Closing for COVID-19
Church Family,
COVID-19 has changed a lot in our world over just the course of a few weeks and days. First, I want to encourage you by saying that things may have changed for a time, but remember that God and His Word never change! Second, this virus may have caught the world by surprise, but we know that it did not catch God by surprise. If you are worried, which may be a natural reaction, fight against that worry by reminding yourself that God is still God. He is our solid foundation that is never shaken, and that truth gives us hope beyond anything this world can throw at us!
So with that, we also need to remember that this too shall pass. But, for the time being, this pandemic is causing us to adjust as a church. Below is a list of the actions that we are taking as a church:
1) Pray. We should always pray, and this virus is no exception. Pray for the health of your neighbor. Please pray for our shut-ins and those who are at a higher risk. Pray for your church and its leadership as it tries to navigate these unusual times. Pray for God to bring an end to this virus. Pray because prayer works!
2) Serve. This virus does bring an end to some of our regular avenues of ministry, but it does not bring an end to ministry! Call that person that is at higher risk and ask if you can run any errands for them. Be willing to provide food or care for those children whose parents aren’t sure what to do with the closing of schools. Also, realize that many are thinking about the reality of death at this time. Be prepared to tell them about the comfort you find in Christ.
3) Worship. Given the new numbers given by our government that warn against gathering, we will be canceling all on campus services through the end of March. This was not an easy decision to make, but the leadership at Hopewell thought that it was the best one. We want to love our neighbor by slowing the spread, and we show that love by obeying. HOWEVER, do notice that what we did not say is that the church is closed. Brother and sister, we are the church! It doesn’t close! We will still be holding services. On Sunday, we will livestream a time of teaching on Facebook. This video will also be recorded so that you can listen to it later if you need to, but I really want to encourage you to join us as we go live on Sunday. We will have more details as Sunday approaches.
4) Study. As for our other services, we are going to try using ZOOM. Basically it is group video meeting where everyone can discuss questions, just as if we are in the room together. All you need to participate is a cell-phone or a laptop with a webcam. The links will be sent via email, so if you have not been receiving the weekly emails, make sure to send me your email address so you don’t miss out on this opportunity.
5) Give. While many things are changing during this virus, the church is still at work. There are still ministries that will need to be funded and there will still be bills due. It is imperative that you continue to honor God by the giving of your tithes and offerings, especially during this difficult time. I think it will be an awesome testimony to the church if after this pandemic, we are able to say, the church never slowed down. We adapted and we continued to serve the Lord! So, we have 3 ways that you can continue to give. FIRST, you can give by mailing your gift to 3530 Hopewell Rd., Anderson, SC 29621. SECOND, if you would like, we can arrange to have your gift picked up so that it does not have to go through the mail. Just contact me to schedule that. FINALLY, we wanted to have an easy online way for you to give. Simply click this link (https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/1302026) and you will be taken to a secure website to give online. If you are curious about security, I assure you that it is widely used by churches and is secure, but if you would like to read about it click here. The link to give will also be at the top of our webpage at hbcanderson.com.
I know this was a long message, but we have loads of information to give you. If you have any questions, please just let me know.
Serving Him,
Pastor Dalton