Scroll below to see the communications that we have been sending to keep you updated in this upheaval.
Email sent 3/24/2020
Dear Church family,
Once again, we pray you are well and are heeding orders to stay in. It is hard, we know! We miss being together. We don't realize how much it means that we greet each other as we pass in the church hall until we can no longer do it. Consider this our greeting today!
Each Monday, we will feature a short devotion from a pastor or staff member on the LCC Facebook page. This is our devotion for the week from Kurt Alexander:
Praying Psalm 23
When the first mandate for Indiana came out concerning COVID-19, immediately my thoughts went to Psalm 23:NLT): "The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need." In the midst of uncertain times when we find empty shelves at the stores as people panic and begin only to think of self, we can rest in Jesus, knowing that He will walk with us, even through the darkest valley. Read Psalm 23 today, in different versions if possible (Bible Gateway makes that simple). Take time to pray and meditate each verse as you trust your Shepherd.
Please be reminded, now more than ever, that the church isn't a building - it's not a pastor or an address. It is a collection of individuals, all living out their faith and showing the love of Christ to the world around them, sharing the saving power of God's Word and Christ's sacrifice on the cross for us all. It is YOU! Make those phone calls, check on your neighbors, talk to your family members about your faith. Write postcards or thank you notes to healthcare workers. Take a walk and keep your social distance while you pray around your neighborhood. There are many ways we can be the most effective right now as the Church.
Do you need some promptings to pray right now? How about setting alarms to pray right now at 6:10 and 2:50? That's the address of our building, so the staff is using it as a reminder to pray. Whether your schedule allows for those times in the day or night, stop for a moment and remember to pray...and realize that your church family is praying with you.
Would you like to take communion during our online service? Please know that crackers/bread and juice from your home or the store is fine. If you'd rather, we have a cooler under the canopy at LCC with pre-filled communion containers. Feel free to take what you need and remember to sanitize your hands before and after you touch it! The cooler will be out from 8am - 3pm Monday - Thursday. The church building is officially closed now, but we will still have this available to you. While the church is closed, staff will be working remotely. However, we will have the phones forwarded and will be checking email for business as usual. We are working hard to stay in contact with you. Watch our Facebook page (@LebanonChristianChurch) for updates, and watch your email each Tuesday for an update from the church. Wednesdays will likely bring video announcements, which will be added to the lebanonchristian.org/covid-19-plans page as we are able. Watch your email and Facebook groups towards the end of the week for information plans for preschool, children's, and student ministries.
Praying with you,
Your LCC Staff
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Video Recorded by Craig Howie & Philip Davis
3/19/2020 at 11am
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Email sent 3/19/2020
What to Expect This Weekend
We sincerely pray that this message finds you home and well. We are certainly in the midst of a new time in history. As we navigate this new way of doing things, please be patient with us. We do miss being together, but we are willing to do whatever necessary to keep you and the most vulnerable in our community safe.
Part of this new normal is that we are developing new ways to communicate with you. We realize that your inbox is full of COVID-19 emails from every company you’ve ever ordered from or subscribed to. However, digital is the most efficient way we can communicate with you currently. Please give a high priority to emails from LCC, as they most certainly impact you as a believer and member of our church family.
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What to expect this weekend
The online church service link will be posted on Facebook (@LebanonChristianChurch) and at lebanonchristian.org at 9:30am. It will be available for you to watch as a family anytime after that time.
At 10:30am, 412 student ministries will host an online watch party for students to join. An invite link will be shared by email and on social media. They’ll dialogue about this week’s scripture, play some games, and check in with each other.
By 11am, preschool and children’s ministries will post a video in their Facebook groups as well, for parents to use in worship and study with their children. We will link those on the LCC page as we get them.
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Communion
23 …Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
We know that Jesus asked His believers to partake of communion often. It is a critical part of our worship where we can meet with Him in our repentance. We want to offer you, the church, the opportunity to take communion as you worship at home. Beginning today, Monday - Thursday from 8:30am-3pm, our office foyer is open. You can stop by at any time and pick up pre-filled communion. If you lead a life group, feel free to take enough for the group. Or you can grab enough for your family. Also, we know that there is nothing special about the crackers and the juice. The significance of communion is the time that you set apart in prayer to remember Christ and His sacrifice that ushers our way into eternity. If you have crackers/bread and juice at your home, feel free to use those as emblems of communion this weekend.
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Sermon CD’s
If you know someone who does not use the internet and would like an audio CD, please email office@lebanonchristian.org or call 765-482-4673. We are happy to make a CD of the sermon and mail it to anyone who could use it.
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Giving
Even though our building is not open for regular worship and programs, ministry is still happening at a rapid pace! In fact, we are being as creative as possible and learning new and innovative ways to reach you and our community. Much of this involves technology.
Ministry takes resources. We know the needs in our church family and in our community will become greater during these trying times. Our missionaries, near and far, are facing times of great need as well because of this virus and other strains on their ministry.
Please remember to give consistently to the ministry of LCC so that we can continue to impact our community and the world with the gospel of Christ. We can have greater impact now than ever before!
Attached you will find a graphic that explains four simple ways to give while you’re home. If you have never given to the ministries of LCC, consider giving something now. If you have dropped some cash in the offering plate in the past, pray about making a regular, recurring gift. If you or someone you know desires to mail a check to LCC, we are happy to provide a small amount of self-addressed, stamped envelopes by request.
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Thank you, and please know that we are praying for you often. If you have a specific need, reach out to the office (765-482-4673 or office@lebanonchristian.org).
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Message recorded by Craig Howie
3/14/2020 at 5:00pm
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Message sent 3/13/2020 | 8:20am
Church Family,
As you may have seen by now, we have cancelled services for this Sunday. You have likely wondered "Why?". This decision was not made lightly. When Governor Holcomb issued the protocol for gatherings yesterday afternoon, we had no choice. Churches are included in the limitations regarding gatherings over 250 people. On a given Sunday we have more than this in our building at one time. It is important that we respect our governing authorities. Paul makes this clear in Romans 13:1, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."
Early next week, we will inform you of future steps as we strive to be wise in the face of the directives by our governing officials and while we continue to honor God above all.
On Saturday, I'll record and post a small message to our church family about how we find God in the midst of this, and the opportunity that we have as disciples of Jesus in these times. Please remember that the Church is not bound to a building. The Church is the collective body of Jesus' followers all around the world. The Church is people. We can still be the Church apart from a space. We can worship Him in new and different ways. He will guide. I look forward to sharing on Saturday. Our ministers will meet on Monday to look at how we can continue to love, support, equip, and encourage our congregation in the days ahead. The elders are meeting Monday as well and are already working through an action plan.
God is good. He is faithful. We trust in Him, not in the empty shelves, not in full pantries, but in God alone. Believe me, God is going to do something remarkable in these times. Bend the knee in prayer. Seek Him through His Word. Live boldly and faithfully. Ask God for opportunities to share about the hope and peace you have because of Him. Our communities need it.
With great love and expectation,
Craig Howie
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Update: 3/12/2020 | 5:00pm
Indiana Governor Holcomb has requested that all large gatherings be cancelled in the coming weeks. In response to that and out of an abundance of caution, LCC will be cancelling worship services this Sunday, March 15. Stay tuned for more information as we develop a plan going forward. Things are rapidly changing! Please understand that these are difficult decisions to make. We are all encouraged when we gather in worship, and we are called to do so by God. However, we do not want to endanger the safety of anyone in our church family.
