What we are doing
Church Family and Friends,
This is an update on IBC and the Coronavirus.
After consulting with medical professionals, other pastors and churches, and considering both the importance of church gatherings and the unique threat of COVID-19, the Elders have decided to suspend all church gatherings for the month of March. This includes weekday events like Flocks and Youth Group Bible Study, as well as Sunday Services, Equip Hour, and all our extended meetings.
On Sundays, we will offer a live stream of our Worship Service. Service will still be at 9am, with a minimal worship and broadcast crew on site.
We have every intention of getting back to normal church by Easter, Lord willing. But for now, we want to be loving to our neighbors by joining in to battle this current disease.
Why are we suspending church?
We are motived by love, not fear. The panic over COVID-19 is probably disproportional. The vast majority of us, if infected, would have flu-like symptoms and then get better. But we are suspending church gatherings for the sake our neighbors who are more susceptible (our members, our friends, our coworkers, and our loved ones). Considering how rapidly infection has been spreading, it’s out of love for the more vulnerable members of our community that we are suspending our gatherings.
Our Governor is recommending the cancelation of large group meetings. Our schools and university are cancelling in-person classes. And our workplaces are directing employees to work from home. All of this is aimed at reducing the transmission of a virus that has become a global pandemic. By suspending our gatherings, we hope to join our larger community in slowing the transmission of the Coronavirus.
What does this means for the next few weeks?
- Flocks, Youth Group, and other non-Sunday gatherings will be suspended.
- Sunday gatherings will likewise be suspended.
- We will be live streaming our Sunday Worship Service at 9am with a very limited crew.
- We will joyfully adjust to the challenges to our normal worship settings and continue to seek to minister to one another.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we do not fear COVID-19. Our God is greater than sickness, sin, or death and our confidence and identity is in His Son (see recent Sunday sermons in Romans). And nothing can separate us from His love and plans for us.
Romans 8:35–39 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Reach out to your elders with any questions you may have.And let’s look to our Savior to guide and keep us.
Pastor Nam Park
Immanuel Bible Church
P.S. Live stream is totally new for us. That makes this Sunday a must-see. Only the Lord knows how this thing will go…