Pleasant Grove Community Church
|
|
TO BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY
Bet you can't do this!
Click on the picture below to watch this quick, fun video.
|
|
AN ENCOURAGING WORD FROM PASTOR SCOTT
|
|
A Devotional Thought
by Lois Coady
Have you noticed how companies are moving customer service call centers to foreign countries? I have placed calls for help and ended up speaking with people I can barely comprehend. While I understand the economic benefit to companies doing this, I have found the level of service provided has a lot to be desired. In addition to frequent language barriers, there seems to be a lack of process understanding and even more important, empathy for those calling into the center which is at the core of “customer service,” or at least it should be…right?
In thinking through this, I was reminded that I/we are members of God’s “customer service center” here on earth. We should be living examples of His love and care for others. So, what should this look like? How can we represent God and make a difference in this world? Well, Paul reminds us in Ephesians 5:8-10,
“
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
and find out what pleases the Lord.”
As God’s light to the world, we have a responsibility to demonstrate the
fruit
of His light
through goodness, righteousness and truth
. When we live out
goodness
, we truly put the needs of others before our own needs. We listen intently, offer our assistance and follow-through on commitments.
We live out
righteousness
by doing what we know is right and not taking short-cuts. This can be a challenge at times but with God’s help, we can do it.
Living out
truth
is living by God’s standards. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines truth as “
sincerity in action, character, and utterance.”
We should be people of character who respect others as God’s creation and make a sincere effort to reflect His love and grace in everything that we say or do.
Living like this is a tall order but it is one that He equips us to do through the Holy Spirit. We can even do it for the person on the other end of that customer service call. Amen.
|
|
When Will We be Able to Come Back to Church?
This seems to be the question on everyone’s mind. Unfortunately, we don’t know yet. We wait for the “go ahead” from the state, trusting in the knowledge and experience of the health experts. We care too much for you to take chances with your health. However, we are busy preparing for when the day comes.
When we do reopen, what will it look like?
You’ve already noticed changes everywhere you go. Stores and restaurants limit the number of people who can enter. There are strips on the floor at check-out lines marking the “social distance” of 6 feet. There are plexiglass shields between you and the cashier, who is wearing a mask along with many of the shoppers. Our world has changed dramatically in two short months!
As staff, we have been discussing the changes and precautions we will need to take as well. Just like everywhere else, things will be different, at least to begin with. We want to share the changes we are discussing so you won’t be surprised. Plus, we want your feedback.
All the plans shared below are tentative depending on the guidance we receive from state health officials. Some of these changes will require adapting, but they are for everyone’s health and safety. Besides, look at how much you already have been able to adapt these past two months.
Disinfecting
- We will hire a company to thoroughly and professionally clean and disinfect the church a few days before we reopen.
- We will also be wiping down and disinfecting all doors and bathroom surfaces before, during and after each service and any weekday events.
- We will have hand sanitizer stations at each entry and at several other places throughout the church.
Limited Numbers and Social Distance
We will almost certainly have to limit the number of people who can congregate, as well as keep everyone spread apart. To that end we currently plan to:
- Remove every other row of seats
- Have people sit at least three seats apart unless they are living in the same house
- Provide multiple services to make up for the smaller number of people who can attend each service (we are waiting for guidance on the number that will be allowed and still discussing the best way to make sure we don’t have too many people come to any one of the services)
- There will not be hugging, hand shaking, fist bumping or even elbow tapping (sorry)
Other Precautions
- We will likely have offering boxes in the back rather than pass the offering bags
- We will not be serving coffee, cookies, or snacks
- Wearing masks will be recommended, if not required by the state
- We do not know, yet, how we will do a choir. We are continuing to work on ways we can make choir happen in a safe and socially distant way.
If You do not Feel Safe to be In a Larger Gathering.
We understand so…
- After we reopen, we will continue to video, as well as audio record, our services and have them available online so you can worship from home if needed. This is also a way for those who are no longer physically able to come to church to have church come to them.
- For those who do not have a computer, we will make and distribute CDs and DVDs of the service.
- For those who cannot afford a CD or DVD player, we are hoping to have a limited number of players available to loan out, and we will provide assistance to anyone who needs help hooking their DVD player up to their TV and/or learning how to use it.
Good Morning PGCC Emails Will Continue
after we start meeting again on a weekly, rather than daily, basis.
Bible Studies at Church
We are working on ways in which Bible Studies can meet, yet stay socially distant.
Let us know of your reactions and suggestions.
- Again, all of the above plans are tentative, depending on the guidance we receive from the state and the feedback we receive from you.
- Also, all these plans are temporary and will gradually ease up as the threat from COVID-19 diminishes.
Have you taken our RETURN TO CHURCH SURVEY yet?
We want to gauge your desires and feelings about reopening to help us in our preparations so we are using a free survey offered by an affiliate of the Barna Group. This is a nationwide survey, but we will get the results of our church that you have shared. The survey is anonymous.
|
|
An Old Irish Blessing
Embroidery by Jorene Page
Do you have any original art that you created yourself and would like to share? It could be paintings, drawings, crafts, sewing, photography, sock puppets ... If so, send a picture of it to us at
1730pgccoffice@gmail.com
.
|
|
NEXT WEEK WE ARE FOCUSING ON PRAYER
Why? Because prayer changes things and we want God working in our lives filling us with God's presence, power, and direction!
|
|
STAY IN TOUCH
Call us at 916-771-4447
(Please leave a message if no one answers.)
Write us at 1730 Pleasant Grove Blvd, Roseville, CA 95747
Blessings, PGCC staff
If you know of someone who is not receiving this email, they can request to receive it by emailing
keapgcc@gmail.com
but they must request it themselves.
|
|
Pleasant Grove Community Church
1730 Pleasant Grove Blvd., Roseville, CA 95747
(916) 771-4447 www.pgcc.church
Email: 1730pgccoffice@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
