An Update and Letter to the Church Scattered.

“I know this is a long update, but I am asking you to please read it all. This is our most up to date information yet.”

          If you are watching the news, and the daily public addresses from Governor Wolf and President Trump, then you know so much is changing every day in our region, country, and world. Today, the cases of COVID-19 increased in Lancaster, and in an effort to slow the spread, our county was placed under a “stay-at-home” order by Governor Wolf.  Each day the positive cases of COVID-19 continue to climb at alarming rates. Many of us are watching and praying, well aware that there just is not a lot that we can do right now. 

          It is hard to believe, but it also has been three weeks since we have been able to meet together in our building. Though a true church is not defined by its gathering, we also lament our inability to invest in relationships. Please know that I miss you all. We aren’t assembled, but a church not gathered, is a just scattered on mission.

          Through this difficult time, I’ve done my best to communicate along the way. We are using six ways to communicate our updates. We are using a text messenger app (Pastor’s Line), an e-mail app (Mailchimp), our website (EastPetersburgChurch.com), Zoom, Facebook, and Restream.io (Streaming to Facebook and YouTube). Moving forward, the best way for us to distribute news and updates, will be through three main avenues – e-mail, texting, and our website. Please contact Pastor Jeff if you need to sign up for these services. The following updates have been sent:

• 03/25/2020 – Friday Evening Zoom Gathering
• 03/23/2020 – Prayer Time: Tuesday at 10 A.M. | ONLINE
• 03/18/2020 – Our Commitment to be the CHURCH and how you play a PART.
• 03/17/2020 – Tuesday we are inviting you to join us for a time of prayer.
• 03/15/2020 – From Pastor Jeff | A reminder, update, commitment, and call to prayer.
• 03/13/2020 – Church is canceled!
• 03/12/2020 – Update on COVID-19 Protocols and Procedures for EPMC
• 03/07/2020 – Coronavirus | Cares and Concerns for our Church Community

          We’ve also experimented with different ways to gather. I’m thankful for those who’ve modeled connection, care, and commitment by taking part in these new ways to gather, worship, celebrate, and be equipped. Last Sunday we streamed a worship gathering to Facebook and YouTube. Tuesdays, we gather for prayer online. Thursday through Zoom and had a chance to see each other face to face. If you have not taken part of these events, try them moving forward! If you have been taking part, I challenge you to invite another person this week. There are “non-public” gatherings online of Sunday Schools and kids groups, but our public schedule looks like this. Please note I mentioned using Zoom as a possible Sunday morning experience, but we will live stream for best accessibility. 

• Live! Worship Gathering | Sunday, March 29 & April 5, 10:00 A.M. Streaming live on our Website, Facebook and YouTube.
• Live! Prayer Together | Tuesday, March 31 & April 7, 10:00 A.M. Streaming live on our Website, Facebook, and YouTube.
• We are family: Zoom | Thursday, April 2 & April 9, 4:00 P.M. Using the Zoom App on your phone or computer, see each other!
• Stories | On Fridays we will record short interviews with those in our church and local area. They will be available on Facebook and YouTube.

          This week I had a chance to connect on two conference calls – one with the Pennsylvania Health Secretary (Dr. Rachael Levine) and also with Dr. Ed Stetzer (Billy Graham Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College) on Coronavirus and the Church. I found both very informative. The former was information for pastors from the STate, as well as a chance to pray with our leaders. We must continue to pray for those on the frontline of this virus. Shy of a miracle, it would seem we have many more weeks until this pandemic will reach an apex. The second webinar mentioned how we must stay on mission as a church, despite these new norms. We will continue to plan new ways to be on mission.

We are asking anyone with a prayer item or need, in our neighborhood or church community, to email prayer@eastpetersburgchurch.com or text (717) 569-9931! If you want to talk to Pastor Jeff (through Zoom) about how you are wrestling at this time, use this link (Meetingbird) to set up a time to connect and have a conversation with Pastor Jeff.

          It is important to note, COVID-19 will prevent us from gathering for an extended period of time. Weddings and funerals are also halted or limited to under ten people. This week, many asked me questions about our ability to meet in homes or as a “drive-in” or “drive-thru” church. While I value the creativity behind these ideas, we were told on our phone call that such actions would not be in compliance with the state guidelines, and would put many people at risk.

          There are several ways in which we as a Ministry Team are continuing to plan for future events, looking forward to a day when life returns to normal, and it will resume someday. I know that each one of us on the Ministry Team has been busy trying to figure out how we engage through these new challenges. We invite your prayers and encouragements as we move forward. As I said over the past few weeks, there are six ways in which we continue as the Ministry Team to be committed to be the CHURCH in this time.

• Caring by praying, being available for pastoral care, and relaying resources.
• Helping by responding to the needs of our members and neighbors.
• Utilizing new ways to teach, disciple, and witness to the reigning goodness and goodness of Jesus in our church and our neighborhood.
• Resourcing you (and your families) to live and love like Jesus in this time of great spiritual need.
• Continually paying attention to science, news, prophetic insight, and spiritual leaders to know how we should respond as a church community.
• Hearing the voice of God, studying the witness of the early church in similar times, and studying/teaching the scriptures.

          However, there are still roles for you to play as PART of the church. When the church is not assembled, in a time of great need, there is even more time to act and be called on a mission. We are asking you to continue to be PART of our church community by;

• Pray. Pray with us, for us, for your neighbors, and against this virus.
• Associating. Don’t write off the community. Do your best to engage email, text, Facebook, phones, and more. Tell us how to pray for you!
• Reach out to church members, our church office, in ways that might witness and proclaim the love of God in their life!
• Tithe. Continue to show the invested commitment to our church community through the financial commitment we find throughout scriptures. You can mail it or use our App or Tithe.ly.

          Many of us are facing unknowns, and fear and emotions arise in these circumstances. I will continue to pray for each of your situations. There are many individuals in our neighborhood and church community that are also facing these struggles. We must find ways to be on mission, in spite of our natural instinct to withdraw and protect. John Wimber used to say, “Faith is spelled R-I-S-K.” While I know finding that balance between strategic and faith is hard, as I said last week in my sermon message on 2 Timothy 1:7, we must LIMIT ourselves from living in fear, by:

• Learning to frame our minutes and days through the Great Commision, Great Commandment, and Great Compassion (love and healing).
• Invading our anxious moments with scriptures and prayer.
• Muting our TVs, phones, social media accounts, when needed.
• Investing in others, when fear wants to drive us into isolation and ourselves.
• Thanking God. Turn to an awareness of what you have before you in the moment.

          If you want to talk to Pastor Jeff (through Zoom) about how you are wrestling at this time, use this link (Meetingbird) to set up a time to connect and have a conversation with Pastor Jeff. Also, reach out to Derrick, Josh or I (Jeff) if you have questions on how to explore these options in your neighborhood, family, or another community. Please note, each week Derrick has also been emailing great family devotional activities to use. If you are not getting them, reach out to Derrick.

          I look forward to meeting with you this Sunday morning, as we talk about MISSION in a time of pandemic. Here are a few resources you may find helpful.

• A fun and meaningful Kids Worship Playlist on Spotify. (I put this together!)
• How do I join in a Zoom meeting?
• Wrestling with Anxiety.
• Christians, this is our moment by Ed Stetzer.
• MCC’s response to COVID-19.
• Listen to our sermon message archive.
• Email prayer requests to prayer@eastpetersburgchurch.com!
• Use this link (Meetingbird) to set up a time to connect and have a conversation with Pastor Jeff through Zoom.