MONDAY, 3/16, CROSSROADS & CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Brothers, Sisters, and Friends, during this unusual season, I hope to send out daily updates like this. Please let your friends know to get on the email list or check the church website.  ~ Pastor Mike

PRAYER FOCUS TODAY

Pray for your leaders — parents, church, school, work, as well as local, state, and national  government. We all need wisdom, humility, courage, and grace.

REFLECTION

Yesterday was strange, wasn’t it? Were you able to sing, read and pray?

My family gathered together in our living room around 11 AM. We projected some song lyrics on the TV screen.  I tried to play along with my guitar. Some songs and hymns went better than others. It was different to say the least!

We read Hebrews 10:19-25, including this verse:

…not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. -- Hebrews 10:25 (NASB95) 

I asked my family, “Are we sinning by staying home right now since the passage says we should not forsake gathering together?”

How would you answer that question?  My family had some great thoughts from various ages. Their observations and mine are:

• A habit is in view, not a pause. We are in the habit of gathering and this is not normal.
• The motive matters. We don’t want to stay home. We’d rather gather together, but out of love, we are sacrificing.
• No passage stands alone. We must consider this verse in light of other Scriptures.  The law is summed up as Love God AND love neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). 

In this season we are all attempting to balance our good desires — not only the desire to worship, but also for community, for work and income, for play and rest — and the costly effort to “love our neighbor” in unusual circumstances. 

It’s not easy. In fact, it just got harder. The CDC is now recommending “that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.”

CURRENT PLAN

This is a challenging season. For that reason, I hope to update you daily. On top of that, your elders are meeting this week to pray and evaluate our path forward. Please pray for us as we consider how to shepherd the flock and make wise decisions.

Meanwhile, the current plan remains the same: all “in person” Crossroads Community Church activities are canceled through this Sunday (3/22), including worship as well as mid-week activities like Crossroads in the Winter, Sister Circles and deacon meetings.  

We hope to offer some sort of online service next week and additional resources. Meanwhile, Pastor David recorded the sermon he prepared for yesterday at his home. It’s available online now (here’s the link: “The Transforming Power of God’s Word”).

If you have any needs, please reach out to me, another elder, a deacon, or the church office. 

God bless you and keep you this day and always!

In Christ, 

Michael Quillen

Crossroads Community Church

A diverse people, united in Christ, with hearts being transformed by God’s Word, to expand His kingdom in our community