8/4/2020

Dear Boones Creek Church Family,

 

I am writing to you again in the midst of another COVID crisis.  I hope you are staying faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and His high calling for sharing and living out the gospel where God has planted you.  I hope you are finding the Lord Jesus faithful during this time and His grace sufficient each day.

 

I want to update you on our plans for the future here at Boones Creek Baptist Church.  First, however, I want to recap what we have done to deal with this crisis.  When the COVID crisis hit our community the church began to meet online through Facebook live video and the church website March 22, 29, and April 5.  On Easter Sunday, April 12th, the church began to meet outside in the parking lot as well as online.  This format of outside parking lot church and Facebook Live continued from April 12th to May 31st.  Health professionals recommended staying at a distance from one another which made it difficult to have church service inside our normal sanctuary.  So the church leadership thought it best if the church were to meet in person to do so in the Family Life Center where people could spread out.  The church began to meet June 7th in the family life center where it continues to meet each Sunday at 10:30am.  Each Sunday worship service is also being streamed live on Facebook and the church website.  The ministry of the church has continued through this time and will continue to do so no matter what lies ahead in the future.

 

The community has seen the numbers of COVID cases rise dramatically during the month of July.  To be honest, this doesn’t surprise me with the amount of outdoor activities, vacations, and other things that happen in summer months.  I do hope however, that with the summer starting to slow down, maybe the numbers will too.  Many of you have expressed concern about the numbers rising and the possibility of being exposed to the virus at church.  It is for this reason that I want to expand what we are doing as a church to serve you.  Starting on Sunday August 9th there will be an early morning service at 8:30am in the FLC in which everyone that attends is asked to wear a mask.  This will be for anyone that is concerned about being in a crowd or has a higher risk health condition.  At 9:15am our Sunday School will be meeting and then at 10:30am our morning worship will be meeting in the Family Life Center.  The 10:30am service will still be streamed live on Facebook, the Website and broadcasted on the FM transmitter into the parking lot as well.  I want you to be able to come to a church service that you feel secure in attending or be able to sit in the car and listen at the very least.  This format will continue through the month of August and will be evaluated after that point.  So in a nutshell here is our Sunday schedule:

8:30am – FLC worship service (masks)

9:15am – Sunday School 

10:30am – FLC worship service (streamed live & FM transmitter)

 

I want to also inform you about a few other things that will be coming up this month.  On Sunday August 9th in the worship service there will be a time of prayer for our students and their families as they start school.  On Sunday August 16th recent high school and college graduates will be honored during the worship time.  Sunday August 23rd the church will celebrate communion together.  In the effort to keep everyone safe the deacons will be passing out special prepackaged communion cups that are sealed with both the bread and juice.  

 

The church’s personnel team of Dale White, Sandy Stayer, and April Oaks have been diligently working on candidates for worship leader and youth leader.  Both of these positions are very important and have required hours of work.  My prayer is to have both the worship leader and the youth leader positions filled by this fall.  Be praying for the Lord to guide and lead us to the leaders that He has for these ministries.

 

Our giving through weekly tithing has been such a blessing.  The church has given on average $5,763.00 per week year to date.  This is an amazing thing considering all that has happened.  In fact you have given over $1800 YTD more than this time last year!!!  Praise the Lord I say!!  Last month through your faithful giving the church was able to give away a total of $2988.00.  These are dollars that were given away in overseas missions, domestic missions, and to local ministries.  Praise the Lord!!   Please consider keeping this on the forefront of your heart as winter months approach and will face other challenges.  Enclosed in this packet are a few envelopes if you wish to use them.  Donations can still be made online or in person each Sunday into the “red bucket”.    

 

Our Mission Mobilization team has been busy during the past few months praying and serving our community.  During the month of May and June the team had 2 separate days of meal giveaways that resulted in over 100 meals each time being distributed to people in the community.  The team is also planning a clothing giveaway for fall and winter clothing on September 12th at 9am.  So please as you look through your closets and see items that you no longer use, maybe consider donating these to the giveaway.  The team also requests volunteers in preparing the giveaway for the week of September 7th.  So please be on the lookout for these opportunities.

 

The annual homecoming is scheduled for Sunday September 27th.  I know that many of you look forward to this meal and fellowship.  To make things safe for us, the meal will be a bit different this year.  Instead of a traditional “pot luck” meal, this year’s meal will be furnished by the church.  I have had some great volunteers who have offered to prepare smoked barbecue and also prepare additional sides to accommodate.  If there are those of you that would like to make desserts that would be wonderful.  There will be plenty of food if you want to stay and eat on the grounds or if you want to grab a box and go.  I hope you will decide to join us for this special Sunday September 27th remembering our heritage in the Lord.  

 

Thank you church for being so faithful and so loving.  I encourage you to love one another.  The Lord said to the apostle Paul, “and now abide faith, hope, love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.”  The world at times seems so full of bad news, but isn’t it great to know that Christ brings good news.  I find it comforting to know as love abounds among us His good news is working outward.  I pray you are finding His good news refreshing as you live out each day.  Thank you for all you do and for being such a blessing!!! 

 

Pastor Jason Royston