"For Such A Time As This” - PCOB Announcement And Devotion For 3/23/2020
To the Good Folk of the Palmyra Church of the Brethren,
We have been getting positive feedback on yesterday’s worship video. We know it is not a slick production, but that doesn’t seem to matter. People are commenting on the importance of being connected, on the willingness of those involved to share their gifts, on the messages of encouragement and faith that were shared, and even on how reassuring it was to see the familiar space of the sanctuary and remember/imagine one another gathered in worship. We have also received words of gratitude from people who saw it because some you shared it on your Facebook pages. We are already working on next Sunday’s service. May God’s spirit inhabit all that we do.
Today we received an urgent appeal from Londonderry Village for both unused and homemade facemasks. I will be sending a separate email, with instructions, regarding that request. News sources suggest that we will see a huge increase in confirmed cases this week, with our health care facilities being challenged to meet the needs. It is especially important that we stay home and stay safe in order to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
I am thankful to Marlin Houff for providing today’s devotion. His words re-center us in what could be a frightening week. If you wish to respond to Marlin directly, his email address is mdhblue.mt@gmail.com.
Today’s Devotion:
Scripture - Romans 8: 35-39
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thoughts
Crisis, challenge, danger, disaster, epidemic, emergency, pandemic, disease, illness, death, virus, panic, fear, etc. These words are ones that we prefer not to dwell on in our day to day lives. However, we find ourselves in a time of hearing such words on a daily basis, and find that they are a part of every conversation.
Fortunately, we are a part of a faith community that envelops us in love and surrounds us instead with these words in our daily conversations: Faith, hope, caring, prayer, blessing, concern, support, assistance, service, affirmation, comfort, thankfulness, praise, joy, grace, friendship, family, etc. These are some of the basics of our faith that surrounds us in our community of believers. I feel so blessed to be able to turn to the church and its circle of caring for such a time as this.
As a body of believers, let us look to Romans 8: 35-38 for comfort: “For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from Christ’s love. - verses 38-39.
Prayer
As we are surrounded by God’s love and the fellowship of believers, may we continue to keep all those around us, especially the health care providers and the decision makers, in our thoughts and prayers. Bless them and give them wisdom and strength for the challenges ahead. Amen.
Reminder:
If you know someone who does not have email, please call them and offer to read this email and devotion to them. And, check in on how they are doing.
We have been getting positive feedback on yesterday’s worship video. We know it is not a slick production, but that doesn’t seem to matter. People are commenting on the importance of being connected, on the willingness of those involved to share their gifts, on the messages of encouragement and faith that were shared, and even on how reassuring it was to see the familiar space of the sanctuary and remember/imagine one another gathered in worship. We have also received words of gratitude from people who saw it because some you shared it on your Facebook pages. We are already working on next Sunday’s service. May God’s spirit inhabit all that we do.
Today we received an urgent appeal from Londonderry Village for both unused and homemade facemasks. I will be sending a separate email, with instructions, regarding that request. News sources suggest that we will see a huge increase in confirmed cases this week, with our health care facilities being challenged to meet the needs. It is especially important that we stay home and stay safe in order to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
I am thankful to Marlin Houff for providing today’s devotion. His words re-center us in what could be a frightening week. If you wish to respond to Marlin directly, his email address is mdhblue.mt@gmail.com.
Today’s Devotion:
Scripture - Romans 8: 35-39
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thoughts
Crisis, challenge, danger, disaster, epidemic, emergency, pandemic, disease, illness, death, virus, panic, fear, etc. These words are ones that we prefer not to dwell on in our day to day lives. However, we find ourselves in a time of hearing such words on a daily basis, and find that they are a part of every conversation.
Fortunately, we are a part of a faith community that envelops us in love and surrounds us instead with these words in our daily conversations: Faith, hope, caring, prayer, blessing, concern, support, assistance, service, affirmation, comfort, thankfulness, praise, joy, grace, friendship, family, etc. These are some of the basics of our faith that surrounds us in our community of believers. I feel so blessed to be able to turn to the church and its circle of caring for such a time as this.
As a body of believers, let us look to Romans 8: 35-38 for comfort: “For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from Christ’s love. - verses 38-39.
Prayer
As we are surrounded by God’s love and the fellowship of believers, may we continue to keep all those around us, especially the health care providers and the decision makers, in our thoughts and prayers. Bless them and give them wisdom and strength for the challenges ahead. Amen.
Reminder:
If you know someone who does not have email, please call them and offer to read this email and devotion to them. And, check in on how they are doing.
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