From The Elders - 3/25

From the Elders...

Lamar Avenue Family:

As we enter our 3rd week of “church isolation” we (your elders) wanted to communicate a few things to you. First and foremost, as we know this time can be very stressful, we must maintain our faith that God is in control! You are not alone! He is always with you and we, as your shepherds, are with you as well. In times like this, we must lean on our faith, prioritize our family (including our church family), and remember what matters most.

Many see this as a dark time for the church, but we see it differently. If there was ever a time for the church to be called into action this is it! This is where we must be encouraging one another, caring for one another, and praying for one another like never before. This is when we need to be praising our Lord and God, and giving thanks for life, for family, for His church, and for the hope we all have in Him that is so much greater than the darkness and pessimism that surrounds us right now. Be assured that your elders are praying for you daily. We are calling people and doing everything we can to be assured everyone is checked on and anyone with a need is attended to. As Randy has said, this is a time for our Life Groups to shine. Hopefully, someone from your group has already called to check on you, and if you do need anything that is the best place to start. While we may not be able to visit our members who are in the hospital, nursing home, or homebound, we can all still call to check on them and maybe even send them a note of encouragement. And of course, all of us can continue to pray for one another!

Although our initial communication stated we would cancel all meetings until March 29, we now find it necessary to suspend all gatherings until further notice. We are watching the pandemic closely along with all the recommendations of the CDC and our federal, state, and local governments. We have elders that are closely linked to the medical community who are able to keep us informed of trends and ongoing recommendations. We are hopeful that it will not be long before it is safe for us to meet together again, but we will continue to communicate with you regularly and let you know as soon as that can happen.

We encourage you to continue to spend time in worship and devotion. Randy is posting lessons to our Facebook page and our website (lacoc.org) a couple of times each week. Also, all members of our church have access to Right Now Media, an online site with thousands of videos related to the Christian faith and Bible study. You can access this through our website under the “Resources” tab. If you haven’t utilized this resource before, contact the office and they can get you set up. As for Sunday morning, we plan to have a post ready for you to access at 10:00 AM on our website and Facebook page, hopefully, to include opportunities for singing and communion in addition to Randy’s message (please have some grape juice and crackers ready so you can participate from home).

Our prayer for you at this time is the same as Paul’s prayer for the church in Thessalonica: "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17

We love you all with the love of the Lord!

Your elders