31
Aug '20

September 2020 Pastor’s Corner – How to Vote in November

Posted on Aug 31, 2020 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 293

31
Aug '20
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33)
 
In a couple of months we will vote for who will serve as President of the United States of America for the next four years. We now know definitively that it will either be Joe Biden or Donald Trump. Many Christians are wondering how they should vote in the upcoming election. Some Christians have already declared that the only “true” Christian vote is for the candidate they support. Well, let this article serve as the definitive guidance on how Christians should vote in November.
 

There’s More Than Just the Presidency

It is important to remember that there is more happening this November than just the presidency, and it is quite possible that the various local governing offices and the issues on the ballot could well have a greater impact on your day-to-day living than who is elected President. So often, we are so focused on the one office that we don’t pay as much attention to the other issues or political offices that are more local to us and therefore have greater impact on our lives. The presidency is important, and certainly grabs all of the headlines and news, but don’t miss the rest of the electoral forest for this one, admittedly big, tree.
 

Vote for the Kingdom of God

The most foundational objective for every Christian is to work to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth. In addition to the verse at the beginning of this article, most all of us pray for this every Sunday in the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10). As you look at the candidates for office (including but not limited to the presidency) and the issues on the ballot, how can your vote contribute to bringing the Kingdom of God here on earth? Perhaps the first question to ask is, what are the values and character of the Kingdom of God? Jesus lays out his most succinct and thorough vision for the Kingdom of God in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Over the next weeks and months, take time to read through the Sermon on the Mount prayerfully and intentionally and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your discernment as you look at the candidates and issues on the ballot.
 

Vote Your Conscience

One of the most beautiful hallmarks of both our faith and our democratic process is that we are all free to vote our conscience. I’ve seen a lot of folks make comments to the effect of, “if you don’t vote for _________, then you aren’t really a Christian.” That statement is, to quote one of my seminary professors, ‘straight from the pit of hell and smells like smoke.’ People will want to know who and how you are voting, but you are under no obligation to answer those questions — and, to be honest, I encourage you not to answer them. How you vote is between you, your ballot, and God. The beauty of our process is that the only vote that is “thrown away” is a vote not cast.
 

Disagree with Grace

This election seems to be more emotionally charged than any I can remember before, which amazes me because I didn’t think things could get more charged than the last one. It is more important than ever before that we learn to disagree with grace. Faithful, God-honoring and -loving Christians are going to discern how to vote for the Kingdom of God and their conscience in very different, and opposing ways. As Augustine once said (and is the motto of our denomination), “Unity in the essentials, liberty in the non-essentials, and in all things charity (love).” How we vote is not an essential of our faith, and we need to be able to dialogue and disagree with love and grace.
 

Accept the Results with Humility and Submission

The person and issues you vote for won’t win every time. It’s entirely possible that the issues you care about most end up with the result you would least like to see. No matter how things go, accept the results with humility and submission. If your candidate wins, be excited, but don’t gloat. As Paul reminds us in Romans 13, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Rom. 13:1–2) Keep in mind that Paul wrote this when Nero was emperor of the Roman Empire, one of the most tyrannical emperors ever seen. If Paul could encourage the Christians of his day to submit to Nero, we can submit to the candidate that wins the election.
 
So there you have it. The definitive guide to how a true Christian should vote in November. May God bless you as you seek to discern how to vote in November, and may His Kingdom come.
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

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01
Aug '20

August 2020 Pastor’s Corner – Essential?

Posted on Aug 1, 2020 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Coronavirus, General, HomePage, Ministry, Missions, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth, Worship | 252

01
Aug '20
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:14–17)
 

Essential?

As state and local governments imposed increasingly strict rules regarding public gatherings in response to the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic this past spring, churches found themselves facing a difficult position. “Essential” businesses were somewhat exempt from the closures, but most states did not classify churches as “essential.” While most churches and pastors submitted to the guidance (and thanks to the blessings of modern technology were able to continue worshipping online or in outdoor settings), the restrictions chafed, particularly the determination that churches were not “essential.” To be honest, for many of us pastors, it chafed because the government was saying out loud what most of us have been feeling for a long time. It’s one thing to feel like you don’t matter… it’s entirely different when someone else says it.
 
