March 16, 2020
Dear Christ Community Family,
Thanks for your continual patience during this uncertain time where it seems like information, data, and facts continue to be ever-changing every single minute. Thanks also for those of you who joined our worship service in person or via Facebook Live yesterday. I pray that God's Word from 1 Peter 4 was a very important encouragement and challenge for you all to "live according to His Spirit."
As of Monday, March 16, the first deaths in regards to the COVID-19 Virus on Long Island occurred here in Suffolk County. Suffolk County has a reported 63 cases, Nassau County has 109, and New York state as a whole has 950 cases. (Source). Obviously the numbers will continue to fluctuate based on the increasing testing capabilities in the coming week. If you have been keeping up with the news, our county executive and governor has laid out several changes and guidelines in attempts to prevent the spread of the virus over the past 24-hours. The Church Council therefore has officially voted on our response in how we will proceed this week:
1. Tuesday Ladies Bible Study (3/17) is canceled
2. Tuesday AA Meeting (3/19) is canceled
3. Thursday Morning Prayer Gathering (3/19) is canceled
4. Saturday Men's Bible Study (3/21) is canceled
5. Saturday AA Meeting (3/21) is canceled.
6. Pastor James will be leading a special prayer meeting on Facebook Live on Thursday Night, March 19 from 7:00 pm to 7:20 pm. More information will be available on social media.
7. Council will hold a Special Meeting on Saturday, March 21 to pray, discuss and discern about our Sunday Worship Service and other church activities in regards to how we will proceed.
8. Council asks Congregation for continual prayer and patience during this time together as one church family. Council also asks that we come together for any of our "higher risk" church family members if there is a need.
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If you have any questions, needs, or pastoral concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to one of our council members. Matthew 10:29 reminds us that a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without our God the Father's permission. The devil may think they're winning because we're cancelling our bible studies this week. But I pray that this is an opportunity for our church family to let prayers and the proclamation of the gospel flow in any and every medium! Hope to see you on Facebook Live on Thursday. Please stay safe and healthy!
With love in Christ,
Pastor James
on behalf of the Church Council
March 14 - Update 3
March 14, 2020
Dear Christ Community Family,
I write to you again because I want to continue to be transparent during this very unique situation we are in. If we look at Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 10, it shares with us that "The almighty and ever present power of God by which God upholds, as with His hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty- all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but by His Fatherly hand." God is still in control! Our God is almighty and sovereign! I hope this is an encouragement to you amid this time of fear and uncertainty.
Our Church Council has continued to be in prayer and has been monitoring the situation closely. Our Pastor has also been in regular contact with fellow clergy throughout our area and among our sister churches. We want to find the balance where we exhibit caution and showcase our faith in Christ. Please read the following details as we go into the Lord's Day:
- [Extra Sanitizing & Disinfecting] We had a special team come to church early this afternoon to work extensively on every pew, door knob, and other important parts of our church campus so that we can be prepared for our Sunday Worship!
- [Sunday, March 15 Schedule]
(1) There will be no Public Reading of Scripture at 9:30 am
(2) We will still be gathering for Sunday Worship at 10:30 am.
(3) There will be no greeting time in the middle of our service
(4) Offering Plates will not be handed out, but rather will be located either at the front of back of the sanctuary.
(5) There will be no Children's Ministry
(6) Nursery and all Classrooms will be closed for the day
(7) There will be no Fellowship Hour (Refreshments) after worship.
If you are elderly, exhibiting any symptoms, or have any other existing conditions, we encourage you to stay home, protect yourself and your family, and utilize our Facebook Live option. You can also find previous sermons on our SoundCloud. Online Offering will be available through Zelle (admin@cccei.org), Paypal or Venmo (@ccceastislip). If that doesn't work, you can always send in a check to our church address. Further updates regarding the situation and all other church gatherings will be updated via email, social media, or on the new webpage by Tuesday morning.
Thank you so much for being part of our church family. Whether it's in person or via Facebook Live, I look forward to all of us coming together in body or in spirit to worship our sovereign Lord together tomorrow!
With love in Christ,
Pastor James & Church Council
March 13 - Update 2
March 13, 2020
Dear Christ Community Family,
"God is our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Therefore, we will not fear..." (Psalm 46:1). The situation in our town and county has changed drastically over the past week in regards to the COVID-19/corona virus. But our God has not changed. He is still in control through it all. He is still on the throne!
The Church Council has been communicating daily in regards to being mindful and sensitive to this fluid situation. We want to be transparent and want to ensure that we are all on the same page. We do not want to react out of fear, but want to respond with Christ's wisdom and love. The following bullet points are where we currently stand at this moment:
- Men's Bible Study and AA Meeting will gather as scheduled tomorrow, Saturday, March 14.
- Public Reading of Scripture, and our Sunday Worship Service will still occur on Sunday, March 15 (without the greeting time)
- There will be no Children's Ministry this Sunday, March 15, and the use of the Nursery will be prohibited. (We will reassess on a week-to-week basis).
- There will be no Fellowship Hour (Refreshments) after service on Sunday, March 15 and Sunday, March 22.
