As you may know, there has been a national
endorsement from our President to reopen churches immediately. What does
this mean for LifeWay? First and foremost, we have always considered
church an essential business. Yes, we are in the business of reconciling
people far from God through Jesus Christ His Son who paid the ultimate
price to redeem humanity. This work of telling others about Jesus can
never stop and will never stop! Even though we have not met corporately
since Sunday March 15, LifeWay has never closed, because our work is
essential in God's eyes. In fact, some of our most significant ministry
has happened in the last three months. We are grateful for all the notes
written, meals delivered, care calls made, encouraging texts sent,
online prayer meetings, PK Church, LEAD times, Bible App Bible studies,
LoveWay Journey trainings, online LifeGroups, and spontaneous acts of
love and kindness to one another. I even have had the privilege to lead
our dear friends in Haiti, Alix and Sandro, through remote pre-marital
counseling. Nothing can ever stop the work of the church in the world!
Second of all, the safety and security of each one
of you–seniors, youth, and children–is of the utmost importance. I
personally have interacted with health workers in our church who have
dealt with Covid 19 deaths of patients at nursing homes in Derry. The
whole experience has been very traumatic. One of LifeWay's Pastoral
Council members, pastor Mark Rivera, contracted the virus along with his
wife. He clearly understands how fast this virus can debilitate and
mess up your lungs. Thankfully, they are both recovering and out of
danger.
Because of the unpredictability of new Covid 19
spikes as regulations loosen in MA and NH, and the value of each one of
your lives, we will continue to 'meet' online for the rest of the month
of May. We will be monitoring closely how events unfold in the coming
weeks and bring another update by the end of this month. We hope by
God's grace we will be able to see each other again physically at some
point in the month of June. Our goal in prayer is that we can inaugurate
our re-gathering soon with a safe-for-all outdoor worship celebration
at Elwood Orchards. This is the location I pray the Lord would some day
give us to establish our ministry work.
Grateful for all of you, your care and steadfast
love for Jesus. To all our single moms, may God's Holy Spirit comfort
you and keep you strong in the Lord for your children. Special thanks to
all our health and public workers, and those who daily labor at grocery
and retail stores to serve our community. You are our true heroes in
this hour! We keep you all in our daily prayers.
"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests
and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure,
your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So
don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you
become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." –James 1:2
Steadfast in Christ.
Pastor Juan