Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The story of Holy Week is nothing less than the climax of the Gospel story itself. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has taken upon himself the sins of the world and has overcome the sting of death. We can rest assured that if he is Lord over sin and death, then he is certainly Lord over the Coronavirus. The death and resurrection of Christ gives us confidence that no matter the circumstances, we can stand firm and not be shaken because our sins are forgiven and we belong to the risen Lord.
Here are some things to keep in mind this week:
Good Friday and Easter Sunday services: This Friday we will email and post on our website the Good Friday service. This is a service when we look back to the death of Jesus for our sins and meditate on the meaning of the cross for our lives. On Easter morning, we will also email and post the Easter service. Our sermon text for Easter Sunday will be 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, a powerful passage on the meaning of the resurrection for the life of the Christian.
Send a video greeting to the family of FCC!: We know these are difficult times for being away from your church family. Our ruling elder Tim Wierenga is compiling a collage of video greetings for any who would like to participate. We will share the video on Easter Sunday. Please consider making a 30 second video greeting on your phone or computer and email it to Tim. Please send your greeting to Tim by Saturday at noon so he has sufficient time to compile the video. Contact Tim if you have any questions.
Guest Preacher on April 19th and 26th: Ted Powers will be delivering the sermon on Sunday, April 19th and Sunday, April 26th. Ted is a Teaching Elder in our denomination and a seasoned pastor. He has preached at our church on several occasions in the past.
Thirty Days of Prayer: If you have not been using the resource 30 Days of Prayer for the Church, Nation, and World, it’s not too late to get started! This is a prayer guide assembled by our denomination to help us pursue the Lord in prayer in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic. For each day there is a brief Scripture reading, guidance for prayer, and a short video.
Volunteer to sew face masks: If you have a sewing machine, and would like to learn how to sew face masks that will be donated to those in need, please contact Natalie Wierenga. Natalie will provide you with further information and sewing instructions. We are very thankful for Natalie’s leadership and service in overseeing this project.
I can only say that I have been so encouraged by the outpouring of love I have seen in our church over the last several weeks, through phone calls, cards, financial generosity, and offers to pick up groceries. I am thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to shepherd a people that desire so clearly to follow and serve Jesus Christ and to show his love to one another.
If you have a pastoral, financial, or material need during this season, please do not hesitate to contact me or one of the elders.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
In Him,
Pastor Rhett