April 03rd, 2020

Hunker Down Week #3


Greetings, everyone!

As I write this, some freezing rain has moved into the area adding more weight to the adage, "If you don't like the weather in Missouri, just wait 5 minutes." I hope everyone is safe, warm, and dry, with plenty of supplies to get you through the current crisis. Please, if you have a need or know someone who does, let me know. We have folks who are willing to help you with errands, medications, groceries, and the like. Just ask.

SUSPENSION OF IN-PERSON SERVICES
It will come as no surprise to most of you that our in-person services are suspended until further notice. The COVID-19 advice at the state  level says that the pandemic may peak around the end of April in our part of the state (St. Louis/eastern Missouri are about a week ahead of us). As I am writing, we wait to hear possible new directives from Governor Parson in his press conference. Until we can meet in person, we will continue to provide online Sunday worship services, prayer meetings and Bible studies via Zoom, and point you to helpful resources for personal and family discipleship.

As we have for the past two Sundays, we will offer a video of Sunday worship service on Facebook Premier from our Facebook page at 10:40 am Sunday. It will also be available on YouTube with a link from our church website www.fbcmaysvillemo.org 

We have also been meeting for prayer via ZOOM on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. If you would like to join us, use the following link:  Join Zoom Meeting  https://us04web.zoom.us/j/262755727  Meeting ID: 262 755 727

EASTER/RESURRECTION SUNDAY
Of course, part of the sadness of not gathering is that we are coming up on the biggest day on the Christian calendar, Easter Sunday (or Resurrection Sunday, if you prefer). I had held out hope that we might be able to have "drive-in" worship that day, but the long range forecasts point to uncertain weather conditions, possible storms. Therefore, we will spend this Easter in eager anticipation of that day when we will meet again. 

RESOURCES
Speaking of which, here are four weekly devotional guides for family discipleship from the North American Mission Board entitled "Seeing Jesus Through the Uncertainty." Feel free to download and use them for your family devotionals.  


Here is a Bible Study adapted from the Gospel Project curriculum for this week.

One of the greatest tools for individual and group discipleship is the hymnal. Here is an article entitled "14 Hymns of Hope to Sing During COVID-19."

And speaking of hymns, Keith and Kristyn Getty have been posting videos of their family hymn sing with their three small daughters. I think you will be blessed by watching. Here they are singing "Blessed Assurance," "His Mercy is More," and "He Will Hold Me Fast" (which we sang several Sundays). 

GIVING
We are still working on an automated giving solution for you through the website. It should be set up soon, and I hope to make an announcement about it. Until then, thank you for your continued faithfulness in giving. Many of you have stopped by the church office with you tithes and other contributions. Others have sent contributions by mail. Every gift, large and small, is a blessing since the financial needs of the church continue despite our not meeting. So thank you, once again.
FYI: Contributions received during the week will be deposited on Tuesday, usually late in the afternoon. Thank you to those counters who have volunteered to serve the past couple of weeks.

BONUS
Perhaps you saw that Samaritan's Purse had set up a 68-bed mobile field hospital in New York City's Central Park. I think you will enjoy this little video with BreakPoint's Eric Metaxas making a visit to this mobile hospital.

In closing, I just want to say how much I miss you all. Seeing you, talking with you, interacting with you. I know it has only been a couple of weeks, but it isn't normal for us to be without the regular assembly of the saints. I never want it to start feeling normal to us. A pastor friend said he "had no words for what this feels like" (he was talking specifically about missing Communion Sunday). I replied with the following: "I can tell you what this feels like and what this is: fasting. Fasting from the gathered corporate life of the church and, therefore, fasting from all the corporate means of grace, Lord's Table included. For those of us who only observe the service of the Table quarterly, it just doesn't quite feel like a fast yet. But it is. And one day we will break the fast when we gather once again. Until then we wait in quiet anticipation, with patience and calm assurance that that day will come, Lord willing, very soon."

Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Greg

Virus-free. www.avast.com
Attachments area
Preview YouTube video Getty Family Hymn Sing LIVE | March 31, 2020


Getty Family Hymn Sing LIVE | March 31, 2020
Preview YouTube video Eric Metaxas visits the Samaritan's Purse field hospital in the East Meadow of Central Park


Eric Metaxas visits the Samaritan's Purse field hospital in the East Meadow of Central Park