Dear Covenant Grace
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” Ps 122:1 We have reason to be glad. We will recommence in person church services on Sunday 11th October. Two services at 10h15 and 18h00. Under the guidelines for Level 1 we can have 175 people in the building which is 50% capacity. We are also required to wear masks and maintain 1.5 meters physical distance from each other. There may need to be a booking system to manage the numbers. We will keep you updated. We’re waiting for more details from the government. Our technical team are hard at work installing equipment to be able to live stream the 10h15 service each week. This will continue online for those who are at high risk and won’t be returning to in person church just yet. If you would like to know more please contact us at [email protected]
0 Comments
By Jade Poole
Too often we take our cues from social commentary. As soon as issues are brought to the fore by the media we scuttle to decide which party or group we identify with. Hashtags have become the slogans that assign purpose. They give people a cause to fight for and set sides sharply against one other. These social ‘narratives’ have become the stories from which we derive our meaning and direction. But Christian, you belong to Christ, not a hashtag. And Christ has explicitly taught and shown us how we ought to live. Beyond Rules As Jesus begins his ministry he goes up a mountainside to teach the crowds. This scene is remarkably reminiscent of Israel gathering at Mount Sinai to receive God’s law. Except, when Jesus comes, he does not give us rules set in stone. Rules to read and reject. He gives us himself. Jesus teaches us not just with written words but physically as the incarnate Word. As the people gathered around Christ on the mountainside, they would have to make their decision, not to obey or reject a set of divine written rules, but to obey or reject God. Jesus is Clear, Not Cryptic The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) leaves me with many questions. The words are neither difficult to understand nor cryptic. Their meaning is as obvious as the 10 commandments. What is difficult is carrying them out. Like immature children, finding ‘unique’ scenarios for loopholes to justifiably indulge their desires, we dance around the clear instruction with the excuse that ‘we’re not actually touching’ all the while getting as close as we possibly can. What is your response when you hear, “Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” (Matthew 5:39, 40)? Do you begin by pondering the definition of a tunic or cloak? Are you confused about who ‘the one who is evil’ might be? We might know the law of God, but do we try to justify ourselves like the lawyer who came to test Jesus and asked, ‘and who is my neighbour?’ (Luke 10:29). Simple Surrender In a most brutally unique and difficult set of circumstances, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote on the Sermon on the Mount, “humanly speaking we could interpret the Sermon on the Mount in a thousand different ways. Jesus knows only one possibility: simple surrender and obedience. Not interpreting it or applying it, but doing and obeying it. That is the only way to hear his word.” He does not mean that we should suspend our thinking or that theological study is trivial. What he means is that we have busied ourselves with these activities for so long that we have remained unmoved. “He really means for us to get on with it… Jesus has spoken. He is the Word. Ours the obedience.” Jesus 'Got on With It' If there was ever a compelling reason to “get on with it” surely it is that Jesus did. As he fulfils every righteous requirement of the law he not only reveals to us his divine and righteous nature, but he presents to us the perfect human example. God’s people were to be holy because God is holy, and here the people could physically see what God required. There is a surging current in today’s culture that calls us to fight for our rights. As with all movements, causes and hashtags there are varying degree of truth involved. For there are real problems, grievous hurts, gross injustice and abuse. However, our particular context today is not so unique that we might find ourselves excused from the call of Jesus. Causes Do Not Nullify Jesus’ Call We are not to dig in our heels, we are not to fight back. We are not to ‘teach them a lesson’. Why have we thought that these teachings of Jesus are limited to religious encounters or to a unique historical setting? The very nature of the examples reveal that these are practices we will need to exercise in business, in education and in our homes. The song of the West has been a tickling tune. For each one, individual rights have been so overinflated that we no longer see or consider God and neighbour. The thought that someone would turn the other cheek seems like suicide to our dignity and self-respect. But that is precisely what our Lord calls us to do. It is the easy yet difficult teaching of Jesus. Teaching which is only truly understood when it is done. As long as we hear or even teach these words, but do not put them into practice, we reveal our disassociation, and our end has already been disclosed: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Matt 7:26-27). Jesus Was Like Us This message is so emphatic, simply in that it is the path Jesus took as well as the pattern he set. But what is more: this pattern is explicitly relatable. Consider your Saviour and the way in which