Letter to the Congregation


November 19, 2020

Dear church family, 

I’m writing this letter from home as I’m still warding off the effects of COVID, twelve days after my first symptoms.  I have been blessed by your many expressions of prayer support and concern that I have received since first becoming ill.  And it has been necessary because my case nearly took a turn towards pneumonia.  So, in this season of Thanksgiving, I am very grateful for your love and support and God’s mercy towards me. 

And it’s not just me, while the results of a test for one church staff member remains pending, but likely positive, all of us have been infected.  That reality, of course, has raised concerns and the question of when we should resume in-person worship.  In the meantime, the Governor has issued Level 3 Mitigation Strategies for the entire state to begin on Friday, November 20.  The trajectory of infection and danger is clear.  This is a good time to pull back to recorded services on-line.  Just today, we also received a letter from the Great Rivers Region of ABC Churches recommending suspending in-person services for the next three weeks.  Since we suspended for November 8 already, we have made plans to suspend in-person worship for the next two Sundays, November 22 and 29.  Tentatively, we are planning to resume in-person services on December 6.  In addition, all Bible studies and small-group meetings will be suspended or moved to an online platform such as Zoom.  I will suspend my Wednesday night Bible study until December 9.  We will do the Sunday night prayer meeting via Zoom. Watch the church FaceBook page for the announcement.  Sunday night youth group will meet via Zoom.  There is no Connect children’s ministry next week.  Pastor Eric will evaluate circumstances and make a later determination as to when Connect will resume in-person meetings and communicate that to all involved. 

While our Annual Thanksgiving Service will look very different this year, I want to encourage you to check in through FaceBook or Youtube on Sunday morning at 10 AM.  I’ve already received a number of emails expressing gratitude to God which I am eager to share with you.  I’ll lead the traditional hymn, “We Gather Together.”  If you’ve been around a while, you might be surprised that you know the hymn by heart.  If you do, I encourage you to join in.  Our prayer time will be richly seasoned with thanksgiving and petition during our time of significant need.  My meditation will be relatively brief.  It is the backstory to a relatively new song of faith called “Blessings” that I know will be a tremendous encouragement to you.  I’ll share a video recording of the song with you.

On the 29th, we will celebrate the First Sunday in Advent.  My text will be the long passage of Mark 13, sometimes known as “The Olivet Discourse” where Jesus describes difficult trials and the world circumstances that will be a prelude to his return.  I’ve had this Sunday on my radar for quite some time.  The passage is challenging.  With the global pandemic and other difficulties that we have faced in 2020, many Christians have been asking, “Is this the end?  Will we see the Antichrist arise?”  The message is very relevant!  I encourage you to tune in that week as well.

Thank you again for your faithfulness in giving.  Remember what we learned a few weeks ago? “Give until faith kicks in!”  Many of you have done that and I, along with the Trustees, are very grateful for your financial faithfulness through the year.  Remember, you can give online, send in a check by mail, or drop it in the locked mailbox by the church front door.

Three months ago, when the combined boards met to strategize and plan ministry for what we perceived might be the duration of the pandemic, we agreed to be flexible and to remove any pressure to be “successful” in the usual way that we evaluate ministry (such as attendance numbers).  During this unique season, the rules have changed!  You have been very flexible and gracious.  Further, I am confident that God is doing a good and deep work in us.  But I look forward to the day when we can all gather together safely again, exchange a warm embrace, and enjoy a sumptuous meal of celebration together.  That day, I am confident, will come.  In the meantime, be alert for where God is working through these troubled times and eagerly join him.  God is surely not finished with us.  Perhaps he has just begun to do a new work in us!

I look forward to seeing you online!

With thanksgiving,

Pastor Bob Myers

 


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