Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I wanted to give you a quick update on the status of our corporate worship services.
As you know, yesterday our Governor issued an order regarding Church worship services that prohibits congregational gatherings at least through May 15. This means that for the next two Sundays we cannot gather (May 3 and May 10), so we will continue to provide a video recording of the sermon and a worship guide for home use.
Of course, all of us were hoping and praying that the restriction on corporate worship would be lifted by now, and we are very disappointed that, for at least another two Sundays, we cannot be together. However, I believe that our Governor, and those advising her, are seeking to do what is best for our State. I am very appreciative of the fact that, along with the appropriate medical authorities, Governor Ivey also consulted with a number of pastors from across Alabama in making this decision to keep Churches and places of worship closed for now. As far as I have seen, our Governor is a good friend of religious liberty, and we should thankfully remember her and her staff in our prayers as they help us to wisely navigate through this most unusual crisis.
We expect that before May 15 there will be another official statement made regarding public worship services and other matters related to the phased-in reopening of the State.
Following this, the Session will again deliberate and communicate with you. Until then, let us pray that on May 15 the restriction will be lifted, and we may gather together again for the worship of our Lord and Savior.
Thank you so very much for your patience and prayers during all of this. This has been a very trying and disturbing time. And we are surely aware of the devil’s schemes, and how a national crisis such as this might become his diabolical tool to hinder both the work and Word of our Lord, and discourage believers.
We are also very aware that in some places in our country even now, those political authorities that are hostile to the Gospel and to the Church might exploit this crisis in an effort to further, and unnecessarily, restrict the worship and witness of God’s people. We have indeed been richly blessed here in Alabama, but let us pray that our freedoms will remain protected, and that our fellow believers in other States across our land will also be shielded from governmental heavy-handedness and from political agendas that are adversarial to the free declaration of the Gospel.
On behalf of our Session, let me assure you of our deepest love for each of you. We are so honored to serve our Lord by serving you! And you are always in our prayers, not only for your physical protection and health during the pandemic, but also for your continued spiritual well-being, and your joy and peace in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I love you all,
Mike