he came to us. He was not impressive, sheltered, privileged or attractive. On the contrary, “he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:2, 3). Dallas Willard writes, “If he were to come today he could very well do what you do. He could very well live in your flat or house, hold down your job, have your education and life prospects, and live within your family, surrounding and time. None of this would be the least hindrance to the eternal kind of life that was his by nature and becomes available to us through him.” Perhaps you need a moment to ponder this. Every excuse you could possibly give regarding your life, culture, privilege, class or education has been undone by the life of Jesus. It is not that those things are insignificant. Rather, they are no hinderance or obstacle to living out our divine calling. Christian, there is no excuse good enough for disobeying our Lord. Not even your gender or privilege. Have This Mind Among Yourselves As believers, our lives are bound up in Jesus’. As the first question of the New City Catechism says, “We are not our own but belong, body and soul, both in life and death, to God and to our Saviour Jesus Christ.” Your life is not your own to fight for. Your life belongs to Christ and must be directed toward his purposes. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). God forbid that you would feel a closer sisterhood to an atheist from a feminist cause, or that disunity in the church would be attributed to your affiliated hashtag. God forbid that we would determine someone’s morality by their political vote. Christ has already done away with our former cruel master, who enslaved us to the patterns of this world. Transform and renew your thinking (Ephesians 2:2; Romans 12:2). So what is our encouragement, Christian? Where is our comfort? Where do we find unity in a church that seems so divided? Paul leads us like children by the hand, to see again that our example is Christ. “Complete my joy by being of the same mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves…Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:1-8). Christ our example in life and death. If we are his, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow (Matthew 16:24). By Greg Heasley It seems to me that whenever there is global crisis or a cosmic scale disaster (Wars, Famines, Floods, Pandemics, etc.), we see a corresponding interest in Bible prophecy, especially the book of Revelation. While we should rejoice anytime there is a renewed interest in the Word of God, it seems that in many of these occasions it is usually accompanied by conspiracy theories and a faulty reading of Scripture. The end result is that Christians are often left confused and fearful, instead of edified and confident in Christ. The reality of life in this fallen world is that the next crisis is always just around the corner, and sadly some live their whole lives from one crisis to the other. This should not surprise us, the Bible is clear that ‘in this world we will have tribulation’ and that ‘the whole creation is groaning’ until Christ returns to wipe away every tear and make all things new (cf. Jn 16:33; Rom 8:22; Rev 21:4). Covid-19 has shaken the nations and our lives, and true to form, Christians (and some churches) have been animated by fresh conspiracy theories and end times predictions. A regular feature within the landscape of end time speculations is the debate surrounding the allusive idea of the ‘mark of the beast’. This paper seeks to achieve two ends: Firstly, to provide a compelling answer to what the ‘mark of the beast’ really is. And secondly, to give an example and principles for how to faithfully read and interpret the Bible for yourself.
How should we interpret these verses?
How do we make sense of what John is describing here in this passage? Is John describing events that took place before, during or soon after he wrote this letter (‘Preterism’ or ‘Historism’)? Or, will these events only happen towards the end of the age before Christ returns (‘Futurism’)? Or, is he describing events that will be evident in every generation from his own time, right up to the second coming of Christ (‘Idealism’)? Are the visions of this passage, namely, the beast, the dragon, the mark, and the number of the beast, to be interpreted literally or figuratively? How do we know what they mean and how can we be sure that we have the right interpretation? The answer is simpler than you realise - we must interpret these verses in the same way that we should interpret any other part of the Bible: (1) We must interpret Scripture within its historical and grammatical contexts. In other words, we must allow the original author and the genre (grammar) of the text to govern our understanding and determine the meaning of the text - firstly for the author’s immediate audience and then secondly, for us today. Then, we must interpret the text in light of: (2) the immediate context (chapter 13); then (3) the larger context (Revelation); then (4) the whole text, namely the Bible (comparing Scripture with Scripture). Finally, (5) we must follow the example of how Jesus and his Apostles interpreted Scripture. Jesus himself declared that all Scripture was ultimately about him (Lk 24:27, 44); then under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostles put this into practice as they wrote the New Testament, which was an exposition of the Old Testament (‘Progressive revelation’ - the OT is subject to the NT). This Christ-centered approach to interpreting the Bible is the final key to correctly understanding the true meaning of any given passage. (cf. Acts 15:12-19, 17:2, 24:14, 26:22, 28:23) Let’s go through these 5 steps as we consider what the ‘mark of the beast’ is in Revelation 13:11-18. by Werner Greeff (17/04/2020) ‘Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring.’ (Prov. 27:1). Somehow this verse reminds me of Forest Gump’s ‘life is like a box of chocolates’ philosophy. Since we do not know what the future holds, we plan for all sorts of possibilities. What if my business burns down? What if my server is hacked? What if I get sick and am unable to run my business? What if my customers don’t pay me? We take out insurance, buy backup generators (even backup generators for our backup generators). We have no control over the future and to constantly worry about tomorrow is not how we are to live our lives (Matt. 6:34). Nevertheless, as good stewards, planning for future hardships is a biblical principle. Solomon tells us to consider the ways of the ant who ‘stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest’ (Proverbs 6:8). While large corporates and multinationals have the time and resources to put grand ‘business contingency plans’ in place (planning for everything from hurricanes to tsunamis and everything in between), for most small businesses, contingency plans are often limited to basic insurance, a small savings account or having your mother-in-law on standby if a staff member falls ill. Very few businesses were prepared for the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The IMF predicted that the ‘great lockdown’ will trigger the worst global recession since the great depression. Millions of businesses are already suffering the consequences. If you are one of the many business owners facing tough times and working on a strategy to weather this storm, I’d like to share some tips and pointers that I hope you may find helpful: 1. START OUT RIGHT None of your plans should start without God. Zoom out and look at the big picture, He remains in control even when we can’t make sense of it all. Put your trust in Him and do not rely on your own knowledge, skills and abilities. Acknowledge the Lord in everything you do and He will direct your path (Prov. 3:5-6). As difficult as it is - stop worrying. It will not add an hour to your lifespan (Matt 6:27). Listen to Paul’s words to the Philippians: "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 2. SLOW DOWN ON DECISION MAKING Decisions taken during stressful times, or even when times are good, tend to be driven by emotion. When we find ourselves in crisis, our fight-or-flight response kicks in. We make rushed decisions to respond to perceived threats, often not considering all the facts or the long-term consequences of our decisions. ‘Whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way (Prov. 19:2). Take time to sleep and pray over decisions – very few decisions in life has to be made immediately. Get advice from trusted friends, family members, colleagues and professionals. In the words of King Solomon: “Where there is no guidance, a people fall, but in an abundance of counsellors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14). Mark 15:39 - “And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God.’
When I was younger I found reading the Bible quite confusing. To flip open to a page unguided in order to decipher what God’s word for me for the day might be, was not all too exciting. It is only when I noticed the intentionality of the authors; the patterns, movements, shape and flow of the stories, that I was compelled to read with purpose. Mark did not simply sit down one afternoon and clumsily write down every moment he could remember. Mark carefully arranged each story to convey meaning. When we get to the centre of Mark’s gospel Jesus asks his disciples, ‘“But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ” (8:29). If you’ve read it from the beginning you might feel the urge to applaud at this point. After all Jesus has said and done, Peter finally acknowledges that Jesus is the Promised One of God. However there is still another truth to be learned. The Messiah had to suffer, be rejected and killed, and then rise again (8:31). It is not surprising that Peter rebuked Jesus. How could the promised saviour suffer and die? For the rest of Mark’s gospel the intensity increases with this theme of suffering and death. Mark rushes through 3 years of Jesus’ life, giving us ample evidence into the identity of Jesus with many demonstrations of power and miracles. His authority and power is undeniable. But our hurried gospel writer slows down to an hour by hour account, revealing the identity of Jesus through his demonstration of suffering and death. Here, his love and sacrifice is undeniable. Jesus shares the bread and the cup. Jesus prays in the garden in the middle of the night. Judas betrays Jesus and he is arrested. Jesus stands before the high priest in the small hours of the morning. Peter denies Jesus. Jesus is handed over to Pilate at first light. The crowds call out ‘Crucify!’