- If you are feeling under the weather or feel uncomfortable about coming to church, we encourage you to utilize the Facebook Live service we have available.
- If you are unable to make it to church, Online Offering via Paypal and Venmo has been set up. You can also mail in a check to the church address.
- Our March Community Groups has been cancelled
- Ladies Bible Study and AA Meeting will still gather as scheduled on Tuesday, March 17.
- Our Prayer Gathering scheduled for Thursday, March 19 has been canceled.
- If you would like to volunteer to assist in the continual cleaning and disinfecting of the church, please speak with Ed.
Once again, because this is a very fluid situation, we have set up a blog page on our church website to continue to share where we stand. You can find the site at: www.cccei.org/covid-19-response. This blog will continue to be updated on a need basis. If the situation worsens over the next 24 to 48 hours affecting our ability to gather Sunday Morning, you will be notified via email, phone call, text, social media, and our website by 8:00am. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of our council members.
With love in Christ,
Pastor James & Church Council
March 12 - Update 1
Dear Christ Community Family,
As the NBA Season gets suspended, several major universities switch to an online/distance learning platform, and our president announcing last night a travel ban for 30 days from Europe to the United States, I have been praying about what our best response, action plan should be. As of today Thursday, March 12 at 2:00pm, there are 16 positive cases in Suffolk County, and 1 here in our Town of Islip. I want us to be mindful, not incite any fear, but be prayerfully prepared as a community of faith. Below you will see a "Level 1, Level 2, Level 3" response that our Church Council has agreed upon. The Church Council will announce via website, email, social media, and phone calls within your community groups if there any changes necessary before 8:30am Sunday Morning. But as of now, we are currently at Level 1 (You can see below for further details).
May we continue to be praying for our state, our nation and our world, especially all those who are affected and those in the medical field that are working around the clock. Please don't hesitate to reach out to the Church Council if you have any questions.
With love in Christ,
Pastor James
and Church Council
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Level 1
- Our Church will be mindful and prayerful of this fluid situation
- ALL CHURCH ACTIVITIES (Sunday Worship, Tuesday Bible Study, Saturday Bible Study, Prayer Gathering, Community Groups) will continue on as scheduled
- If you are feeling under the weather, please refrain from attending church gathering, but do please participate via Facebook Live if possible. Please also see a health care provider, if able.
- "Greeting Time" in the Sunday Service will not occur.
- Our Church will do their best to readily provide hand sanitizer (with over 60% alcohol) for each church gathering
- Our Church will do their best to ensure the sanitizing of various, important areas of the church campus
- Our Church will continue to encourage preventative measures like washing hands, etc.
- Our Church will continue to share any instructions given by the CDC, Suffolk County Department of Health, or the New York State Department of Health.
Level 2
- Our Church will be mindful and prayerful of this fluid situation
- ALL Church Gatherings outside of Sunday (Tuesday Bible Study, Saturday Bible Study, Prayer Gathering, Community Groups) will be cancelled until further notice.
- This includes ALL Fellowship Opportunities (such as Coffee Hour after service); which will be cancelled until further notice.
- Sunday Worship Service will continue WITHOUT the "Greeting Time" in our worship order.
- Our Church will continue to provide and encourage Facebook Live and an Online Offering Service for those that are under the weather or are uncomfortable of attending our Sunday Worship Service
- Our Church Council will launch a Special Visitation Team for those who need a pastoral care visit (esp. if one may be under quarantine, or unable to come to church). This can be a physical or virtual visit based on context and situation.
- Our Church will do their best to readily provide hand sanitizer (with over 60% alcohol) at each Sunday Worship Service.
- Our Church will do their best to ensure the sanitizing of various, important areas of the church campus
- Our Church will continue to encourage preventative measures like washing hands, etc.
- Our Church will continue to share any instructions given by the CDC, Suffolk County Department of Health, or the New York State Department of Health.
Level 3
- Our Church will be mindful and prayerful of this fluid situation
- ALL Church Gatherings (including our Sunday Worship Service, Tuesday Bible Study, Saturday Bible Study, Prayer Gathering, Community Groups, and other Fellowship opportunities) will be cancelled until further notice.
- Our Church Council will be mindful about cancellation and will provide all necessary information if needed.
- Our Pastor will lead a virtual "Facebook Live" or "YouTube Live" Worship Service, and Prayer Gatherings on Sunday and Thursday on the weeks/weekends that there will be no worship service.
- Online Offering Service will be shared and encouraged.
- Our Church Council will launch a Special Visitation Team for those who need a pastoral care visit (esp. if one may be under quarantine, or unable to come to church). This can be a physical or virtual visit based on context and situation.
- Our Church will do their best to readily provide hand sanitizer (with over 60% alcohol) at each Sunday Worship Service.
- Our Church will do their best to ensure the sanitizing of various, important areas of the church campus
- Our Church will continue to encourage preventative measures like washing hands, etc.
- Our Church will continue to share any instructions given by the CDC, or the Suffolk County Department of Health.
You can see the following links for further information:
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/guidance-community-faith-organizations.html
- https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Health-Services/Health-Bulletins/Novel-Coronavirus
- https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-we-know-coronavirus/