The latest Letters from the Staff
Concerning Coronavirus
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March 27, 2020
Dear Church Family, Because of the rise of the COVID-19 threat, I am closing the Church Office, the Church Food Pantry and suspending the Mobile Meal Ministry. I made this decision after consulting with two healthcare professionals in our church. This is not a decision I wanted to make, but I believe it is the RIGHT decision that will protect our church staff from the Coronavirus. During this time you can still mail in your offering or you can donate on our website. There are videos on the website of last week’s Worship Service and the Wednesday Morning Bible Study. We will have our Online Worship Service this coming Sunday at 10:30 am on the church’s Facebook page. My prayer is that God will lead us through this crisis. He has been good to show us new ways to minister and care for one another. If you need anything please let me know. My cellphone number is 405-922-5927 and my email is crwomack@cox.net Please pass on this information with anyone in our church who you think doesn’t have email. In His Love, Bro. Charlie Click here for a downloadable pdf of this letter. March 18, 2020
Dear Church Family, The dynamics of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has directly impacted the life of our church fellowship. While I don’t know of any one infected with COVID-19, many people in our church have had to change their life interaction within their families, workplaces and schools. These same realities will now be affecting our church’s activities over the next several weeks. All of our ministries will need to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control until this crisis is over. Our church leaders and church staff are now making plans to keep our church fellowship connected to its mission and ministries. Let me share some of the things we are planning to do over the next few weeks. 1. Currently, our Sunday School and Morning/Evening Worship Services, as well as our regular weekly and monthly activities that may have an attendance of over 10 people are cancelled until this coronavirus crisis is over. Any small group meetings (10 or fewer people) at the church needs to be a safe meeting for those attending. We strongly discourage anyone at risk for the COVID-19 virus or any one showing symptoms of illness to attend any meeting at the church. 2. Sunday Morning Worship will be going live online through our Facebook page. The video will be posted to our website to view later for those who are not on Facebook. 3. Beginning next week, I will have a weekly Wednesday Bible Study posted to our web site. Also, we will be providing links to home Bible study ideas that you can use. 4. We are working on ways to call all of our membership to ask about possible needs they have and to pray with them. The details are being worked out. 5. “Spring Cleaning Plans” are being put together for people who want to do something and to get out of the house. We would like to put together small teams or individuals to clean up various areas of our church building. These plans will be worked out through the church office with the various ministry teams and their leaders. As a reminder, we strongly discourage anyone at risk for the COVID-19 virus or any one showing symptoms of illness to participate in this work. 6. Financial stability is critical during this time. Your faithful support of our church finances will help us support the needs of the church ministries and to support our mission commitments. In the near future you will be able to give online on our website (www.fbcbethany.com). The office is open to receive your offering by mail or in person Monday thru Thursday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. Lastly, please pray for our country, its leaders and our church fellowship. The COVID-19 crisis is an unprecedented event that will have a lasting impact on us. Our faith and hope is in the Lord. He is faithful to protect us and guide us through every aspect of our lives. Place your trust in Him alone. May the Lord guide us during this time. In His Love, Charles R. Womack, Pastor Click Here to open a downloadable pdf of this letter. March 13, 2020
Church Family, We as a staff wanted to take the time to talk about COVID-19 and the growing concerns around it. As well as how we will respond as a staff. Please know that we are responding not out of fear or rash decision making but out of love for those in our membership that are more vulnerable to the virus. First, we would encourage you as members to pray about the situation. Pray for the response teams working to get us back to life as normal through research and treatment. Pray for those effected and the outcomes in those situations. Pray also for a peace and calm spirit in how you will react to this crisis as well. Second, We are NOT cancelling service tomorrow morning. The meeting together of the church as laid out by scripture is very important. We strive to do so though in as safe a way as possible. Below are the guidelines that we will follow tomorrow.
Your help is needed to follow these guidelines to keep everyone safe. As well as to help pass this info along as not all church members are on social media or email. If you are a Sunday School leader or even attender, please help us to pass this along to your classes. We will update the website, Facebook and email with new info as it comes along. Take time to check on those that you know haven’t been able to come to services as well. Many of our shut ins are ones that can be the most vulnerable and calls to check in could help to calm their spirits. We will get through this church with a spirit of peace and calm and not of fear. We trust in a Savior who is in control of all things. We must just trust in Him With Love, FBC Bethany Staff |
