Dear NSCBC Family,

We are so encouraged by all of the positive feedback we’ve received from this past Sunday’s live-stream service , and are grateful for the many who worked to make it happen. We’re also encouraged by many of the stories flowing in of your bold, creative efforts to “be the church” in this time - meeting tangible needs of your neighbors, giving sacrificially, even connecting with your friends and neighbors who were exploring the faith over livestream. All of this is evidence of the Lord’s work in our midst!

Our church leaders have spent significant time in prayer and communication over these past few days, seeking the Lord’s wisdom for how to lead our church through this unprecedented season - and much of this wisdom has come through your own timely ideas and creative innovations. We can’t stress this enough: When God moves on the North Shore, he moves through all of his people. So the call to ‘do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God’ falls upon each of us. Though we remain flexible and will give continual updates , here are steps we will be taking as a church for the foreseeable future:
  • First, in a proactive effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and in keeping with the guidance and directives given by our state and local leaders, we will be suspending all in-person gatherings hosted by NSCBC (including small groups) through at least April 17, with no exceptions, at which point we’ll re-evaluate. The church building will be closed to all non-staff members during this same period. 
  • Therefore, Sunday worship services will continue to be live-streamed @ 10:00 AM, until further notice, including this upcoming Sunday’s service on March 22. You can view the services online at nscbc.org/live. We also encourage you to make use of our online giving platforms.
  • Second, we’re pursuing creative and comprehensive ways to disciple our church during this time, as well as to provide pastoral care. We’re looking into a discipleship strategy that will allow existing smaller groups to continue to meet using online platforms (more info coming soon), as well as to provide multiple mediums for discipleship for those not yet part of a small group. You can expect to hear updates from individual ministry leaders as well, and you can direct questions to them. We are actively coordinating with elders and deacons on how to provide pastoral care.
  • Third, we’re aggressively exploring wise and well-informed ways to serve our community by addressing spiritual and physical needs. We will be coordinating our efforts with our church members, partner churches, local charities and other government services. We’ve already become aware of creative and innovative ways that many of you are responding. Keep these coming! And don’t hesitate to reach out to Richard for envisioning, equipping and support. Our response will also include creating an additional, streamlined, way to give financially to sacrificially meet the needs of many; both in our church and in our community.
  • Finally, we are exploring ways to collaborate as a North Shore Gospel Partnership, to see what we can do better together in serving the North Shore.
This is a great time to remember that the church is not a building, and the church is not its leaders. The church is every single one of us, being transformed by the gospel, and living sacrificially on mission - now of all times - for the glory of God and the good of our community. We’ve never been in a situation like this, but we know whom we serve, and our Lord is our “Keeper” (Ps. 121). So above all, let’s stay close to Jesus, live in a non-anxious way, and reflect his kingdom values - especially to the most vulnerable.

With hope & prayers,
NSCBC Staff