Welcome to this week's edition of TCFinTouch
The e-newsletter of Trail Christian Fellowship
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As followers of Jesus, we meet throughout the week for worship, prayer, Communion, Bible study and fellowship. Our overall mission can be summed up as:
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TCF Statement:
Covid-19 Virus & Service Update info
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The worship service will be available this Sunday
ONLINE
AT 10AM
.
The service will be available on our website, Facebook, and Youtube channel.
Pastor Rick Booye will be teaching.
FOR EVERYONE'S SAFETY!
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: All
Services on campus are CANCELLED!
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Missed a message, or just want to hear it again? Visit the sermon audio archive and catch up on our studies, with the most recent sermons at the top.
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Trusting as Worship
What a stunning turn of events in our world! COVID 19, virtually unknown at Christmas time, has taken the world hostage in the last six weeks. The threat from this virulent microbe has all but paralyzed our lifestyle and our economy. Panic-buying has created temporary shortages of many household goods. Sporting and entertainment events have been cancelled. Schools of all kinds are closed. The stock market is bouncing all over the place, like a rabbit with a brain tumor. Restaurants and bars are shut down. “Social Distancing” is the new normal. People are “sheltering in place” and binge-watching the old TV show,
Monk
(a quirky germophobe detective who was always wiping his hands with disinfectant). And for Christians the most alarming announcement of all—for the first time in our country’s history most churches have closed their doors in an effort to slow the contagion and protect those at risk in their congregations. This is exactly the opposite of our instinct during crisis (immediately after 9/11 the churches of our nation were packed), and the reversal of all spiritual advice in any other era. We’re being told to stay home and have as little human contact as we can manage. Everybody we do interact with (air-fist-bumps) says the same thing, “Is this weird or what?!” And many sincere believers worry that perhaps this tsunami of societal fear might somehow damage the purposes of God. A few moments of biblical reflection should calm us and encourage us to carry on.
First, remember where the life of the church originates—God himself, in the person of Christ and through the presence of the Holy Spirit. The church is spiritually alive not because it meets on Sundays. It meets on Sundays because it is already spiritually alive (see 1 Corinthians chapters 3 and 12). Christians are individually and corporately joined in the Spirit whether they are able to enjoy fellowship together in large groups or not. Therefore Jesus taught his disciples that private prayer is just as effective as public prayer (Matt.6:6) and that where even two or three believers meet, there he is with them (Matt.18:20). The contexts of these passages encompassed other issues at the time, but that does not obviate the point I’m making. The Lord is with us all 24/7, and we belong to him and each other even when we can’t physically touch or even see each other. The normal biblical pattern for believers is to gather with other Christians across family boundaries for prayer, worship and mutual strengthening in faith (Acts 2:42, 1 Cor 12-14, Heb.10:25). True, but don’t forget that all the early churches (and a huge percentage of churches since the first century) started with families in homes. A Christian home can be the church under these circumstances.
This means that we can even take communion at home if we would like to. Whoever is the head of the household can pray, distribute the bread and the cup, and lead their tiny congregation to the Lord’s table. Some traditions forbid this, preferring to rely on an “ordained priest” or some other official church representative to “dispense grace.” But Peter reminded his friends that Christians are already a “kingdom of priests” (1 Pet.2:9), and Jesus laid down no priestly restrictions regarding how or when his people share the communion table.
Second, remember that by suspending the regular Sunday and mid-week meetings in this situation we are doing two very biblical and Christian things at the same time. 1) We are complying with our community and government in a worthy goal (Rom.13:1). This is a good witness to the surrounding society because it affirms the truth, that we are caring and committed members of this culture. 2) We are seeking to protect the at-risk people in our congregations, including visitors who do not yet know the Lord. This is an entirely faithful and gospel-centered priority, in much the same way as helping the poor (Gal.2:10). Genuine Christians from the very beginning have sought to protect the vulnerable, help the poor, and promote the welfare of those around them. When Jesus was asked to summarize the Law, he combined two famous passages (Deut.6:5 and Lev. 19:18).
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And you shall love your neighbor as you love yourself
(Mark 12:28-33). Good neighbors protect one another from harm, even at personal cost.