As Virginia and many other states have begun reopening and churches, including ours, have resumed in-person worship, this question briefly moved to the background. But as the COVID-19 numbers continue to increase rapidly, many people think it’s just a matter of time before public gatherings are again restricted. Additionally, the Supreme Court recently ruled on a case in Nevada that imposed tighter regulations on churches than on casinos. In his minority dissent, Justice Gorsuch wrote, “In Nevada, it seems, it is better to be in entertainment than religion. Maybe that is nothing new. But the First Amendment prohibits such obvious discrimination against the exercise of religion.” This has returned the question of whether churches are essential or not to the foreground.
 

The Essential Church?

What is it that makes a church “essential”? Frankly, it doesn’t (or shouldn’t) matter what any government says. The Church is not subject to the government, but to Christ. The First Amendment doesn’t give the Church its authority or make it essential, it merely affirms and protects the authority given through Christ to the Church. As Edmund Clowney writes, “The great mark of the church is in the message it proclaims: the gospel of salvation from sin and eternal death through the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (The Church, pg 103). The proclamation of this message comes through what we say and what we do. We proclaim the Gospel through our words by preaching and sharing our testimony and lives with others. We proclaim the Gospel through our actions by the administration of the sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) and acts of service and ministry in which we love our neighbors as ourselves and care for “the orphans and widows” (James 1:27). It is my belief that we, the church in general, have become “non-essential” because we have failed to love and serve our communities well in Jesus’ name. A question I often ask myself and the Session is this: “If Northminster (both the building and the congregation) were to disappear from the corner of Clearview Road and Route 29, would anyone notice?” If the answer to that question is “no” then we have made ourselves non-essential.
 
But there is another reason the Church is essential, one that likely won’t be discussed in many of these conversations. One of the roles of the church is to intercede on behalf of the world. In addition to the call to pray for governing authorities (1 Timothy 2:2), there’s the example of Abraham’s intercession for Lot and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22-33). We are here to seek God’s healing and blessing for Caesar, our communities and the world. The opportunity we have through our corporate prayer on behalf of the communities and world around us is an enormous privilege and opportunity.
 
As we continue through this pandemic, may the question of whether Northminster is essential or not be answered, not by a government edict, but by the ongoing faithful proclamation of the Word through our words and even more through our acts of love and service to our community.
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

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15
Jul '20

July 2020 Pastor’s Corner – Masking Our Freedom?

Posted on Jul 15, 2020 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Coronavirus, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner | 520

15
Jul '20
A rather surprisingly enormous debate has erupted over whether the government should or should not mandate the wearing of masks. As Romans 13:1-7 makes clear, we should submit to our governing authorities, and the Commonwealth has instituted a mandatory mask policy. Now, there is some question whether this is an example of government overreach, but I’d like to look at the issue from a different angle. While we are citizens of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, and should therefore abide by its governance, we are first and foremost citizens of the Kingdom of God. How might wearing a mask fit into the values of the Kingdom of God? Conveniently, Paul points us toward an answer in the verses following the passage I just referenced.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom. 13:8–10)
 
Some argue that we are obligated to wear a mask, but I think Paul would disagree (“Owe no one anything…”). Rather than obligation, Paul points to the rule of love: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor.” Yes, there is a lot of debate about the efficacy of mask wearing, but there is a lot of agreement that it goes a long way toward protecting others from what germs you may have. And there is even more evidence that we become contagious before we exhibit symptoms, meaning I can make others sick before I am aware that I am sick. I might be doing wrong to my neighbor without even knowing it, so to love my neighbor as myself means I should wear a mask. Not because I owe them or am obligated to do so, but as an act of love and service.
 
