Dear Church Family,

I hope this letter finds you well! It’s hard to believe that it’s been two months since we last gathered together in our church building. During this time we’ve become more familiar with Facebook, YouTube, Zoom, and worshipping the Lord together online. I’m thankful for the technology that we have available to us. At the same time, I recognize that nothing can take the place of physically gathering together. 

This is an interesting time for the church. We long to gather together but we also want to guard against spreading the virus that threatens those most vulnerable among us. Thankfully we have seen the number of cases of those infected with virus decrease in our city and state. With the decrease in cases, the governor has lifted many of the restrictions on businesses and other activities. In view of this trend, the deacons and I believe that we can begin to safely reopen our church facility. This reopening will be gradual. We will seek to adhere to the guidelines for gathering suggested by the Center for Disease Control and the executive orders by the governor of the state of Georgia. We are continuing to monitor the virus situation locally and will modify our decision if necessary.

On Sunday, June 7th our church will have a worship service at 11am in the Sanctuary. Here are some things you need to know if you plan on attending the worship service.

• There will be no Sunday School, Children’s Church, or nursery. 

• We ask that you refrain from shaking hands or touching anyone. Greet each other with a wave.

• We ask that everyone enter through the front of the Sanctuary. If you need to enter through an entrance that is handicap accessible please let me, one of the deacons, or one of the ushers know prior to the service.

• We will have the ushers open the doors for you or the doors will be propped open. We ask that you try to refrain from touching the doors.

• There will be hand sanitizer in the vestibule. Children under the age of 2 should not use hand sanitizer.

• The ushers will escort you to your seat in the Sanctuary. We will follow social distancing guidelines which require us to be six feet apart. People living in the same household may sit together. At the end of the service we ask that you remain seated until the ushers dismiss your row. This will help us maintain the social distancing guideline throughout our service from beginning to end.

• Wearing masks is optional. We will have masks available for you to use if you need one. Masks should not be used on children under the age of 2.

• We will have offering plates set up in the vestibule. If you would like to give your offering you can place it in the offering plate before or after the service. We will not be passing the offering plate during the service.

• The bathrooms located directly behind the Sanctuary will be open. We ask that only one person enter the bathroom at one time unless you are escorting a child. We ask that children be escorted to the bathroom by their parent or guardian to ensure these guidelines are followed.

• We ask that you do not go into other parts of the church facility at this time.

• We ask that if you’re sick that you do not attend. We ask that if you’ve been around someone who has shown symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days that you do not attend. We will record the service and make it available online.

• We ask that if you’re in the vulnerable category that you continue to shelter-in-place until the governor’s executive order is lifted on June 12th.

Following these guidelines will allow us to begin to safely gather in our building. As time goes on we will gradually restart our other activities. Please continue to pray for me and the deacons as we seek to make plans that are wise. I’m looking forward to seeing you all soon. In the meantime, let us continue to trust the Lord who is our refuge and strength and let us continue to represent Christ well to our city!

In Christ,

Pastor Ron Jones

Dear Church Family,

  Truellen Baker has put together a wonderful prayer guide for us for the National Day of Prayer. I encourage you to take some time today and pray through this guide as we lift up our nation together!

In Christ,

Ron

National Day of Prayer 

Prayer Guide

May 7, 2020      

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”   II Chronicles 7:14

Introduction:  Never has our Nation needed our prayers as much as now.  If you will, use this guide just as if you were in the service.  There is a topic and a prayer to introduce and then if you will,  spend time on each topic after the printed prayer,  praying your own prayers for that topic.

COVID 19 in our Nation

Lord, grant us all the strength we need today during this crisis to serve one another in love.  We especially pray your extra measure of protection on those doctors, nurses, and medical personnel of all kind on the front line.

Also, Lord there are those who are essential workers that provide good nutrition, clean water, sanitation, electricity, access to one another by communication and technology.  For each and every person, we ask Your blessing and protection.  Remind us of our responsibility to encourage them by expressing our gratitude as we have the opportunity.

In this crisis we praise you for Jesus, the high and safe Rock, the ultimate trustworthy foundation for any and every storm of life.  

COVID 19 Recovery and Protection

Asking You, Merciful and Able Father, to give those scientists working on COVID the knowledge needed to develop the safest and most effective medicines and therapies to help the ill recover and protect the well from contracting the virus.  Give those physicians and agencies delegated with such authority the wisdom to approve the release and apply the use of those treatments to patients in Your perfect timing.  We pray for this, Lord Jesus, to minimize the suffering and loss of life this contagion is leaving in its wake.

 COVID 19 and our Elderly, Nursing Home Residents, and Those Hospitalized

Lord,  2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”  Those at home sheltering in place for a very long time, Nursing Home Residents that can’t have visitors and those hospitalized that are there with no visitors feel so isolated.  I pray they feel Your Loving Arms around them and Your UNLIMITED Love for them.

President and His Advisors

Lord, You have said that “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  James 1:5  On behalf of the President of the United States, I pray for him to have wisdom, discernment, and knowledge for every decision he needs to make.  I pray that the president and his advisors will not just do what seems right, but will seek Your counsel so they will do that which they know is right in Your eyes.

National Security

Lord,  help those in charge of our National Security to make decisions according to Your will and Your ways.  Show our leaders of National Security wise things to do and the precautions to take in order to insure our safety.  Guide them in installing the most effective measures for protecting the people of our country.

Justices of Supreme Court

Lord, I pray that each of our Supreme Court Justices would meditate on Your laws before they interpret the laws of the land.  Give every judge the wisdom and integrity to judge righteously so they will never violate Your laws, and may Your will be done in each decision they make.

Military

Lord, give godly wisdom to those in high office in our military to make the right decisions in defending our country.  

I pray for protection of all the men and women of our armed forces.  When they must go into battle, put a hedge of protection around them.  Give them strength to endure.

Spiritual Life of the Nation

Lord, how I thank you that even with this terrible Pandemic the good that has come is that your Gospel is being put out there in all kind of media more than ever before.  I pray for every person sharing the gospel from Sermons, Sunday School Lessons, and Bible Studies to be led by Your Holy Spirit to give just what is needed from You to bring Spiritual Healing to our nation.

Economy of the Nation

Lord, we are facing a crisis in the economy of our nation due to the pandemic.  I pray that You would give those in positions of making decisions regarding our economy Your wisdom in these decisions.  Especially protect people living in poverty, or on the edge of it, who are most painfully affected by our slipping economy. 

Educators, Teachers, and Students

Father, all three of the above are being challenged in different ways because of the pandemic.  Help them to feel Your presence and seek Your guidance in decisions that are so different from any they have had to make before.  

Please continue to help the technology to stay up and running so our students can finish the year strong.

Local Government 

Lord, I pray you would give our local officials Your wisdom in decisions they are needing to make that are so new to them.

Local Policemen and Firemen

Protect our local police and firemen as they continue to do their job in these challenging days.

As we close our prayer time Lord, help us always to be reminded that our weapons of warfare are always Prayer and God’s Word.

“Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7