May 22

A Message from Pastor Juan

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

May 5

Latest Order from Governor Sununu

On Friday, May 1st Governor Sununu communicated the latest emergency orders for our state. In the words of Neil Hubacker, Cornerstone’s Director of Strategic Alliances, "We continue to hang suspended between our desire to protect the legitimate public health interest in limiting the spread of the Coronavirus, on the one hand; and our longings to experience the Body of Christ corporally & incarnationally."


In summary:

  • Gov. Sununu's latest Emergency Order, Emergency Order #40 from Friday 5/1, keeps in place through Sunday 5/31 the original provisions of Emergency Order #16--prohibiting scheduled gatherings of more than 10 people for "recreational, spiritual, and social purposes"; and Emergency Order #17--closing of non-essential businesses and the Granite State stay-at-home order; "workers at places of worship" are exempt, meaning essential
  • What this means: church employees can still work at the church office, church services can be held for 10 people at a time, but church services as we mainly know them should not restart in May


As we continue to wait let's be found faithful and ready. We must evaluate the condition of our soul. "Let us examine and test our ways, and turn back to the LORD." [Lamentations 3:40] and purpose daily to fill our lamps with oil awaiting the Master's return "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." [Mathew 25:13]

Check out last Sunday's message "He's  Coming" and be encouraged to press on to receive all God's promises. When we turn from our sins and to Jesus, the Holy Spirit gets to work in us giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases God. [Philippians 2:13]


For information regarding reopening plans for the state of New Hampshire, we have found the following link to be helpful. Check out this RESOURCE.

March 26

Stay At Home Order from Governor Sununu

In light of Governor Sununu's Stay at Home Order effective Friday March 27 at 11:59 pm, LifeWay Church services will be LIVE Streamed from pastor Juan's home. We ask that all LIVE Stream support  teams (including video, audio, & worship team) remain at home and follow our LIVE stream with their families. This new way of doing things will be in place until Monday May 4 of 2020. Our LIVE Streams will take place on  Sunday at 11 AM and on Tuesdays at 7 PM. Please share our LIVE STREAM link with friends and loved ones and invite them to join us. Weekly online LifeGroups and Noon Prayer times will become available as of next week. Please stand by for more information. You can also text your prayer requests or needs at 978-689-211. Share this number with as many people as you can. We will be lifting every request to God and responding to every need as we are able. 


This an unprecedented time in history and we must act with prudence, wisdom, and love. Nothing like this has been seen in our lifetime, except by those who lived during the influenza pandemic in 1918, where the virus infected one in every three people on the planet and killed over 50 million people (surpassing the death toll of World War 1). History also witnessed the horrible outbreak of the bubonic plague (referred to as Black Death) that killed over 100 million in Europe and Asia between 1347–1352. More than half of Europe's population was wiped out.


We must realize that we are vulnerable people. We cannot live as if we were in charge of our own lives. We were created by God to live in loving submission to Him. We are not in control and these times are highlighting boldly our inability to help ourselves. We can't raise our fist against heaven and claim our independence from God. We need Him right now. He is the only one who can help us! We must humbly declare, "God help us! Have mercy on us. Forgive us for our sins and remove this plague from our land."  


Let's continue to pray for each other. Let's use this time to upgrade our relationship with God and the members in our family. This is hard work but is worth it. We will have more time together and we must maximize it and grow in character like never before. Let's remember the admonition received from God's word during this past Sunday's message, to 1) Do Away With Fake Love 2) Thrive in Honoring Each Other 3) Have a Spiritual Awakening 4) Form New Habits (rejoice in hope, remain patient in tribulation, and constant in prayer) and 5) Become a Good Neighbor. 


May God bless you and keep you. May God establish you in His truth and ground you in His love through His word and the comfort of His Spirit. 


Much love, 


Pastor Juan

LifeWay Church

March 20

A Message from Pastor Juan

As believers in Christ, we have a hope that the world does not have. We trust a good God who never changes. Stock markets change, politics change, people change, the weather changes, health changes... but we know that God NEVER changes. Our hope is not in our money, our position, or even our health. Our hope and trust is in God, the giver of life, the giver of wealth, the giver of health, and every other good gift that comes from above. This is a good time for us to reflect on the words of Moses in Psalm 91:1-6: 


 

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday."

 

The truth is, we live by faith and not by fear! Having said that, we must also live as good citizens and cooperate with the overall national efforts to reduce the risk of a Corona infection surge in our State and nation. We want to protect those around us who may rapidly decline in health if infected by the virus. As believers in Christ, we trust God, we live by compassion, and we abide by the guidelines of our government (Romans 13).

 

Therefore, in light of the current events with Corona Virus and the directives from our president and governor, we will abstain from meeting corporately on Sundays and Tuesdays until further notice. We will alternatively LIVE STREAM our Sunday Services at 11 AM (EST) and our Tuesday Prayer Meeting at 7 PM (EST). We encourage you to 'attend' these services and invite others who are home bound to join us as well. We will have live worship, testimonies, and a live message that will be a blessing to all!

 

Make sure to share our LIVE STREAM link with as many people as you can (all your friends on Facebook for example). In this time of social distancing, sharing the good news of Jesus online will be the best gift to those who may have nothing else to do but be in front of a computer. Let's build community online and maximize this season by being a source of hope to many around the world. Continue to reach out to one another and help each other as needs rise among the body. 


You may text prayer requests to 978-689-2111. This line sends messages directly to our Listening Team and they will bring your petitions before the Lord. You may also use this number to text any needs that may arise during this time (assistance with rides, supplies, etc.) and we will do our best to help.

 

I thank God for you. 

 


Pastor Juan

LIFEWAY CHURCH


March 18

Coronavirus Preparations & Guidelines

In view of the recent developments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to keep you abreast of what the church is doing to address it. Please be assured that the health and safety of our community is our first priority and we are taking precautions to keep everyone safe. In times like these it is important to listen to facts and not respond to fear.


As this is a public health safety concern, we are following the directives of our President and NH State governor, as well as the NH Department of Health and Human Services (NH-DHHS) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

LifeWay Church has been preparing in several ways:

  • We have instructed our staff and volunteers to wash their hands regularly throughout the day and to stay home if they are sick.
  • We will begin to LIVE STREAM our services starting Sunday March 22 at 11 AM from our LifeWay North site. We will also live stream our Prayer Meeting on Tuesdays at 7 PM from the Vineyard Church site. This will continue until our government and public health officials say it is safe to have public gatherings again. 
  • Most importantly, we are prepared to follow any public health directives that might be forthcoming. 

It is critical that we all continue to practice general prevention measures recommended by public health officials:

  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve.
  • Wash your hands regularly with soap for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching your face.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • If you need a coronavirus test, call your primary care physician. Cost should not be a barrier to testing and treatment in New Hampshire.

If You Feel Sick, Stay at Home

  • If you do not feel better in 24–48 hours, seek care from your doctor.
  • Avoid going out in public. Do not go to school or work until you have been fever-free at least 72 hours without the use of fever-reducing drugs like Tylenol or ibuprofen.
  • If you need help getting medical care call 911.

Special Guidance for Vulnerable Congregants

  • Older adults and those with chronic lung disease, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or a weakened immune system should avoid unnecessary events and gatherings.
  • If you have family or friends who have one of these conditions, do not visit them if you feel sick.

For more information and updates, visit: