On March 8th, 2020, we gathered to worship the Lord. We prayed, I preached from 1 Corinthians 9, and not a single one of us knew that it would be the last time for an untold amount of time. Now, June 12, 2020, 96 days later, we are finally going to join together again, in person, to worship the Lord, to pray, to open the Word of God and be united as a church!
In light of COVID-19 the school remains closed as a gathering place. I shared several weeks ago that Byron Baptist Church had graciously offered to meet the need that we have for a place to gather. This past week we were able to work out the details to make that happen.
Starting this Sunday, June 14th, at 6pm, The Village Church will begin meeting in the gym of the Byron Baptist Church (located at 410 N. Ann St., Byron, MI 48418).
Church, give praise and glory to God for His provision! What a great, awesome, and loving God we serve, that he should provide for us in this way!
Now, a few words about what all of this means. First, Byron Baptist Church and The Village Church are two separate churches using a shared space. We have enjoyed the Lord's favor in the things we have partnered together on over the past 3 years, and now that partnership has gone to a new level. As we always have with the school, we will seek to take as good of care of the facility offered to us. Our setup will look different for awhile and a new gathering place means new ways to serve. As we are regathering after a major global health crisis, we will be taking precautions to protect the people of both churches.
Hand sanitizer will be available.
Contact surface touch points will be limited.
Masks, though not be required, are perfectly acceptable if you prefer.
There will be no nursery care or children's classes for a time.
Maintaining a personal space of at least six feet between family groups is recommended, chairs will be preset for this.
When we partake of the Lord's Supper, communion will be served in prepackaged sets.
We will do our best to maintain a live stream for those worshiping from home.
We should refrain from hand shakes and hugs as much as possible.
The giving box will be available for your financial contributions, or you can opt to give online and eliminate that point of contact if you choose.
If you are not feeling well, please feel free to stay home and join online if able.
As always, operate in love toward your neighbor. No matter how you feel about any of these things for the sake of those around you, we must first love one another!
It is my earnest hope and prayer that all of these accommodations will provide enough peace of mind for everyone who is able to again join us as we gather together. If you have any questions or concerns, please, as always, feel free to contact me! Church, I cannot wait to be with you! I cannot wait to unite in prayer together! I can't wait to lift our voices together in song! I feel as though I've been in a dry and desert land and now the Lord is sending rain! Praise to God and all glory to His name! I'll see you Sunday!
Grace & Peace,
John
(You can reach Pastor John at jwhite@thevillagemi.com)