A few verses later, Paul makes an equally important point: “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions,” (Rom. 14:1) and then a few verses after that: “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” (Rom. 14:13) We may disagree over whether masks are truly effective or whether the mandate is an example of government overreach, but it does no harm to the individual to wear a mask and is quite likely to do a lot of good in protecting others from what we might not know we have. Be entitled to your opinion, but let us not make our opinions into a stumbling block or hindrance that might keep someone else from growing in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

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24
Jun '20

What to Expect When Northminster Reopens

Posted on Jun 24, 2020 by David Garrison in Announcements, Coronavirus, General, HomePage, News, Worship | 238

24
Jun '20
This coming Sunday, June 28, we are resuming in-person worship at Northminster. We’ve missed seeing you each and every Sunday and look forward to having you with us. As with most other places, things won’t entirely be normal, so here’s what you can expect when you join us this Sunday:
 

Social Distancing

  • Plan to practice appropriate social distancing. Try to limit hand shaking and hugs.
  • Every other pew will be closed to help facilitate social distancing.
  • Bulletins will be placed on the table outside the sanctuary. Please pick one up on your way in as we will not be handing them out.
  • Offering plates will be on a table just inside the sanctuary doors. Please place your offering in the plate on your way in or out of the sanctuary. We will not be passing them during the service.
 

Masks

  • Masks are encouraged, but not required.
  • Whether you wear a mask or not, we will not judge or criticize your decision.
 

Communion

  • Instead of passing the elements out, each person will come forward to pick up the elements.
  • An elder will dismiss each row at the appropriate time.
  • Please come down the center aisle, and return to your seat by way of the outside aisles, maintaining appropriate social distancing with the person(s) in front of you.
  • The bread and juice will be served in individual, disposable cups. Please pick up both elements and take them back to your seat. We will partake of them together as is our custom.
 

Sanitation

  • The church will be thoroughly cleaned before and after the service.
  • Most doors will be propped open to minimize contact with surfaces.
 
If you have symptoms similar to those of COVID-19, we encourage you to err on the side of caution and stay home. If you are anxious about returning to public spaces, please feel free to stay home. We will continue to broadcast the livestream on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/npcmh) for those who are not able to join us in person.
 
At this time, all other programs and ministries are still postponed. The Session will continue to monitor how things are going and make further decisions at their meeting in July. We appreciate your prayers and support for one another during these highly unusual times, and look forward to seeing you this Sunday, June 28!
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

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01
Jun '20

June 2020 Pastor’s Corner – How’s This for Unexpected Irony?

Posted on Jun 1, 2020 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Coronavirus, Devotions, Family in the Bible, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 280

01
Jun '20

Pentecost brings to a close the first half of the Christian year.  The seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter trace the grand arc of God’s saving action in Jesus Christ.  In addition to that rhythm, we have spent the past 90 days reading through the entire Bible.  It’s felt something like a whirlwind.  Then add in the chaos we’ve all experienced in our lives and our world with the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s enough to leave you dizzy, confused and probably a little overwhelmed.  At this point, most all of us are yearning for just a little bit of ordinary. 

The second half of the Christian year is one long season called Ordinary Time. This year, Ordinary Time begins today, June 1. As Philip Reindeers explains, ‘“Ordinary” doesn’t mean boring or second-rate but simply “every­day.” The Christian faith is not an otherworldly faith; it’s about this creation, your life, these days. Ordinary Time gives us the space to consider all the implications of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ for our day by day, week-in, week-out lives.’  As we find ourselves yearning for something of the ordinary in these very extraordinary times, the Christian calendar offers an invitation to consider the implications not just of all that God’s salvation in Christ means for our daily lives, but also how this pandemic is impacting us as well — and perhaps even to ask how does the Gospel inform and affect our understanding of the pandemic’s impact?

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Rom. 12:1–2 MESSAGE)

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison


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15
May '20

Northminster’s Plans for ‘Phase 1’

Posted on May 15, 2020 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News, Worship | 244

15
May '20

Good afternoon, Folks,

On Tuesday, the Session met to discuss our plans for Phase 1 of Virginia’s ‘Forward Virginia’ reopening plans.  Up to this point, we have been limited to no more than 10 people at any gathering and, out of an abundance of caution and a desire to follow the guidance from the VDH and CDC, we have postponed all ministries.  Since we have 8-9 people leading worship each Sunday, we’ve asked that no one else attend.

