Passover week begins this evening at sundown for Jews all over the world. Happy Passover friends. Many will celebrate their Seder meal tonight ‘virtually’ with family and friends. This is one of the many email invites posted on the internet, I love the positivity… “Next year we meet in person, join us for a virtual Seder, April 8, 2020, 5:30 pm.”
Our own virtual story is burgeoning…
From Meredith: “Last evening 2 of my grandchildren contacted their siblings plus Deb and me requesting we download the app Houseparty. They encouraged us to with the promise of games and prizes. So 10 of us joined together on our phones. We played a trivia game with Edie and Maureen asking questions. We all laughed so much and enjoyed such a wonderful time together. What a blessing!!! It was so nice to see them !! I know many people are connecting this way and I am so thankful. God is Sovereign, we are all sinners ,Jesus is our Savior. Thank you Pastor Mike for keeping everyone connected.”
Here’s how…. I (Pastor Mike) am different, Our church (Christian Life Chapel) is different.
[Developing] Ways in which I your Pastor and we as a Church will never be the same after this pandemic:
- We will thrive with an attitude of God’s abundant provisions. We will not retreat to a pre-pandemic world that no longer exists. We do have all the resources we need right now to move forward.
- We have doubled down on our appreciation that our leased physical church facility is not always necessary for church ministry. This building is a means, not the end. For sure, I will be glad to see you able to return to 392 South Main Street. I’m reminded as I read Scriptures; clearly, the church was originally called to go to the community, not to make excessive efforts to get the community to come to church.
- We see now how the digital ‘virtual’ world is an amazing opportunity for the gospel rather than an evil to be cursed, “nothing good ever happens on the internet.” What a difference a pandemic makes! Yes, the internet has evil in it. My whole world has evil in it. I am re-thinking how CLC can engage the digital world. This pandemic has opened up my eyes to countless new possibilities.
- We will continue to struggle with how to do ‘pastoral care.’ That reality has been made clearer in these weeks through ‘shelter-in-place/self-quarantining directives. I feel like a dinosaur. Metrics suggest we have more hits on our website each week than we have had people on Sunday morning worship. “Virtual” worship and “Virtual” pastoral care scares me. A renewed sense of mission and priorities will be appreciated.
- We read that the New Testament Apostles saw their function as “prayer and the ministry of the Word” to every person they could reach in their ever-changing world. Looking out six months from now we choose not to fail by adapting and moving forward however God leads. Will you join me? The footprint of Christian Life Chapel will increase as the love of Christ shines forth through each of our lives. As we ask God to do the heavy-lifting in this regard we will discover that He always was doing the heavy-lifting. But now it is before our eyes.
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS, TONIGHT AND GOING FORWARD I AM HOSTING THE REMAINDER OF OUR MEN’S AND LADIES BIBLE STUDY SERIES, “RISEN.” In the New Testament there are over 50 references to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 50 contexts around those references which beg our inquiry. 50 reasons why the resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything for YOU!
The lesson plan for tonight is attached below. Please open it now, then
Call in at 7:00 pm by…
- Dialing 857-444-6500 at 7:00 pm
- Enter the ID Code: 845-101-528 when prompted
- You are in with us!
How are you? Please reply to this email with your testimony and prayer request. Thanks.
Please send all church offerings to: CLC, PO Box 91, Colchester, CT 06415. Thank you.
Pastor Mike Brubaker, DMin