Church Status Update

Good Afternoon Edgemont Family! I was hoping that in this email I could write that we would be beginning in person worship very soon. Unfortunately, that is not the case. As our leadership team has met, we have been watching the news and keeping up with the information given from the hospitals around the state, now is not the time to begin in-person, in-building services. Caution is still needed so that we do not overtax our healthcare providers. We are committing to not resume worship in our buildings until after at least August 2nd. We will again evaluate the situation in our state and community to see if it is appropriate to begin then. We will plan to celebrate Communion with another drive-in service using our FM tuner on August the 2nd. We are now able to celebrate the liturgy and receive the Lord’s supper together from our cars while using our individual radios. I hope you can join us next month! Whenever the conditions are right for us to begin services in our buildings again, we also recognize that these will need to look different for a time. Currently, singing in worship is not recommended, masks need to be worn, and social distancing needs to be continued. With that in mind, we are preparing for a different type of service when we return. This service will be a service of scripture, prayer, and time for reflection. Some of us may have experienced a similar service at a vesper service; this will be like that without the singing of hymns. During this service we will be able to gather together, meditate on God’s word, be in prayer for one another and our world, while also maintaining safety measures that reduce our chances of spreading the virus when we worship. This service also opens up the opportunity for creativity. As a body, we can explore some of the more meditative spiritual practices such as prayer journaling, centering prayer, lectio divina, and more. As we remain in this difficult season, I remember the words the Apostle Paul prayed in in the opening his letter to the Ephesians,

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:15-23)

Edgemont, may we continually be giving thanks to God for one another. I pray that we all may know the Lord better and that we may continue to know the great hope to which we have been called! Pastor Henry