As of today, the 10 person limit has been lifted and so, if you greatly desire to do so and believe it is safe for you, the sanctuary is open for folks to join us on Sunday mornings.  However, we believe it best to err on the side of caution at this time and are encouraging folks to join us on Facebook Live for worship, especially if you are in an at-risk category or are experiencing cold symptoms.  Sunday school, women’s circles, children’s and youth ministries continue to be suspended at this time.

To summarize:

  • The sanctuary is open for worship, but we still encourage you to stay home and worship with us online.
  • All other ministries and programs will remain suspended for the duration of Phase 1.
  • If you have any symptoms or are at-risk, please remain home.

The Session will continue to monitor the situation and will make plans as we learn more about Phases 2 & 3.  As always, we welcome your feedback and invite you to email me or the elders.  Particularly if you have need, please let us know how we can be of help and pray for you during this ongoing season.

We miss seeing you very much, but want to be prudent and wise in how we move forward.

Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison, and the Session of NEPC


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01
May '20

May 2020 Pastor’s Corner – What to do about Communion?

Posted on May 1, 2020 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Coronavirus, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Worship | 366

01
May '20

We are about to begin our second full month under quarantine, and under normal circumstances we would be celebrating the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.  As we all know, however, these are not normal circumstances.  How do we celebrate the sacrament in these times?  Should we celebrate the sacrament during these times? Is it possible to celebrate the sacrament “virtually”? These are questions pastors and elders have been wrestling with over the past month.

As the kids say these days, the “TL;DR” (too long; don’t read) answer that your Session has come to, is that for right now we, once again, will not be celebrating the Sacrament  this month.

Now for the (slightly) longer version.

As said, these are unusual times.  Someone commented to me the other day how much they appreciated the online worship service, as it provided a sense of ‘normal’ in very abnormal times.  That’s one of the key reasons why we are doing our best to keep the order of service as much as normal as possible.  But, these are nevertheless unusual times, and there are some things we might normally do that we hold off on until we get back to normal, and the Lord’s Supper is one of those things.  Our “virtual worship” is a blessing, but it is not a replacement for the real thing.

The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is inherently communal and physical.  As a visceral, physical experience it is one of the most tactile moments in our worship service.  It involves all of our senses – taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound.  It is also communal; it is an act of the community.  While we are symbolically together through Facebook Live, yet we are not physically together.  It’s like when traveling for work.  I can still FaceTime my wife and kids, which is better than a phone call, but it’s not the same as being physically present with them.

Much like the spiritual discipline of fasting is meant to remind us of our deeper longing and need for God, it is our hope that as we “fast” from communion, it would remind us of how the sacrament serves as a ‘sign and seal’ of our salvation.  As one theologian said regarding this absence, “the practice of the sacrament is an aid to our faith, it’s absence is not a detriment.”  It is our hope and prayer that the absence of the sacrament will foster in each of us a longing for that wondrous day when we, once again, gather together as a congregation to worship our Savior and celebrate this sacrament once again.

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison


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06
Apr '20

A Call to Prayer and Fasting – Good Friday, April 10, 2020

Posted on Apr 6, 2020 by David Garrison in Announcements, Christian Living, Coronavirus, General, HomePage, Ministry, News, Prayers, Spiritual Growth, Worship | 470

06
Apr '20
This Friday we invite and encourage the members of Northminster Evangelical Presbyterian Church to join our brothers and sisters in the EPC, PCA, ECO, ACNA and many other denominations and churches in a day of prayer and fasting to cry out for God’s help in addition to a day of worship.  As the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep the globe and our nation, this is an opportunity for us to set ourselves before the Lord and plead with him to intercede on behalf of His creation.
 
If you’ve been joining us on B90, you’ve seen how, time and again, when the people of God were convicted of their sin and sought His intervention, they began with a period of fasting and then prayer.  While you might consider fasting from technology or something like that, there is something particular about going without food for a short period of time.  The pang and tug of physical hunger reminds us of our deeper, spiritual hunger for God and his action in our lives and our world.  As Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13–14)
 
Setting aside a day of prayer and fasting isn’t something to be entered into lightly.  To help us prepare for this Friday, the EPC has provided several resources which you can find on their Good Friday Call to Prayer and Fasting Resources page.  There is a very helpful Guide to Prayer and Fasting, a suggested prayer list, and a prayer from the Book of Common Prayer that addresses the needs of suffering people in troubled times.
 
