Dearest PEFC Family,
I am trusting and praying you are all doing well during this strange time in our lives. To witness and experience a global pandemic has been quite surreal and its affect has been felt by all of us. Among other things, It has obviously affected our church life in profound ways, and we are all no doubt missing that face to face connection. However, I must say that I was deeply encouraged by a sister in the church who texted me yesterday. She said “I feel like a lot of the churches that I have contact with may have become weaker during this time, but I think PEFC has become stronger”. She then went on to encourage me in light of these past 3 years and what great years they have been. I find that I carry this sense in my own heart regarding this time.
As we have been echoing through many of our sermons, as Christians we must allow this time to be a time when we seek Him, read the Word, and hear preaching more than ever. We must allow this to be a season of sharpening, rather than losing our spiritual edge. This is why drawing near for live services at the same time, sensing God speaking to our hearts together, as well as listening to sermons online has been so valuable for us all. Let us all be sure to be listening to sermons regularly, as “faith comes by hearing the Word” (Rom 10:17) and it allows us to “hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev 2:11).
Firstly, we are planning to continue our live streaming for our main service and Wednesday mornings, but perhaps adding other creative opportunities to meet together going forward. We are considering such things as an open-air Bible Study on Sunday PM in our church car-park and perhaps opportunities for prayer. These meetings would obviously be in the context of careful social distancing and we would let you know if and when anything is scheduled.
As far as setting a date that we might open on a Sunday for services again, we have considered Sept 6th to be our hopeful return date. This is obviously subject to change. It could move either way depending on what is happening with Covid-19, government recommendations, and God’s leading. Until then, let us continue in His word, having our hearts stirred up in the faith every day. He is certainly with us all and using this time for the good!
In His grace
Graham
