Dear Church Family,

In the book of Proverbs, chapter 21 verse 31 it says; “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.”  This verse speaks to both piety and practicality.  In other words, “always be ready to take action yourself if necessary.”  And that is exactly what we are doing; as a Nation, as a Commonwealth, as a County and community and as a Church.

As news of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) consumes our nation we put our trust in the Lord and rely on His words as written by David; “The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not fear!”  And we shall prepare.  Here are some things we are doing to both keep our church and community safe and at the same time continue to be a church that is a beacon of light and hope to all those around us.

  • We will have on-line services only on March 22, 29 and April 5th at These services will be streamed live on the church’s Facebook page.
  • Following the service we will have a time of prayer at 11:15am for about 30 minutes. You can participate by calling in to: 712-532-8399 and enter the code:   Daniele Cushing is the point of contact.
  • Choir practice and performances will be suspended until May 11.
  • The Newsletter scheduled to be published has been suspended.
  • All church activities to include meetings and ministry events, with the exception of on-line church services, will be suspended until further notice.
  • The church office hours will be reduced until further notice. The office will close this Thursday-Friday (March 19-20).  Next week the office will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; 9am-1pm.
  • The process for the proposed Sunday morning schedule change has been suspended until further notice.

I know many of you are wondering about Easter.  I can’t tell you at this time what the plan will be.  We need to get a little closer and see what our political leaders and health care professionals are telling us based on the conditions of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it is having in our community and country.  So, stay tuned.

Speaking of tuning in.  If you are not using REALM, our primary platform for church communication, now is the time to start using it!  Call the church office and talk with Judy and she’ll walk you through the process.  It’s easy, I promise, and you won’t regret it.  There won’t be a Sunday bulletin for a while, so all communication will come electronically (or by phone).  That means through the REALM platform (phone App), the church Facebook page or on the church website.

Doug Farris and the Deacons are taking the lead on ensuring those in our church family who are elderly and experiencing health issues are cared for.  Please contact any of our Deacons (check out their page on the website) if you have any concerns about someone, whether they are in our church family or not.

Finally, let me close by saying this.  Against this backdrop of fear and anxiety, I want to remind you of the powerful promises of God.

  • Are you struggling with anxiety? He is your PEACE!
  • Are you facing financial challenges: He is your PROVIDER!
  • Are you sick? He is your HEALER!

As people of faith we must be wise, prudent, and careful – but not afraid!

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not FEAR!”

 

I love you all,

Pastor Frank