TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO
April 2, 2020
Hello, Crossroads Family!
I am thankful for each of you, and I am praying for us all during these unusual times. It’s amazing, actually, to hear about, and to watch, the unique ways God is working in your lives! I enjoy hearing from you about what God is doing in your life.
I want to communicate two main things through this email:
- We will not meet at the YMCA during the month of April. We will continue to have worship on Sunday mornings via Facebook Live. This is due to the federal government having extended its social distancing guidelines through April 30.
- I have included below a call to prayer from the President of the Evangelical Free Church of America. I hope you will read it. He is especially inviting us as churches to pray regularly on Wednesdays, and also on Good Friday. I would love to make a collection of prayer requests from you that I could share with the Crossroads Family prior to Good Friday so we could pray some shared requests on that day. Would you start sending me some requests and praises that I could share with the family? The more, the better. Please read the call to prayer below from EFCA President Kevin Kompelien.
Announcements
Sundays in April: Because the federal government’s social distancing guidelines have been extended through April 30, we will not have worship services at the Y on Sunday mornings during April. This is a disappointment to all of us and will mean foregoing the previously planned baptism and Easter breakfast. We will postpone those activities and look forward to being able to make them up at a future time. Thank you for understanding. I know everyone is concerned about staying healthy and doing all we can for the safety of our church family and community. I look forward to connecting with you this Sunday morning at 10:00 via the Crossroads Facebook page. We’ll have a great time of worship and a sermon on the crucifixion, “Finishing Well” (John 19). If you don’t have access to Facebook, or if you need a home to be in with a few others from Crossroads on Sunday morning, please let me know and we’ll make that happen!
Monday Night Bible Study on Facebook Live: This past Monday evening we started a survey study of the book of Numbers. We’ll continue on Monday nights at 7:00 for the next seven weeks. Numbers is a book of crises and how people respond to them. It’s also a book about people being counted and counted on. Am I a person God can count on? I hope you’ll join us Monday night on Facebook Live. If there are a few who want to be present at my house during the study, I would love to have you come for some interaction before and after the study!
Offerings: Our elders are looking into how we can make it easier to give monetarily to the church, possibly through our church website. Thank you for your patience as we work on this. In the meantime, the best way to continue your gifts to the ministry at Crossroads is by mailing a check to P.O. Box 23 in Nevada. We understand that for many there is a financial slow-down at this time. Please let us know if you’re experiencing a need. Thank you for your generosity to the Body of Christ this year.
A Call to Prayer from Kevin Kompelien, President of the Evangelical Free Church of America
Dear EFCA Pastors and Leaders:
As leaders, we are all dealing with the impact of the outbreak of COVID-19. Those we love and serve bear emotional, economic, social and physical health burdens as repercussions of this global pandemic. Even the measures we have taken to slow its spread take a toll and heighten our awareness of the value and significance of gathering together.
As EFCA churches face challenges now and in the days ahead, I’m reminded of an experience in the church from my youth. As many of you may remember, there was a time when Free Churches held weekly prayer gatherings on Wednesday evenings. This is where I learned to pray, and I am thankful for leaders who were committed to regularly petitioning God.
My friends, in these uncertain times, we must prioritize prayer and fasting.
As leaders of your congregations, I encourage you to join me and fellow EFCA churches across the country in two areas:
- Every Wednesday during this outbreak, encourage your church to join us in prayer for those affected by this outbreak. Pray for your fellow EFCA pastors and churches. Pray for local, state and national leaders. Pray for first responders, doctors and nurses. Pray for those who have been infected by the virus and their families. The needs are great, and I encourage you to lead your communities in more specific ways to pray. I’ve also included a sample prayer from Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) at the end of this email.
- Set aside Good Friday (April 10) as a day of prayer and fasting. On this day when we remember the death of our Lord Jesus Christ as well as our need for redemption, let’s fix our eyes on the One who made the way for our salvation.
We know we have a strong Advocate with the Father who hears our calls and tells us to “cast our cares on Him because He cares for [us]” (1 Pet 5:7). Let’s intentionally and humbly bring our world, our nation and our churches to our Savior.
I have a deep and abounding appreciation for each of you, and I look forward to the day when we will once again physically gather for worship and fellowship.
Trusting the Savior in the storm,
Kevin Kompelien
EFCA President
P.S. If you haven’t heard, the recently passed CARES Act includes provisions to help nonprofits and churches in the wake of the economic fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak. Learn more in this Special EFCA Update.
Sample Prayer:
From Walter Kim, President of the National Association of Evangelicals:
Let us all pray:
- for God’s love to be the foundation of our hope;
- for God’s mercy in stopping the spread of this virus;
- for God’s healing of those who are sick throughout the world;
- for God’s strength for medical personnel serving tirelessly;
- for God’s insight to be given to researchers seeking solutions;
- for God’s wisdom to guide civic leaders and health officials;
- for God’s peace to guard us from fear or anxiety;
- for God’s provision for those whose livelihoods and income have been affected by this crisis;
- for God’s creativity to make us agents of love and compassion; and
- for God’s Spirit to draw people to the saving power of Jesus.
May we know the Lord’s comfort and strength as he exhorts us to pray: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6–7).
Leave a Reply