Pursued by a loving God

CHURCH UPDATE

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

We’re all aware of the evolving situation with the COVID-19 virus and we’re also aware that you want to know what our plan will be as a church in the days ahead. We have resisted sharing this plan quickly because of how news about this virus is changing from day to day. The past few days have been a whirlwind for us all, and I think it is fair to say that the events of the past week are unlike anything any of us have ever experienced.

I am a firm believer that in times of crisis hospitals and churches are supposed to stay open. These are the times that the church is needed most. Normally, this is when the church would open its doors to anyone seeking comfort and encouragement. This is not a normal time, and as a result we are being asked to distance ourselves from each other. I want to assure you that our plan forward is to not shut down church operations, but to remain in an online service format.

Proverbs 22:3 says,
A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.”

In the spirit of this verse, we want to communicate that our greatest priority is for the safety and well-being of our New Point family and our community. We want to be cautious as to when we will begin meeting again in-person so that we can do our part and help to avoid any future pandemic setbacks. This desire has helped to inform our decision to continue to do what we have already been doing online through the month of May. Both our facility as well as our church model make it very difficult to have in-person gatherings while still maintaining the social distancing recommendations.

We have always believed that the church has nothing to do with a building, and everything to do with the people. So, during this time we will live that out as we come together via technology in our homes.

We also believe very strongly that we have an important witness within our community to uphold. The last thing we want is to be seen by non-churched people who are far from God, those whom we are trying to reach, that we are not taking this crisis seriously. We want everyone in our community to know that their health and safety matters to us.

As of today, here are the actions we are taking as a church:

Sunday Service

  • Services will be held online through May 31st.
  • We will reassess the situation at that time and continue to follow the state and federal guidelines for large gatherings.
  • Services will be streamed live via our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Please join us online each Sunday Morning at 10 am. We are happy to assist if you think you may need technical guidance for joining us online.

Adult Classes

  • Men’s Bible Studypostponed until further notice

Life Groups

  • You are encouraged to still stay connected with the people and families in your life group even though you can’t meet in person. I would suggest holding a video call with your life group for a digital gathering.
  • If you would like to be added to a current life group, please let us know.

Church Needs

  • If you have a need we can help with during this time, such as getting groceries or supplies, paying bills, providing emotional and spiritual support, please let us know.
  • If you have the ability to help those in need, please let us know what you’re able to help with – running errands, providing financial support, reaching out and sending encouragement, etc.

One Last Reminder

We want you to understand that we are not operating out of fear, but rather are trying to exercise great wisdom and caution. Not only do we want it to be legal to meet in person, but we want it to be wise and safe as well. Until that is the case, we will continue to meet as a church online.

This will not last forever. We know that there will come a point where we will need to begin slowly reopening our facility, and we can’t wait for that day! That plan and those details are currently being worked on and prayed through. We ask you for your prayer, your patience and your grace as we are navigating through a time that none of us have experienced before.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 4:6-7

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