. Pilate hands Jesus over to be killed. Jesus is mocked and beaten before the whole battalion. Jesus is led up to Golgotha to be crucified. Jesus suffers on the cross. Jesus dies. This is surely a moment of weakness. Why would the centurion confess now that Jesus is the Son of God? Would he not rather confess when Jesus healed the paralytic? Or when he made the winds and waves be still? What about Jarius’ daughter who was even raised from the dead? There were the thousands who were fed in the wilderness, or the lame, deaf and blind who were made well? You see, we often reason that if only Jesus would answer prayers for healing, protection or prosperity that he would be believed in. If Jesus were to give me a child or deliver me from disease, perhaps then? No my dear friend. If that is all you have come for then you might stop reading Mark at chapter 8 and have Jesus as your wonder-worker Messiah. Jesus is not confessed in pomp and impressive performance, but only at the cross. Come a little further to chapter 15, all the way to the foot of the cross. Come and see what was given, come and see with what kind of love the Father has loved, and know Jesus as your mighty saviour. Dear Covenant Grace,
In our last letter (17 March 2020) we said we would be reviewing the ‘physical isolation’ situation on the 31 March. Well, things have changed quickly since then and we are now already on Day 5 of our National lockdown. At this stage we have no idea if that will be extended beyond April 16th and what restrictions may apply when the lockdown is lifted. We will keep you informed on all our media platforms! So…CG church will be ‘scattered’ until further notice. Please note that church has not closed, it has just moved online and into homes! We are doing everything we can to stay connected and create a sense of community by providing you with regular updates, encouraging ‘nuggets’, worship songs, kids ministry resources and Sunday sermons. Hopefully you would have already seen our new temporary website, which is hosting all this content. (https://covenantgracechurch.weebly.com )
“God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” I love this because it reminds us of our limited perspective. We simply cannot see or fathom all that God is doing. No doubt, God is sovereign in and over it all, but we need to proceed in our analysis with great humility and instead of trying to come up with answers, we should be patient and praying. NT Wright, just released an outstanding article on TIME.com in which he says the following: “No doubt the usual silly suspects will tell us why God is doing this to us. A punishment? A warning? A sign? These are knee-jerk would-be Christian reactions in a culture which, generations back, embraced rationalism: everything must have an explanation. But supposing it doesn’t? Supposing real human wisdom doesn’t mean being able to string together some dodgy speculations and say, “So that’s all right then?” What if, after all, there are moments such as T. S. Eliot recognized in the early 1940s, when the only advice is to wait without hope, because we’d be hoping for the wrong thing? Rationalists (including Christian rationalists) want explanations; Romantics (including Christian romantics) want to be given a sigh of relief. But perhaps what we need more than either is to recover the biblical tradition of lament. Lament is what happens when people ask, “Why?” and don’t get an answer. It’s where we get to when we move beyond our self-centered worry about our sins and failings and look more broadly at the suffering of the world. At this point the Psalms, the Bible’s own hymnbook, come back into their own, just when some churches seem to have given them up. “Be gracious to me, Lord,” prays the sixth Psalm, “for I am languishing; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.” “Why do you stand far off, O Lord?” asks the 10th Psalm plaintively. “Why do you hide yourself in time of trouble?” And so it goes on: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever?” (Psalm 13)…. these poems often come out into the light by the end, with a fresh sense of God’s presence and hope, not to explain the trouble but to provide reassurance within it. It is no part of the Christian vocation, then, to be able to explain what’s happening and why. In fact, it is part of the Christian vocation not to be able to explain—and to lament instead. As the Spirit laments within us, so we become, even in our self-isolation, small shrines where the presence and healing love of God can dwell." So, none of the recent global events have surprised the Lord. He foresees them all and has allowed them all, for reasons that are beyond our comprehension. Therefore, we rest in his plans and purposes, and as we often like to say at CG: “when we cannot trace His hand, we can trust His heart!” Finally, we are excited to be journeying through some of the Psalms with you during our ‘scattered Sunday’s’. We pray that the Lord will use them to do a deep work in our hearts, both to comfort us and to counsel us in these uncertain days. Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 33:10-11 - The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Psalm 46:10-11 - Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Love and blessings, Greg & CG team Written by Siya Ndzimande - view his blog here The coronavirus (COVID-19) is disrupting churches, businesses, educational institutions and creating global fear and panic. The world has come to a standstill. So, I ask myself, “Is this global suffering meaningful? Is COVID-19 meant for the glory of God or Satan? If God is sovereign, why would he allow this to happen? If God is love, is this pandemic loving? Maybe God isn’t in full control after all. Maybe he is a reactive God, like an ambulance reacting to emergencies. Or maybe God is just slightly distracted during this time.”
