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March 29th, 2020

3/29/2020

HUNKER DOWN, Week 2

Greetings everyone!

We are "hunkering down" on a massive scale due to COVID-19. It is not showing any signs of abating at this point, so we will be following the advice from the CDC and the Trump administration for the time being regarding group size, social distancing, and narrowing the social circle. As the number of positive cases increase in Missouri, including counties bordering Dekalb Countty, it will only be a matter of time before we have confirmed cases among friends and family. Please follow all the necessary precautions in order to avoid the virus, especially the "do not touch your face" rule. This is apparently the primary way the virus gets to your system, through touch. Not the only way, but the primary one.

With that said, ministry goes on. And more than that, we are exploring more opportunities for ministry. We are consistently learning new ways of doing things online, including worship services, Bible study, prayer, and discipleship. Here are a few things that are taking place:

PHONE CALLS: We want to stay connected with you, and one of the best ways to do that during these days of self-isolation is the old-fashioned phone call. Call someone the Lord brings to your mind. Send a text for encouragement to those who text. And if you have a need this week for someone to help with errands, shopping, etc., please give the church a call. We have folks on stand-by just waiting to help you. Phone 816-449-2731 (church office) or 479-238-3772 (my cell), or you can always send an e-mail or Facebook message to us. We check these items multiple times in a day.
WORSHIP SERVICE ONLINE: Last week we had our first ever "online only" worship service. We pre-recorded the service and posted it to Facebook Premier at 10:40 am Sunday, linking to it on Youtube from our website www.fbcmaysvillemo.org. Things worked pretty well thanks to our amazingly versatile and tech savvy Minister of Music and Education Kyle Bridgman. (I'm thinking of just changing his title to "minister of everything else" because that is generally how he operates!). This week, we recorded the majority of the service from our makeshift KFBM studios (a.k.a. the youth room) in an effort to dampen reverb and echo and just make the recording crisper and clearer for you to understand. I'm still preaching from my study because that seemed to work just fine last week. Join us at 10:40 this morning from your device of preference. laptop, desktop, tablet, smartphone, or casting on your smart TV. I recommend gathering the whole household around one device if possible (probably a computer or TV screen), but smartphones and tablets may work just as well for singles and couples.
PRAYER MEETING: We met for prayer meeting on Wednesday evening at 6:30 via the ZOOM App. This allows groups of up to 100 in attendance to meet in a video conference call format. Everyone can see, hear, and share. Lord willing, we will do this again on Wednesday, April 1. I will send out an invitation to this e-mail list, so look for the invite in your inbox next Wednesday morning. You can download and install the app to your device of choice by visiting www.zoom.us or choosing the ZOOM Cloud Meetings from your device's app store. (This app has a blue icon with a white video camera profile inside).
SUNDAY SCHOOL: Speaking of ZOOM, some of our adult Sunday School classes are planning to meet via ZOOM this morning at 9:30. Check with your Sunday School teacher to confirm what your class is doing.
SUNDAY PM BIBLE STUDY: We have been journeying through Hebrews on Sunday evenings over the past year. I hope to post some video content via Facebook or YouTube that you can access to keep up that study.
FAMILY DISCIPLESHIP: This week, I will be giving some tips on family worship and reviewing some resources for family discipleship that I think you will find helpful for all ages. Stay tuned for more on this in the coming weeks as we talk about...
- A Children's Catechism and How To Use It
- Helping Children to Understand the Gospel
- How to "Do" Family Worship and Family Discipleship
- Using Hymns to Teach and Reinforce the Faith
- Resources for Teaching Theology to Children
STEWARDSHIP AND GIVING OPPORTUNITIES: Since we are not meeting for in-person services, you may wonder how to continue regular financial giving to the church. The methods we mentioned in last week's e-mail still apply:
- Mail offerings to FBC, PO Box 427, Maysville, MO 64469
- Bring offerings in person to church office during regular hours (8 am-5 pm), Monday through Friday. If no one is in the office, you may slide offering envelopes under my office door in the church library, the door marked "PRIVATE."
- Set up ACH withdrawal with your bank for deposit directly to the church. If you bank at Independent Farmers, they can tell you how to do this simply. Other banks should be able to do the same.
- We are still working on online giving options. Please bear with us.