Our Day of Prayer and Fasting will conclude with the Good Friday service, streamed live on our Facebook page which you can find at www.facebook.com/npcmh (you do not need a Facebook account to access the livestream).  The service will begin at 7:30pm and is a simple service of scripture, song, candlelight and prayerful reflection.
 
We hope you’ll join us in this day of prayer and fasting, asking God to  intervene in the face of this ongoing pandemic.
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

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01
Apr '20

April 2020 Pastor’s Corner – The Conundrum of the Cluster

Posted on Apr 1, 2020 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Local Service, Pastor's Corner, Prayers, Spiritual Growth | 346

01
Apr '20

The Conundrum of the Cluster

We are creatures of habit, it’s a part of human nature. Part of that habit is grouping together with like-minded individuals, collections of people with shared beliefs, routines, customs, vision, etc. This is very normal and natural, it’s how communities form — including church communities — and it’s encouraged. We need the mutual support, accountability and encouragement that comes from the Body of Christ. In fact, in adolescent development theory, the “cluster” is an important and necessary part of the social development of the teenager. Where “cliques” are unhealthy and exclusive, “clusters” are not only inclusive and healthy, they are necessary for proper and appropriate development.
 
But this “clustering” also presents a problem, a problem we’ve been talking about in the church for several decades now. We aren’t called to be the church “gathered in” or “clustered together” but rather the church “sent out” (we’ve called this being a “missional” church) But the “sending out” part is hard — well, it’s very easy to talk about theoretically, but gets harder when we actually go to put it into practice. Why is it hard? Because it means leaving our comfort zone, our “cluster,” and going “out there,” wherever that may be. Our natural inertia is toward the cluster, not away from it. Throughout history, it has taken an outside force acting on the cluster that forces it to disperse and be sent out.
 

The Church Scattered

There is an interesting word used several times in the book of Acts, diaspeiro. It appears in Acts 8:1, 4, and 11:19 and it means “to scatter abroad.” After Stephen was stoned to death in Acts 7, there was “a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem” (8:1) that caused the Christians to be “scattered” (diaspeiro). And what happened? “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4) From the very beginning, Christians preferred to cluster together (see Acts 2:42). It took a persecution of the Christians in Jerusalem to send them out to Phoenicia, Cyprus, Antioch and further. It was the persecution of Christians by Nero in AD 64 that sent them out to “the ends of the earth,” spreading the Gospel far and wide. But God doesn’t always use persecution to scatter the church.
 

The Church Closed. Or is it?

We are, in many respects, in an unprecedented time. It certainly isn’t the first time humanity faced a pandemic like this, but it is for most of us it’s the first in our lifetime. It’s forcing us to rethink much of how we understand being “church.” How do we “do church” if we can’t meet for worship on Sunday mornings? But the church never was a building or a time. For the sake of the health of each other and our community, we can not gather in groups of 10 or more until this pandemic passes. But that doesn’t mean the church is closed. A colleague of mine posted this on her Facebook wall the other day,
A couple of years ago, God gave my associate pastor a vision of our church having transparent walls. For two years, we have been wondering how on earth God was going to turn stone and stained glass into transparent walls. We got the interpretation today. He’s making them transparent by locking our doors. Suddenly people will be able to see in from the outside! May God make transparent all the walls of our churches, that the world may know the Good News of Jesus Christ… He has been preparing us for this since November. We just didn’t understand what he was saying until now. Our church is being called to love and serve one another. We are the church sent out, not the church closed!
 
Through the wonder of modern technology, we will still “gather together” for worship, but in our own homes. Each Sunday morning, we will still worship in our sanctuary, and you can join us for the worship service at www.facebook.com/npcmh (no, you don’t need a Facebook account to get to it, just a phone or web browser).  The service will be adapted to focus on and facilitate at-home worship as families and individuals.
 

