[UPDATE, APRIL 10, 2020]
Governor Whitmer's Executive Order 2020-42 was expanded yesterday and will now be in effect through April 30. For us, this means that we will continue to suspend all of our regular gatherings through the end of the month.
[UPDATE, MARCH 19, 2020]
Due to updated recommendations, we will temporarily suspend all public gatherings. This includes Sunday services, Wednesday activities, youth group, women’s and men’s ministries, Bible studies, and small groups.
It is especially important, however, to continue with courage in prayer, thanksgiving, and hope. We remember Psalm 56:3—“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” And though we are not meeting in person during this season, we can still unite around regular worship and teaching from Scripture. Pastor Rob will resume his teaching in Acts, which will be recorded and made available for you at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday morning. You may find the video on Facebook, Vimeo, or our website (cbcjonesville.org/sermons).
Please know that our pastors remain committed to our church family during this time. Our church offices will remain open Tuesday–Friday during regular hours. We encourage you to call or stop by if you have any needs.
Please commit to staying in regular contact with people within our church family and others who are alone during this time.
Finally, we thank you for your continued partnership in the gospel. Because our church operates on your weekly support, we want to make it easy for you to give. You may give online (cbcjonesville.org/donate) or drop off your offering into the box during our regular hours.
[UPDATE, MARCH 17, 2020]
• Wednesday, March 18 — All activities are cancelled.
• Thursday, March 19 — Women's Connection is cancelled.
[STATEMENT, MARCH 13, 2020]
Together with many in our community, we are monitoring the development of the coronavirus (COVID-19). In all things, we want to carefully weigh our response in keeping with the whole counsel of God’s word. Paul writes, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5–7).
When the headlines scream that “the sky is falling”—whether for political, environmental, cultural, or epidemiological reasons—we remember that our God is sovereign and good. This is our Father’s world, and there is no cause for alarm. Rather than panic, as God’s children, we turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer.
God’s greatest concern is for our hearts, but there are also practical concerns. On March 11, Governor Whitmer declared Michigan to be in a state of emergency and issued recommendations to slow the transmission of the coronavirus. As a result, our local colleges and universities have committed to cooperate with the CDC and to comply with such recommendations. As for us, the recommendations include suspending all gatherings over 100 people in a shared space. Moreover, many in our church family and community are older, physically weaker, or immunocompromised. It is not merely submission to our governing authorities and deference to their preventative measures, but also love that guides us to take precautions to minimize the spread of coronavirus.
Since our services exceed 100, we want to find an appropriate alternative that would neither sacrifice our joyous responsibilities as Christians nor blatantly disregard the recommendations of our local authorities and our testimony before the world. For us, this will involve four (4) elements:
- For the next three weeks (March 15, 22, and 29), we are asking that everyone affiliated with small groups to gather together for a worship service in your small group on Sunday morning at 10:45am instead of meeting at the church. Your group leaders can answer questions specific to each group.
- For those who are not in a small group, we will still have smaller worship services at the church at 9:00am and 10:45am. There will be no search classes, no half-time, and no Sunday school.
- We encourage those to stay home who are ill (with a fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms), who share a space with someone who is ill, or who might be at high risk due to age or an underlying health issue.
- All ministries will continue normally and as scheduled except our Sunday morning services, Sunday night activities, and Awana program. Please reach out to the church office or call an elder if we can help.
God will use this for the good of His church. We have the opportunity to model and promote confidence in the Lord, prudence in our management of risk, humility in our willingness to listen to counsel, love for our neighbors, and joy in the sweetness of Christian fellowship, which we expect to flourish as we embrace the essentials of our faith.
Respectfully in Christ,
The Elders at Countryside