Finally, remember that worship is not an event, but a lifestyle of trust and compliance with God’s revealed purposes and will (Rom.12:1-2). We use the terms
worship
and
praise
interchangeably, usually to refer to the times we gather for singing and/or prayer, especially Sundays. But there is a biblical distinction between these terms that we should remember. Praise is an action, an event, something we usually gather to do together. Worship is a broader concept that encompasses praise but is not limited to the event or action of gathering. A “worshipper of God” is not necessarily a musician or a singer. A life of worship (Rom.12:1-2) is not evidenced by walking around in a mental musical play, breaking into song and dance at various times of the day. A “worshipper of God” is a person who is in covenant (the New Covenant) with the Lord and who trusts him personally all day every day. So, does the church worship even when it cannot meet for a few weeks? Of course. And the small family units that do gather are every bit as immersed in the Lord’s presence and love as are the larger groups that normally meet on Sundays.
So how can we worship the Lord during this national trauma? I suggest that in addition to tuning in to the website where teaching and praise are offered, we can trust every day that his grace in Christ is always upon us, especially in crises (Gal.2:20). We can remain calm and faithful, patient and kind, prayerful and thankful, hopeful and confident that these difficult times will pass, that God has a plan in them, and that we will be able (soon) to resume our regular gatherings, perhaps with increased appreciation for them.
Daily trust is worship in its most pure form
.
Just a Thought,
Pastor Rick
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Thank you all for being a part of TCF's 40th birthday celebration! If you were unable to attend, or would like a memento from the occasion, the 40th Anniversary documentary video will be available on DVD for a suggested donation of $4. Look for it at the WillingHeart window in the lobby this coming Sunday.
To celebrate 40 years of God's faithfulness, as well as a legacy of rich teaching history at TCF, enjoy significantly reduced pricing of our CD album teaching compilations. From journeys through entire books of the Bible, to topical series on a variety of subjects, there's something for you at up to 34% savings! Visit the WillingHeart sales counter before or after Sunday services for more details.
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Box Tops for Education Update
Thank you for your contributions! TCF donated 6,300 points in 2019 towards school supplies for Navajo Mission Students. The Box Tops program is going all digital. No more clipping, just download the app and choose
McKinley Elementary School, 1201 N. Butler Ave. Farmington, NM (hint, search by zip code 87401
) then scan your store receipts. Check out Boxtops4education.com for details. We’ll still accept unexpired clips at the Church Office/Willingheart Window and mail them to the school.
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Wednesday evenings throughout the summer months, “Dog Days of Summer” is TCF’s ministry for children 4 years old through 5
th
grade. Food is served at 6:15pm, followed by play time, and finishing with a lesson from God’s word. This all happens thanks to the hard work and dedication of volunteers like you! From May 27 through September 2, we need cooks, playground supervisors, and crowd control. Training is provided. Whether you can sign up for just one night or all summer long, we need your help! Call Debbie at 541.261.2605 (or email
debbie@trail.org
) to sign up for your available dates.
Note: Background checks are required for the safety of our children.
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Prayer Warriors by Email
If you would like to be a regular part of praying for the Children's Ministry and receive an email prayer letter periodically to keep up with what God is doing with the next generation, email debbie@trail.org to get on the list. This will be a blind copy email and your email address will not be shared with others.
Debbie Conley: 541.878.3501
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Celebrate Recovery
(
NEW
Announcement
)
Brothers and Sisters,
Praying that this finds you well. In cooperation with CDC officials Celebrate Recovery at Trail is closed for now.
I know that all of the local CR general meetings are closed until April at least. Please be encouraged that there are video's and testimonies available at the national Celebrate Recovery Facebook page and some on You Tube. We will post words of encouragement here and hope you will do the same.
Remember to call and or meet with your sponsors and accountability partners during this time. They will need it as much as you do and it's scriptural.
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25
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The 2020 Golf Challenge
, features a four-person scramble with 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. shotguns and banquet seating at 6:30 p.m. Be a part of a long tradition while helping thousands of kids throughout the Rogue Valley. Youth 71Five Ministries is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit Christ-Centered organization supported through the generosity of individuals, foundations and businesses like you.
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Pacific Bible College is looking for a
Spanish teacher.
541.776.9942
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Redemption Ridge is looking for Care Specialists to work directly with the girls at Grace House. This is an amazing opportunity to affect the lives of hurting teenage girls. The job is located in the upper Rogue area. For more information please call Redemption Ridge 541.816.4415 or email
kirsten@redemptionridge.org
.
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Thank you for visiting TCFinTouch
the weekly e-newsletter of
Trail Christian Fellowship
18881 Hwy 62
Eagle Point OR 97524
Church Office Hours:
Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
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