Scripture reminds me that this isn’t anything new. God is in full control; he always was, and he always will be. God was sovereign when he sent the flood, when he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, when he sent the plagues in Egypt (one of the plagues killing all firstborns in Egypt). He was sovereign when Israel faced severe famines, He was sovereign when Jesus was arrested, stripped of his clothing, humiliated and crucified. He was most certainly sovereign when Christians were facing persecution which lead to the horrid deaths of His disciples. Let’s make it personal. He was sovereign when my three-year-old brother died of unknown causes. He was sovereign when my sister’s baby died at just 9 months of life. He was sovereign when my dad died, he was still sovereign when my mom died of breast cancer 11 months after my father passed away. I could go on and on. A.W Tozer put it this way, “While it looks like things are out of control, behind the scenes there is a God who has not surrendered His authority.” Under the rod of affliction we are given an opportunity to bear witness to the gospel’s power in our lives. The Christian’s own perseverance under hardship serves as a shining public witness to the truth of God’s Word. This pandemic opens the door for us to share our hope with unbelievers. When this is all over, people should be looking to God for gratitude and not to humanity or to themselves. I don’t believe this virus (COVID-19) is designed to drive us away from God, but the contrary, it’s designed to draw us closer to God. Interestingly, the things I tend to put before God such as sports have either been cancelled or postponed. Forcing me to distance myself from these idols and put in some much-needed focus on what matters (God). This serves as an occasion for me to ‘be still and know that he is God’ (Psalm 46:10). Lastly, these anxious times can unite us all in prayer. The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, called the public to a national day of prayer yesterday (Thursday, 26 March 2020). This can unite the world in prayer, a key ingredient in spiking a revival. It’s times like these were we should cling to these scriptural promises: 2 Corinthians 4: 16 – 18 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I agree with A.W Tozer when he says that God does his deepest work in our darkest hours, “If you don’t see the hand of God in the smallest setbacks and inconveniences, you will be blind to the meaning that God wants you to find in your deeper sufferings.” – Elisabeth Elliot I will end with one of my favourite quotes, “This is God’s universe, and God does things His way. You may have a better way but you don’t have a universe.” – Vernon McGee Dear Covenant Grace,
This is an unprecedented time in the life of our country and our church. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Government has declared a state of national disaster and amongst other restrictions, banned ‘all gatherings greater than 100 people'. We believe that they have shown good leadership and are making the best decisions that can be made given the circumstances. These actions will radically affect how we interact as citizens and how we meet and worship as a church. After much prayer and consultation we have decided to suspend all our formal church meetings for the next two weeks. (We will review the situation again on Tuesday the 31 March.) The data is very clear about how important quick and complete ‘social distancing’ is to saving lives. In this unusual time it’s important to realize that ‘physical distancing’ doesn’t have to mean we lose a sense of community. A) These have been our guiding principles in response to the Coronavirus: 1. Christian wisdom: We are not responding out of fear but in faith. We are trusting God for all of our lives and asking that he would use this for His glory and our good. We are seeking to give due recognition to both God’s sovereignty over this situation and Man’s responsibility in this situation. Here is a helpful quote from Martin Luther, giving pastoral advice during the Black Plague in the 16th century - "I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy…" (Luther’s, Works v. 43, p. 132.) 2. Christian Love: We feel that making smaller meetings of less than 100 people is technically obeying the letter of the law but not the heart of it. As a leadership team we are committed to playing our part in this global crises, and the stats show that decisive action is the best way to protect and minimize the damage. So we are asking you to love your neighbour by looking after your health and theirs. Avoid all unnecessary contact with people and if you show any flu-like symptoms, please self-isolate immediately. Here’s another helpful quote from a recent article - “In an age of ‘look at me’ self assertion there is something quite stunning in that one of the most significant services the church can do is not gather, allow for social distancing. The church’s absence, its literal emptying, can function as a symbol of its trust in God’s ability to meet us regardless of the location. The church remains the church whether gathered or scattered. It might also indirectly remind us of the gift of gathering that we too often take for granted.” B) These are our suggested rhythms for CG ‘scattered’ over the next two weeks: 1. Sunday Services: There will be NO public church services for the next two Sundays, 22nd and 29th March. We will however continue to serve you by pre-recording our sermons and make them available to you online, in both video and audio. So we are inviting you to have a ‘Home Service’ using the provided CG sermon and kids ministry outline. Due to copyright restrictions we cannot record worship songs but we will provide you with links to recommended songs. This is a tough decision because church is you and I gathered together for worship, Word and fellowship. These measures strike at the very core of what church is. But we also believe that as we ‘scatter’ it is a unique opportunity to focus our faith and renew our personal and family devotions. 2. Community Groups: This week is our last planned Community Group meeting and then we are on a holiday break. We will leave the decision to meet this Wednesday up to each group leader’s discretion, but would ask that thereafter all groups are on hold until further notice. If you do decide to have smaller get togethers for prayer and Bible study please be sure to observe all the necessary health protocols. We would ask everyone to make an extra effort to reach out in creative ways, using technology to stay connected. (WhatsApp groups, FaceTime, Skype, and Google hang outs can be novel platforms for prayer, sharing scripture, and words of encouragement.) 3. Pastoral Care: We realize that for many, particularly those not in a Community Group, this can be a lonely time. So we would encourage all of you to BE the church by reaching out to one another. We urge you to keep asking God how you can love and care for the church and the community around you. Be expectant that despite the crisis, God may open up all sorts of opportunities for gospel care and witness. It is possible to ‘physically isolate’ for a season without feeling alone, but if you are feeling disconnected or neglected, we want to be here for you, so please let us know by sending us a message. We will be posting regular updates to our WhatsApp groups and Facebook page, so please be sure to follow us there. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. ([email protected]) Jude 1:24-25 “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Blessings, Greg & CG team |