Where do we go from here?

As you know, this week churches across the nation have shut their doors and cancelled their services.  We are told not to congregate in groups larger than 10 people and to limit social visits.  At New Hope, we have also cancelled our activities and services for now.  We are not sure how long this will last, so I thought I would give some thoughts on where we go from here and some reminders that are good to keep in mind.

This is the first time we have experienced something like this.

First, I think it is important to note that a situation like this has not happened in our lifetime, as far as I know.  Your pastor and elders have never led a church through a crisis like this.  So the decisions made are made prayerfully, and we daily seek wisdom from the Lord.  We will strive to lead New Hope according to what we believe is the Lord’s will, and we simply ask for grace and patience from you, our church family.

You are the church.

Secondly, the church is not closed.  The building may be empty, and our weekly gatherings may be postponed, but Christ’s church, His Body, His Bride, is alive and well.  The church is always open, for you are the church.  We are His temple, and His presence remains with us.  No virus, social distancing, quarantine, or any other earthly thing changes that.

We can continue to fulfill our ministry in Christ.

Finally, even though our gatherings are postponed, each of us can still passionately worship our Savior by fulfilling the ministry He has given us.  The methods and means may change for now, but we can still love, encourage, and edify each other.  We can still share the gospel through our words, and we can shine our light through our actions.  We can show God’s love to everyone in smaller, private ways as opportunities arise.  So here are three simply ways you can continue to minister with us:

1.  Call each other.
            
Stay in contact with one another, check in on each other, and let people know that they are not forgotten.  An encouraging phone call can mean so much to someone.  This can give you the opportunity to open the church directory, find a new name, and make a new connection with someone!

2. Write an encouraging letter.

Here is another simple way to stay connected.  If you are afraid or hesitant to call someone you are not already connected to, you can write them a simple letter.  Fill it with a prayer, encouraging Bible verse, or whatever is on your mind.  The letter itself will mean a great deal to them!

3. Pray for each other.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you can pray.  Prayer is the most powerful activity you can do, and you can do it right now.  Pray for your church family, go boldly before the throne of grace to ask for mercy and help in this time of need!

I hope to see you all soon,

David Kleinhans

Comments

  1. KenMarch 18, 2020 at 9:49 AM

    Another thing that we can do as a church family is to share what we have with one another. Those who may have been able to get materials from the stores before the hoarding began and everything was cleared out and shelves were emptied could share with anyone else in our church family who may be in need of some basic supplies, just as was done in the first church described in Acts. This is especially true for our senior citizens who can't or shouldn't be out in public shopping.

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