Dear Grace Church Family,
I hope you’re doing well! In case you missed my announcement in last Sunday’s video, it looks like we are going to be able to resume our in-person Sunday services very soon!
From all that we hear and read, meeting outdoors is superior to meeting inside in terms of a significantly reduced risk of virus transmission. So, we have a reservation to start using the amphitheater at Harry Griffin park through the summer. Because that park is a City of La Mesa property, we are currently waiting to hear from La Mesa for final approval and guidelines for meeting there. As soon as we know more, we will let you know.
PLANNING FOR OUR SUNDAY SERVICES
That raises the issue of: how will we meet? What will our services look like? We know this much: we will not be offering children’s ministry at this time (we will seek to provide coloring sheets and fill-in-the-blank sheets for the sermon). We also know that we will need to socially distance ourselves as an expression of love and care for one another.
In addition, we are looking to move up the service time to be a bit earlier in the morning due to the summer heat. Beyond that, we are actively engaged in thinking through the administrative issues and formulating plans.
APPLYING THE GOSPEL AS WE MEET
We realize there are preference differences among us as to what a responsible in-person Sunday service or home group meeting should entail. I wrote previously about navigating our differences in this difficult time, but here’s the bottom line: our goal is to create as safe an environment as possible for all our members and guests. We will strive for this goal out of sincere love for one another (John 13.34-35; Rom 12.10, etc.) and the prioritization of others’ interests above our own (Phil 2.4-7).
Friends, God is giving us a fantastic laboratory in which to apply the gospel to our hearts and so grow in practical expressions of love and care. A blog post entitled “9 Ways the Gospel Speaks to Us During COVID-19″ puts it better than I can:
“When the pandemic reveals our selfishness, the gospel restructures our affections. Because Jesus died and rose for us, we have the power to break free from a life consumed by self. Jesus’s self-giving life teaches us that life is more than me. In Christ, and as part of the church, others’ interests are now my own (Phil. 2:4). Pandemics do not collapse Christians. No, we can see the coronavirus as an opportunity to show Christ’s love and good works to our neighbors (Mark 12:31; James 2:14–17). Because he first loved us, we can love our family, our church, and the world as ourselves.”
So, deeply loved brothers and sisters in Christ, let us apply the good news of Jesus like that. We know that is your desire and we thank you for that!
Along the lines of applying the gospel, as Joshua mentioned, last Sunday was the Sunday in which Christians often recognize the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. The ascension of Jesus is not something we’ve talked much about, but it’s a glorious and important part of the good news. Here’s a good article that highlights the importance of Christ’s ascension in our current circumstances (go HERE).
SHARING THE HEART OF GOD: RACE & TIJUANA
Speaking of our need to hope in Christ, there have been deeply saddening and grieving racially-charged incidents in our country again this week. The latest in Minneapolis involved a heart-breaking video of a man unable to breathe. I encourage you to read this brief article by Paul Tripp entitled, “26 Bible Verses to Consider When Thinking About George Floyd.” Please consider the Scripture passages he highlights. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must embrace God’s heart in these ways. Let me quote Mr. Tripp directly: “Take time to read the passages cited… and bring your heart once again into harmony with the heart of God.”
As we share the heart of God, please also pray for our friends at Comunidad Cristiana de Otay (in Tijuana). Below you will find prayer requests we received from them recently. (Margarita, below, is Pastor Mario’s wife. Margarita’s sister seems to be recovering, and they are very thankful for the Lord’s mercy this way!)
We were told that everyone in the church seems to know someone who has died (plus a 37 year-old church member who has died, mentioned below). As a church, they’re giving out food as people have lost their jobs and so can’t afford food.
As elders we decided to send $5,000 to help them as they serve many people in practical ways. We welcome your designated gifts to add to that contribution. If you’d like to contribute, you can send a check to our mailing address (P.O. Box 247, La Mesa, CA 91944) or contribute online through our website. Please designate your contribution to the “Comunidad Cristiana” fund. We will then pass through those monies to them. Thank you for praying and caring about these brothers and sisters in Christ!
On behalf of Steve, Marshall, and Joshua, please know that we love you, we thank God for you, and we can’t wait to see you face-to-face!
Tab
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PRAYER LIST FROM CCOTAY:
Margarita described their current church prayer list as “Enorme” (enormous). They are just overwhelmed with the seriousness of needs coming in and appreciate our prayers. Their church members are praying in their own homes at 7 p.m. each evening.
- Ximena (former church secretary and wife of the former worship team member who passed away) has now tested positive for CoVid. For now she is at home with her 4 year old son who is extremely angry as he tries to process his father’s death.
- Leticia, Margarita’s 54-year-old sister who lives in Hermosillo, is still alive but in very serious condition. She said that it will take a miracle of God for her to survive. Her 24-year-old daughter Natalie is now quite ill with CoVid Symptoms. The public health worker was unable to test her but are having her isolate from her husband and two children (1 yr and 3 yrs).
- A young couple in their 30s, friends of someone on Mario’s administrative team, passed away from CoVid, leaving two small children under 5.
- A 9 year old boy that someone in the church knows has lost his father and his mother is sick in the hospital.
- Another family of 4 all have CoVid.
- Hector, (in his 40s) who was once a member of our home group with his family, was recently diagnosed with inguinal cancer. His mother is a member of the CCOTAY prayer team and asked for prayers for him.
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