The Church Sent Out

We are still Northminster Evangelical Presbyterian Church, but we are not closed. We are the church dispersed, scattered, sent out, like dandelion seeds. Even in the midst of the social distancing of this pandemic, we have an opportunity to love our neighbor in ways we’ve forgotten or lost. If your neighbors are elderly or in the higher-risk categories for the coronavirus, offer to go to the store for them and leave the groceries on their porch. If your neighbors have kids and jobs that don’t allow them to work from home, offer to watch the kids during the day. There are many other ways to serve our neighbors, and we’ll help you explore some of those in the weeks to come. This is going to be a difficult season, let there be no doubt. But the church has faced pandemics and difficult seasons before, and every time the light of the love of Jesus Christ has shined brightly in the darkness. Hold fast to your hope, stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ and don’t be afraid.
 
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison

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19
Mar '20

NEPC’s Response to COVID-19

Posted on Mar 19, 2020 by David Garrison in Announcements, Christian Living, Coronavirus, Fellowship, General, HomePage, Local Service, Ministry, Missions, News, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth, Worship, Youth | 264

19
Mar '20

March 18, 2020

Dear Friends,

We are in unprecedented times, being forced into new patterns of being that feel unnatural and strange, but are ever so necessary in order to “flatten the curve” and slow the spread of this pandemic.  The rhythm and flow of our “normal” lives has been completely disrupted, and we’re just beginning to experience what this is going to be like.  It’s hard, it’s scary, and it’s frightening. What are we to do? Well, there are a few answers to that, which I’d like to share with you today.

What am I to do?

Be wise and prudent, but not fearful.  We can take the novel coronavirus seriously and apply appropriate social distancing and good hygiene without falling into fear.  I encourage you to follow the guidelines issued by the CDC and the federal and state governments.  Wash your hands often, don’t touch your face, stay 6’ away from others, and avoid large group gatherings.  But even with those efforts you might contract the virus.  Whether you do or not, you are always in Jesus’ hands.  He is present with us in our isolation, our quarantines and even more in our illnesses.  He is already and will continue to watch over each one of us.  We need not fear for our present or future, because Jesus is already there.

What is our church to do?

Both Scripture (Romans 13:1) and our confession (Westminster 23.4) command us to submit to civil authorities, and while (at the time of the writing of this letter) no law has been issued barring us from gathering for worship, we do believe that it is our civic responsibility to comply, as best as possible, with their recommendations to slow the spread of this virus.  To that end, we have cancelled all ministries and missions outside of worship.  This includes Sunday school, Bible studies, women’s circles, and youth group.  We are also moving the focus of our worship service to online streaming.  As long as you have an internet-connected device (cell phone, TV, computer, iPad, etc), you can join us for worship.  Simply go to www.facebook.com/npcmh at 11am on Sunday morning, and you’ll see the livestream there (you do not need a Facebook account to see the service).  We will publish the bulletin online so you can follow along.  We’ll send more information about how this works on different devices in a few days.  In addition, the Sanctuary will still be open if you would like to be present with us, but we encourage folks to sit 6’ apart.  But let me re-emphasize: If you are in the higher-risk categories for COVID-19, please do not put yourself at risk by going out.  Also, if you have been reading for B90, by all means keep it up!  While our discussion groups won’t be meeting, we’ll email you online videos and tools.

The Work of the Church goes on

In the midst of this, we are still hard at work serving you and our community. Our programs might be temporarily cancelled, but the work of the church is more than a program or ministry.  Please continue giving.  Our community needs the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ now more than ever.  Send your tithes and offerings in weekly.  If you find yourself quarantined and unable to go to the store or need help, please let us know.  Look for ways to to love your neighbor, old or young.  Invite a neighbor to join your family for worship in your living room (but practice appropriate social distancing).  Call one another and check in to see how folks are doing.  And when you hear of a need or concern, please let us know.  In the midst of this terrible situation, we have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus for each other and our neighbors in ways we’d never dreamed.

The Church has faced pandemics like this time and again throughout history.  While we don’t know how long this will last, we know that it too shall pass and look forward to the time when we can worship and be together in person.  Until then, be wise and prudent.  Practice good hygiene, appropriate social distancing, and the guidance of our governing authorities.  Help where you are able.  And above and beyond all else, pray.  For we are all in God’s hands, and we should earnestly pray for his mercy to bring an end to this pestilence both here and abroad.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. David Garrison


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