Dear Powell Church,
How we love you and miss you! We think of you and pray for you regularly in this time when we are unable to be together. However, we CAN wait to see you, because that is the best way we can love one another and our community in the midst of a viral pandemic. Waiting is not easy…physical isolation from one another is difficult…longing to be with one another is a challenge to our patience. But given the information we have from healthcare professionals, combined with the recommendations from our Bishop, we will continue to “do no harm” by staying the course of online gatherings, studies, small groups, worship, and other meetings and ministries. On April 22, 2020 we received this word from our Bishop regarding the opening of churches:
I along with the Extended Cabinet yearn for the time we will be able to safely gather together again in our church buildings. At this time, we do not have enough information about this deadly Covid-19 virus to reverse the previous mandate without endangering the safety of our church families and communities by allowing our churches to reopen. We will continue assessing the situation within our conference bounds and will reopen as soon as we feel it is safe.
Once we have new information, we will begin to lay out a plan for what “getting back together” will look like for Powell Church in the future. There are many details for us to rethink in order to keep all people safe, including but not limited to: securing necessary cleaning supplies, developing new cleaning procedures, ensuring the safety of our children, students, and our most vulnerable population, and implementing best practices within our building that protect all people. As your Staff Team, we are committed to patiently and methodically working at developing such a safety plan; we are already thinking about the details of these questions and issues. Please pray for discernment as we work on future steps to prepare for the day we are able to be united once again face-to-face.
In the meantime, we will communicate with you on a regular basis. We encourage you to visit the COVID-19 Update page HERE for the latest information AND for current ministry opportunities that provide ways for us to show the love of Jesus to our community. Also, please reach out to us if you have any needs that we can assist you with in this time. We feel your prayers, and know that we are praying for you! Thank you for your words of loving encouragement through emails, texts, and social media comments. And thank you for your commitment to serving in ministry, to your spiritual growth, to making disciples, and to financial generosity. We are continuing to win people to Christ, make disciples, and meet the needs of people! Let’s carry on together and be the Church…because following Jesus, serving others, worshipping God, growing in faith, giving generously, and meeting the needs of people is not confined to a building! In the name of Jesus, we thank God for all of you! Now, let’s continue loving God with everything we have, let’s love our neighbors, and let’s follow Jesus where he leads us.
Grace and Peace
Powell Church Staff Team