IN THE NEWS: SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION ANNUAL MEETING has been canceled for the first time in 75 years. Please pray for the SBC as much is at stake in the future as we seek to stand for the inerrancy, reliability, and sufficiency of Scripture, sound doctrine, and vibrant support for worldwide and home missions.

BONUS: One of the casualties of COVID-19 was the Ligonier Conference in Orlando, FL. But the good news is, the conference organizers posted all the conference content in one 8 1/2 hour video available on YouTube here. The conference theme is "Made in the Image of God." Excellent material, highly recommended.

Grace and peace to you from the Lord Jesus Christ who has fully paid for all our sins,

Pastor Greg

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SCHEDULE CHANGES

3/19/2020

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Dear Church Family,

As of today, March 19, 2020, all in-person services and activities for the next two weeks on the church campus are suspended due to the corona virus protocols recommended by our governor. This includes all Sunday services on March 22 & 29 and Wednesday services on March 25 and April 1. We are voluntarily submitting to this reasonable request to temporarily limit group gatherings to 10 or fewer people for the next 15 days.We encourage everyone to do their part to help slow the spread of this highly infectious disease: frequent hand washing, keep 6 feet of distance between you and others, stay at home if you can, etc.

VIDEO SERVICES
We will video cast services on Sunday mornings at 10:40 am via Facebook Live and from the front page of the church website for those not on Facebook. The website is www.fbcmaysvillemo.org. We encourage everyone to watch the service either at the regular morning worship time or sometime later on the Lord's Day that suits your schedule. We encourage families to watch as families, couples as couples, and single people to get together with perhaps one or two others. Be very judicious in gathering so as not to expose others to infectious diseases. Please be aware, this is in no way a substitute for actually worshiping together with your church family. This is not "virtual worship" since there really isn't such a thing as "virtual worship" in the corporate sense. Rather, watching the video cast is the next best way for us to remain connected when getting together "in person" is not possible for various reasons. Those among our number who are shut-in, sick, or otherwise unable to attend who have already taken advantage of our Facebook Live services are already well aware of this.

MIDWEEK
We plan to cast a midweek service on Wednesday evenings as well. It will be on Facebook Live at 6 pm and put on the website following the live cast. Those on Facebook can join us live and share prayer requests, praises, concerns, and thanksgivings with us in the comments section. That service will be posted on the website following the live cast.

DISCIPLESHIP
We will be getting you materials electronically to engage in personal and family discipleship through these days of "social distancing" and seeming isolation. We will also be preparing materials for delivery to those among us who are unable to access materials electronically.

We will also be helping our seniors and shut-ins by offering to shop for them, deliver medications, and otherwise help them during a time when they are self-quarantined. Please let me know if you are available to help in this way.

GIVING
Some have asked how they may give financially to the church while public services are suspended. The financial obligations of the church continue whether we are meeting in person or not, so we appreciate your conscientious commitment to maintain your giving of tithes and offerings during this time. Here is how you may give: Bring offerings to the church office in person. We will be open during regular business hours, 8am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday. Enter through the south door. Go to the church library and slide your offering envelope under the door marked PRIVATE. Mail your offerings to the church at P.O. Box 427, Maysville MO, 64469. We are working on a third option for electronic giving through our website but this is not set up yet. If you bank at Independent Farmers Bank, ask them about setting up your giving automatically through ACH (Automated Clearing House). I have been told that you may be able to set up automatic giving through IFB even if they are not your bank, but ask someone there to make sure. In closing, please pray for me as your undershepherd. I have never pastored a church through a pandemic before, so these are uncharted waters. This decision was not reached lightly, but through much prayer, Scripture study, consultation with other leaders,and love for you as God's people. It is my responsibility as a shepherd to seek the welfare of the flock out of sincere love and concern for your total well being, and that includes your physical frame. Thank you for your understanding, encouragement, and willingness to assume that these decisions are in the best interests of everyone involved. Pray for Pastor Kyle as he steps up to help produce video services during these next two weeks and going forward. It will be a challenge, so thank you for bearing with us.

Here is a link to a highly informative video which Pastor Kyle shared with me. This video helped me understand why it important to address a pandemic before it seems like it is even necessary.

Grace and peace to you,

Pastor Greg

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March 29th, 2020

SCHEDULE CHANGES

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