19/03/2020
We were given some information a few days ago that the time may come where large groups cannot meet together. That time has now come with the government announcing this afternoon that indoor events with 100 people or more are banned, therefore Sunday services are cancelled until further notice.
For now the new look church will be in our homes, so we at UHBC will be making that as easy as possible for this to work. We will be preparing a weekly YouTube video available online, or on a disk to be delivered. On it will be a prepared message and some questions that you can watch as a family or home group. This is one way we can stay connected and be reminded that we are part of a wider family in Jesus.
Another resource you may be interested in is from a webinar (See next post). I will meet with the Board ASAP where we will discuss other ways for us to respond as the church in the days ahead.
This week there was an encouraging email from Carey Baptist College with some thoughts on a theological response to COVID-19, reminding us that God is sovereign, God is with us and God is merciful.
Below is from that post:
Trusting the promises that God is sovereign, and that God is with us, enables people of faith to care instead of fear. Throughout history, this has marked the church at its best. In his study of The Rise of Christianity, Rodney Stark highlights the committed love of the early Christians who nursed and cared for their sick neighbours during outbreaks of disease and epidemics. This sacrificial love was an important contributor to the growth of the early church. During the epidemics and their aftermath, Christians out loved, outstayed, and outlived the mainstream of Roman society. In the face of mass disease, the capricious Roman deities could not be roused, and the sick and dying were left to their fate. Where many fled the cities and deserted their ailing loved ones, Christian leaders encouraged their communities to outstay, out pray, out love, and out care the wider society. Unlike the pagan deities, Christians believed that God was merciful and caring, and their trust in God amidst disease schooled them in the ways of God’s care and mercy. The threat of illness and death did not induce fear, but care. Many of the sick survived and they owed their survival to Christian care which piqued their interest in this God of care and mercy.
Keeping these things in mind – that God is sovereign and close and compassionate – enables us to care for those around us. How might we, I wonder, reflect the mercy and love of God during such a time of national and global crisis?
These are extraordinary times. My prayer is that our response will be marked by deep trust in God and loving care for those who are most vulnerable to infection. At the beginning of this year, we chose Psalm 121 as our theme for Carey’s worship life. May it bring you peace and hope as you trust in the One who is sovereign and close and compassionate:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
My prayer is that you experience the peace of God at this time and take hold of the opportunities to be creative in how we share God’s love and truth with those around us.
Blessings
Hayden
