Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be
frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9
The Shepherd's Voice
Cancellation Letter 12.2.20
December 2, 2020
CANCELLATION NOTICE:
Dear Christ's Church Family:
Our on-site worship service scheduled for Sunday, December 6, 2020, has been canceled.
Due to a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in our area, our church leadership has determined that in-person worship is not safe at this time. We are committed to continuing to offer a virtual worship option so that you may join us remotely. You may access the video on our website, from our YouTube channel, or our Facebook page.
Please be reassured that the leadership at Christ's Church in Bowling Green has had in place robust health and safety precautions; however, the recent and dramatic change in infection rates within our community caused us to reconsider our plans out of a strong sense of responsibility to exercise the greatest possible care for one another. Once the local data is within acceptable levels again, we look forward to welcoming you back into the Church building as soon as it is safely possible.
Though the building will remain closed for in-person worship until further notice, the leadership at CCBG will be observing positive case numbers in addition to local and state guidelines as we pray for the well-being of our Church family and community.
When a new date for resumption of on-site worship is decided, the information will be communicated promptly through the website, as well as through emails and texts.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and please feel free to contact the Elders, Pastors, or the Church Office should you have any questions regarding our return to in-person worship services.
Sincerely,
Your Church Leadership
Elders Letter: Back to Church
A Letter from the Leadership
To our Christ's Church family, your Ministers and Elders would like to say thank you! These past two months have been trying for some, depressing for others and at least frustrating for all. Many have been lonely. Some have struggled with illness or injury, and others have had financial shortfalls. But you, our brothers and sisters, have shined in this time of trial! Many of you have made an effort to keep in touch with each other, especially those who are alone. We have heard of giving in the form of gift cards, cash, time, and food. You have been generous to each other individually and to the Church as a whole. We thank the Lord for you all. Your loving obedience has resulted in God's glory.
We are excited to tell you that we will begin meeting again on May 31st. It seems like it's been so long since we've seen each other face to face. We cannot wait to praise Jesus as a family again. We do know that not everyone will feel ready to gather and that is okay. We are doing everything we can to make our get-togethers safe, and over the next few days we will reveal all the changes we have made to protect you from the coronavirus. However, you must decide for yourself if the time is right for you to gather with God's children again publicly. Regardless of your decision we as a leadership will continue to love and support you! All we ask of you is to please continue to show love and grace to your brethren and be mindful of their feelings. We will meet in the right place if we all put others first. Let's make May 31st a day of celebrating all Jesus has done for us and the wonderful church family He has given us!
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
We are so looking forward to seeing you,
The Leadership
A Letter from the Elders
To our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We hope this letter finds you all doing well. We feel it important to continue to connect with each other through this time of “social distancing”. We may not be able to give hugs and handshakes, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t encourage and show our love for one another as we always have, and that is the purpose of this letter. We’d like to share a few things with you.
Number one, you need to know that the leadership has not shut down. We are still communicating with each other and making decisions that we believe will protect and serve the best interests of the congregation. Though this is definitely a trying time, our attitudes remain positive. This time will pass. But even more than that, we trust the Lord to watch out for and guide His people. In this fact, we have our greatest confidence. And so should you.
You may ask, “why would God allow such things?”. We won’t try to claim that it is easy for us to understand God, but we do know this, God has used trials and tragedy as a means to allow Godliness to shine throughout the scriptures. Now is when the world can truly see the difference between all that is good and all that is evil. Children of God sacrifice, they don’t hoard. Children of God help, they don’t hinder. Show the world how your God loves.
Please remember, we are a family. One of the greatest comforts of being a child of God is knowing that your brothers and sisters have your back. Even though we all should know this, in times like these we need to hear it. Call or text one another. Check in on each other, especially those who may have the most needs. It will mean the world to them, and you will surely be blessed in doing it. The world will know that we are God’s children by the way we love one another.
We know that many people are being laid off, some with pay and some without. We should all try to pull our own weight, but there are times when that just isn’t possible. If you are in a position of need, please let us know. We will make the congregation aware of the need and see what help is available. If you are unable or concerned about getting out for groceries, etc., please call the office. Someone will be able to pick things up for you.
For those of you who are able, we want to remind you that we as a congregation still have financial obligations. Please, please, if you can, continue to give so that we can pay our bills and provide for those who depend on us for their salaries. As was shared in an earlier email, we normally bring in approximately $5,000 a week but, as of the email, we had only received $1,300. Our expenses run between $4,500 and $5,500 per week. As you can see this is quite a shortfall. This may require us to use moneys that were given towards Mission Week and building a shed. If this happens we hope those who gave will understand. We intend to replace those funds when possible. We just want to make you aware of the situation. We will get behind quickly if this trend continues.
Our greatest concern for you all, even above finances and health, is spiritual. Keep your focus on Christ. Though other things may try to take your attention away from Him, you must be mindful of your Lord. It is He who will comfort you; it is He who will give you hope and confidence. Be assured, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, and that is the most valuable thing we have.
Join with us on Wednesday night for a live feed of the Bible Class led by Doug. On Sundays you have two opportunities to watch or listen: Bible Talk Live is back on 1430 am, WFOB from 7:56-8:30am and Sunday Service is live streamed at 10:00am. Don’t neglect your spiritual needs. Pray often, read, study and ponder God’s Word. He will keep you solid and strong.
So, our brethren, fear not, for we will get to the other side of this pandemic. And when we do, those handshakes and hugs will mean more to us than they did before. We will truly rejoice in the Lord when we can again gather together in His name.
Stay safe and in all things remember the Lord,
Your Elders