Dear GraceWay Family,
Peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus.
This greeting goes back to the early church and has always signified a word of blessing. I share it with you in that way. May his peace be upon you in this very unexpected and rapidly changing time.
Please remember that Christians have faced many life threatening epidemics and other challenges throughout history and our stance has never changed: We trust in our sovereign, loving God with our whole lives, we know with certainty that because of Jesus our life is secure, and therefore we walk in faith not fear. Dear friends, walk this way.
I am writing to update you on all we are doing as a church community to faithfully respond to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak. I met with our Elders on Tuesday and we then communicated again on Thursday as events continued to rapidly unfold. We have been monitoring CDC, California Department of Public Health and Alameda County Department of Public Health websites on a daily basis to gather up-to-date information and facts. Yesterday, Elder Tim Hunt and I were also on a consultation call for faith based leaders with Dr. Nicholas Moss, Director of Alameda County Public Health Department’s Division of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention.
As we have mentioned in previous communications, we care deeply about you, and we care deeply about supporting region-wide efforts to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus, especially for at-risk populations that include members of our GraceWay family. We are responding as faithfully as we know how to this unfolding situation in a way that honors our Lord. I am mindful this update is a bit long but I encourage you to read all the way through it.
Sunday Services
First and foremost, we intend to be a worshiping church in these days. It is just going to look different. Starting this Sunday, March 15, and continuing for the next few weeks, we are moving our weekend worship services to Church Online. This means that there will be no worship gatherings at our church campus during this time.
You are encouraged to gather with your family and perhaps with others from our congregation, and join the GraceWay family for a full service of worship, prayer, encouragement and a message of hope. If your neighbor or friend shares a worry or fear, invite them to join you as well.
To worship with Church Online, just click this link Sunday morning:
Church Online
. We will also send you a reminder tomorrow morning.
We also want to make sure your children and middle school and high school students can link up with Tina and Craig, so we have planned a short online gathering for each group as well. Craig and Tina are sending out more information in separate emails to you.
Other Gatherings and Small Groups
Based upon Alameda County Public Health updates and guidance, we have also postponed most other non-essential events. According to the guidance, small groups can still continue to meet but for high risk individuals, the guidance is to limit yourself to groups of 10 or less.
Church and Staff Availability
Even though we will be doing Church Online and will not be holding large gatherings, the staff is still serving the church. Our staff will be on campus during our normal operating hours throughout the week. Small groups who use our facility are welcome to come and continue to meet. Tina, Craig, Melissa, Joanne, Debra and I are still available to meet with you or respond to your needs. In other words, GraceWay ministry continues as usual.
New Online Meeting Opportunity for Groups
We know that some participants of groups may believe it best not to meet in person. With this in mind, we have set up a GraceWay account with Zoom that enables us to offer every group the opportunity to meet online in a video gathering. Members may also call in. This is a free service to you and your group leader need only
contact us
with details of your group meeting day and time and we will respond with information and a link for your group meeting.
We Have Some Tech Geeks
For those of you who may need "Tech Support" with either Church Online or group Zoom meetings, GraceWay's Helping Hands Team is glad to set up or troubleshoot your computer, phone or tablet. If you need help, it is a click away:
Helping Hands Tech Support
.
We are the Church – Let’s Stay Connected
We will all need to be intentional about staying connected and I encourage you to think about how you can best do this. Watch Church Online and include some friends or members of your Life Group, exchange prayer request and encouragement emails, and join a group if you are not in one now.
Our staff team and leaders will also be working on other ways to communicate and stay in touch with you including videos, podcasts or other means.
Deacon and Pastoral Care
For pastoral care, I am always available to meet and pray with you and our Deacons are ready to respond to your needs as well. They are also setting up a list of people who are in higher risk categories and perhaps live alone, may not have access to email communications or are confined to home. We will be making a special effort to stay connected to these dear ones. If you know of someone who might benefit from this, please
contact us
.
We Have Media for You through Our GraceWay Media Library
With school now being cancelled, parents will have a greater need for quality programming for their children. Groups or individuals may also be looking for additional faith resources. We partner with RightNow Media and our GraceWay library has access to over 18,000 videos including 2,000 wholesome and inspiring videos for kids, all at no cost to you. If you do not have an account, contact
Tina LaDue
and she will send you a link to create one. If you have an account, you can login
here
.
Our staff team will also send out GraceWay media library suggestions for parents and adults.
What You Can Do
There are many things you can do during this time as a follower of Jesus. Here are some suggestions and requests that can be part of your personal response:
Engage online with our church family – This will be a new experience for many. Give it a try and share your feedback so we can make it as meaningful as possible.
Invite others to join you for Church Online – You may be in conversation with someone who is really struggling – share with them your confident trust and abounding hope in Jesus and invite them to watch in their own home or with you.
Prayer walk your neighborhood – Walk the blocks around your house and pray for each home, that God would be present, cast fear aside, maintain health. If you meet a neighbor, tell them what you are doing and ask if you can pray for them specifically.
Be alert to ways you can extend kindness and care to another person throughout this next week so that they experience the grace of God through you.
Help GraceWay be a blessing by continuing to give financially – If you are in the habit of bringing your offering to church, please consider signing up for online giving through
MyCommunity
, our GraceWay members app. If you need help, contact our Stewardship Secretary
Dana Hansen
. Alternatively, you can mail your offering or bring it by the church office. We really do appreciate your faithfulness in giving during this time.
Blessing Our Valley
We will make our adjustments to this temporary new normal but we cannot stop there. The Church of Jesus Christ was birthed looking outward (Acts 1:8) and I am inviting you to join me in keeping spiritually alert to ways we might serve the people of the cities we live in. From finding out how we can help the most vulnerable to providing needed supplies and household items to those in need, to watching after others, there will be opportunities for us individually to respond, and I am praying for us to respond as a church. If you become aware of such a need, let me know.
Together We are the Church
We are in this together and we are called to be light and salt. When darkness casts its shadow, the light of Jesus shines through people like you and me. So:
- Keep on seeking God and rely on his strength and promptings.
- Keep the Word of God in Scripture in your mind and heart – it will guide you and bring you peace.
- Do not shrink back from being God’s light and presence to others.
- Live in confident trust and unbounded hope.
- Pray for God to do mighty things in this time.
I love you all and I am here to serve you, whatever your need.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7
