I have wondered what we would do if the doors to the church building were locked.  Would we would stay faithful to worship at home, or even in hiding, if need be?  But I was thinking that some foreign power might take over our country and lock us out or that some of our own citizens would become so divorced from God and religion they would seek to destroy the church.  I never imagined that Satan would use a highly transmissible virus (germ warfare) to try to close us and weaken our faith!  I’m surprised, along with you, but we will not surrender.  We “shall not be moved”.  May God bless us all.  Stay well and stay faithful, even to death, if need be.

-W. E. Hamblen, Minister