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