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Message from Pastor Mark: Sunday School School and Worship for March 22

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Dear CHBC,

Hebrews 10:23-25 says, “23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”  There are two statements there which I hold as sacred for the church.  “Let us hold fast” and “let us consider”.  Church, these are indeed troubling times.  It is hard to know what is being wise, what is being alarmist, what is being loving, and what is encouraging fear.

I do not pretend to have the wisdom to navigate such waters.  But I do know the One who is all wise, and I do know to ask for His wisdom, according to James 1.  And I do know that we must do as Hebrews 10 commands.  We must hold fast the confession of our hope, without wavering.  God, who promised, is faithful.  And we must consider how to stir one another to love and good deeds.  And that stirring seems to occur most effectively in the assembly of the saints.  The question we are dealing with for this moment is how to do that while heeding the counsel to limit group gatherings to 10 or fewer people.

Your pastors have met and consulted with others, and have determined that at this time it is not sin for us to heed the counsel of our President, our Governor, and the CDC, and therefore to postpone the public gathering of worship for at least Sunday March 22, probably March 29, and perhaps beyond that.  We believe we can heed these commands and hold them precious in this season and be responsible stewards to other citizens of our community.  We believe we can be faithful to gather by family for Sunday School, and virtually during the sermon, and it still encourage one another to love and good deeds.

So, how we will CHBC gather this week?  Your pastors and others have been working tirelessly over the last few days to determine the best way in short notice to provide the church with its on going excellence in Sunday School and worship.  The solutions we have are not ideal, and they cannot replace what we normally do.  In fact, we do not think there is a substitute for the public and corporate gathering of the body of Christ.  We hope to provide a meaningful experience for Bible study and worship, and we hope that gathering via virtual means will cause a greater longing and treasuring of being able to corporately gather with the body in the coming days.

What do you need to do?

  1. We have attached a Bible Study from Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC for use as a Sunday School Lesson for you to use at home this week.  Whether you may be alone, or be able to gather a few people with you, take this lesson and use it as a time for Sunday School at 9 AM.  There is a manuscript which we have edited.  You can see our edits marked out in red.  There is also a handout which you can use as a discussion guide or as a way to take notes.  Those of you with smaller children can take this information and adapt it to teaching and conversation for them.
  2. Our worship team, AVL team, Pastor Tyler and myself will gather at the Worship Center to lead in worship via Facebook Live.  You can livestream our service by getting onto your Facebook account and watching the service from your computer, tablet, or even cell phone.  If you do not have a Facebook account it is easy to create one, so I would do that now, and then find the CHBC Facebook @chbcokc.  Once you are on Facebook you can watch as CHBC goes live at 10:15 AM.  We use this service weekly for all who travel, are homebound, or miss for sickness.  There are usually 200+ views to our Facebook Live feed each week.  The link again is here: https://www.facebook.com/chbcokc/
  3. You will still be able to participate in giving tithes and offerings in one of three ways.  You can mail in your tithe or offering to the church office.  You can drop off your tithe or offering during regular office hours.  Or you can give online before or after the service.  The online giving link at our website is https://my.e360giving.com/App/Giving/chbchurch.
  4. At 5 PM on Sunday evening rejoin Pastor Mark for a family devotion time through Facebook Live.  He will be broadcasting from his home, and all you need to do is go to the CHBC Facebook page to join him in an evening devotion time, that will last approximately 20 minutes.  The CHBC Facebook link again is here: https://www.facebook.com/chbcokc/
  5. As one of our seminary presidents advised: Prepare for Worship the Same:
    1. Awake on time,  and get your Bible
    2. Have Sunday School with material provided
    3. Give online during the service
    4. Read the sermon passage along with the pastor
    5. Sing together
    6. Reflect on who you miss seeing

There will be more information in coming days regarding midweek opportunities to spend time in God’s Word.  I will be posting some videos for you along the way as well.  Reach out to one another.  Make phone calls, send text messages, use Facetime, send cards, and safely invite another family into your home for a meal or fellowship.  Do not let social distancing keep you from ministering to one another, or sharing the gospel with a lonely and frightened neighbor.

Mark D. DeMoss, Senior Pastor

Pastor Mark's Weekly Update March 12, 2020

A Word from the Pastor regarding COVID-19 (Coronavirus):

Dear CHBC Family and Friends,
I have been reading about and conversing with people about what is commonly referred to as The Coronavirus, or COVID-19.  I want you to know that your pastoral staff is maintaining awareness, having conversations, and will be ready to react and respond if anyone in the CHBC family contracts COVID-19.  We also have plans in the works if, for some reason in Oklahoma, we were banned from large group gatherings. 

I believe that the Scriptures would have us respond three ways: caution; wisdom; and faith.  Church, we should and will be cautious, just as we would during any flu season.  We are encouraging regular hygiene habits, we are asking custodians and volunteers to be diligent about cleaning and disinfecting, and we are staying aware of warnings and alerts.  We should cover our cough, wash our hands, use hand sanitizer, and we should stay home if we have high risk factors, or if we have had fever within the last 24 hours.  Here is a link to the CDC website where you can read more about risks, symptoms, and precautions: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The pastors will lead us wisely.  We will not take unnecessary risks.  We will listen to and consider the warnings from health care professionals.  We have online giving in place through our website, which assists us if, for some reason, we are unable to meet.  If we are unable to meet on Sunday or for several Sundays, we will provide a Bible study and a sermon through Facebook Live.  If we have a member who contracts COVID-19, we will minister to them and their family, and we will make everyone aware so that you can take precautions and be tested if necessary.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Church, as Christians we must act in faith.  Along with caution and wisdom we want to remember Who the true Protector and Sustainer of life is.  We should continue living, functioning, and ministering as we would on any given day, while being cautious and wise.  We can truly trust in the Lord, even as this virus reminds us that humanity is fragile, and that our fallen nature has real and eternal consequences.  As believers we do not have to panic.  This is an opportunity for us to show the world that faith in Christ brings an assurance of His provision now, and the ultimate heavenly reward.  Here is a link to a podcast by Dr. Al Mohler, The Briefing, that might also help us keep a biblical perspective, so that we live by faith and minister with faithfulness.  Link to Dr. Mohler’s podcast, The Briefing, for March 11, 2020: https://albertmohler.com/2020/03/11/briefing-3-11-20.

As events continue to unfold or need to be updated, we will provide information regarding service cancellations or alterations through our usual means.  This includes the CHBC Facebook page, the CHBC website, CHBC social media accounts of Twitter and Instagram, as well as our texting alerts.  If you would like text alerts text “@4bb4h” to the number 81010.  You can follow us on Facebook @chbcokc, on Twitter @chbcokc, and on Instagram at chbcokc

By His Grace and For His Glory 

Pastor Mark 

 

Click here for bulletin in Spanish.

Click here for bulletin in English.

   Mark D. DeMoss, Senior Pastor

       Capitol Hill Baptist Church

     Equipping…Exalting…Extending

            For the Glory of God

 

 

 

 

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