CORONAVIRUS
Since there are currently no worship services in the church building we will post Video of Worship on Aldersgate’s Facebook page at 8 AM Sunday morning. Click the link to Aldersgate’s Facebook page here to view the video(s).
Grace to you and Peace from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I hold you in my prayers everyday as we all are affected by the Coronavirus pandemic and suffer from it in our daily life. May God bring you comfort and fill your hearts with strength and hope in this difficult and challenging time. Let us continue to pray for one another. Let us keep our relationship remembering each other in our prayers and sharing love through phone calls, emails, cards and other ways of communication. Let us pray for our communities, our country and the entire world.
Coronavirus has changed our lives. What has been normal is no longer normal. Of course, it has changed the church life, too – worship service, fellowship, children/youth ministry, pastoral care, meetings, Bible study/faith growth, small groups.
I am working with church leaders in efforts to continue our ministry in this new situation that we have never been in. My goal and hope is not just to hunker down and survive. Yes, it is very important to stay healthy and safe. Safety has the priority. However, I believe God will continue to bless us in new ways as we are displaced beyond our comfort zones. I believe God wants us not just to survive but to thrive. We all remember that God blessed the Israelites with manna (bread from heaven) and quail when they were wandering in the wilder-ness for forty years. I believe God will feed us with manna and quail too in this difficult time.
So, we should continue to live with positive spirit moving forward. However, with all uncertainties, our plans are all temporary and we must adapt to changes continually. We just do our best in the given situation. We have online worship service now instead of worshiping in the sanctuary. For those who can’t join in the online worship, sermon copies are emailed and also mailed. I really hope we can have worship service back in the sanctuary for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. So, I am preparing for that, but I am preparing for online service as well because we don’t know how the future unfolds at this point.
We are planning to offer Bible studies online. We bring Sunday school to our children’s homes by sending lesson material to parents so that parents can teach their children, which creates an opportunity for unique relationships between children and parents. Youth group is planning to meet in the virtual church through video conference meetings. We offer pastoral care through phone calls, emails and cards. As we continue our ministry, we can’t do our ministry without financial support. We must be faithful to our commitment and pledges.
Yes, we are challenged by Coronavirus. But when we respond with our faith and from a new perspective of faith, we can see new ways of living that God will reveal to us. And when we do something new with the spirit of creativity, it brings excitement and joy which is more powerful than the power of Coronavirus.
Aldersgate’s theme for year 2020 is “Move Beyond Our Comfort Zones.” We have already been displaced beyond our Comfort Zones. Of course, we did not plan this. As we are already in unfamiliar territory, let us remember that God is always doing new things only when people move beyond their comfort zone. Let us move forward and upward with hope, courage and faith to see what God is doing for us until the Coronavirus pandemic passes away.
Jesus won victory over the power of death! When Jesus is present in our hearts, his victory is ours as well. I really hope we can all gather together in the sanctuary on Easter morning to praise God and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
Whether we celebrate Easter in the sanctuary or at our homes, Christ is risen! Alleluia!
In Christ, Our Lord and Savior,