“Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
– Psalm 9:10 (NIV)
*** RETURNING TO IN-PERSON WORSHIP ***
(last updated June 22, 2020)
Due to concerns over Covid-19, we suspended all in-person services, starting March 15, 2020. We resumed in-person worship on Sundays at 11 AM only on May 31, 2020. In the interim, Pastor Kyle shared videos online and used the Prayer Chain to provide devotional thoughts and help keep everyone connected. To see the videos shared during this period, scroll to the bottom of this page.
For the time being, we are following guidelines put forth by Governor Beshear and Bishop Fairley’s office. These guidelines may change over the coming weeks, but what follows is an explanation of how we intend to approach the service this weekend. Please feel free to ask questions or express any concerns.
These are some of the guidelines we will be following:
First, if you feel sick or are not yet comfortable returning, we encourage you to stay home. We don’t want you to feel pressured to return before you’re ready. We will still share sermons online for those who decide to stay home.
For the time being, our only in-person service will be Sundays at 11 AM. There will be no Sunday School. Wednesday night Bible study will continue online via Zoom. Please let us know if you are interested in joining the Zoom group.
When you arrive at the church, we encourage you to practice social distancing both inside and outside the building, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between yourself/family and other individuals/families. You are asked to refrain from handshakes and hugging at this time.
We ask you to enter the building via the front doors only. As you enter, James will be taking and logging each person’s temperature with a no-contact thermometer. This process may be slow, so please arrive early if you can and bear with us.
A hand sanitizer station has been placed near the front door for your convenience, and there is plenty of soap in the bathrooms to practice good hand hygiene.
Masks should be worn at all times, including during singing. You are encouraged to bring your own mask with you, but disposable masks are available for those who need one. This does not apply to children under the age of 5, or to those who have a medical condition that prevents them from safely wearing a mask. In accordance with guidelines, Pastor Kyle will only remove his mask while leading the service from the pulpit, at least 20 feet away from the nearest congregant.
Pre-filled Communion cups are available for you to pick up as you enter the sanctuary so we can celebrate the Lord’s supper together without passing the elements during the service.
Our pews have been taped off to help maintain social distancing, so our seating is limited and is very spread out. Service information will be placed in seats a couple days ahead of time so no bulletins will be passed out at the door.
We will not be sending children downstairs for Children’s Church at this time, so children will need to sit with their parents throughout the service.
At the end of the service, we will dismiss in an orderly way in order to maintain social distancing. The offering plate will be near the door so you can leave your tithes and offerings there. Those who handle the offerings will wear the proper PPE as they take care of that.
The building has been cleaned prior to your arrival and will be cleaned after each service.
We’re sorry that it’s necessary to take such extreme precautions at this time. Know that the guidelines may change from week to week, but we are hoping and praying that the day will come soon when these measures will no longer be needed. Until then, your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
We look forward to worshiping with you soon!
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*** RESPONSE DURING LOCKDOWN***
We are living through strange times. Life has been disrupted in so many ways. Yet we know that God is with us and He will see us through, just as He has always done for His people. In the meantime, we continue to live out our faith in a variety of ways.
Online Worship
Starting March 15, we have ceased in-person worship services, but every Sunday morning, Pastor Kyle shares a video message on our Facebook page. These videos are also uploaded on this page, usually by Sunday afternoon. Scroll down to see Pastor Kyle’s video messages.
As we begin to prepare to return to in-person worship, we will be looking at guidelines from the Bishop’s task force, as well as the guidelines from the Governor’s office. We want everyone who attends to be confident that they can do so safely.
Online Bible Study
We have Bible study on Wednesday nights at 6:30 via the Zoom teleconferencing app. Currently, we are studying the Gospel of John. If you would like to learn more or join us for Bible study, please contact us, and Pastor Kyle will send you the information.
The Blessing Box
During this season, many people are facing lay-offs and finding it more difficult to make ends meet. We continue to stock the Blessing Box outside the church as often as we can, and we invite you to take what you need or leave what you can. Increased traffic to the box means that it is impossible to predict what will be there from one day to the next. It also means that everyone should practice caution when using the box – be sure to wipe down anything you take from the box, and be sure to use sanitizer or wash your hands after accessing the box, just to be on the safe side!
Ringing the Bells
Every Sunday morning at 10 AM, we continue to ring the church bells, even though we are not hosting in-person services at this time. This is an act of solidarity with the community and we hope that it serves as a reminder to all of God’s presence and his love.
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VIDEO MESSAGES FROM FACEBOOK
5/24/2020 – We hope you’re having a blessed Memorial Day weekend! In today’s message from 1 Peter 4-5, we remember that suffering in itself is not a happy thing, but it can still give us a reason for joy. May you find joy and peace in the Lord toda.
5/17/2020 – As much as we want life to go back to normal, none of us knows how long that will take. We do know something about how Jesus wants us to live in the meantime, though. Part of the answer can be found in John 15.
5/10/2020 – In our Mother’s Day message, we hear the calling in 1 Peter 2 to become like newborn babies who long for pure spiritual milk. So what is the milk and where do we get it? And how might we be able to lead others to it?
5/3/2020 – The pandemic is changing our world, and we don’t know when things will ever go back to normal – or what normal will look like – but Haggai 2 reminds us that we have several reasons to trust that the future will be bright as we follow the Lord.
4/26/2020 – Are you more focused on God’s seeming absence or on his actual presence? In Luke 24 we find a reminder that He is near to us, even when we’re not aware of Him.
4/19/2020 – In John 20, we read that the disciples were filled with fear and anxiety after Jesus’ crucifixion, but then Jesus appeared to them and gave them peace and purpose.
4/12/2020 – Easter Sunday Service, including songs to sing together and a message from Mark 16. He is Risen!
4/10/2020 – Good Friday Service – an extended meditation on the passion of Christ.
4/5/2020 – A Palm Sunday message from Luke 19, and a song to sing together.
3/29/2020 – Though the world around us is changing, the God we serve today is the same as He has always been. James 4:8 reminds us to draw near to God and make the most of the season we are living through.
3/22/2020 – Reflection on what it means to be the Church in this difficult season – Philippians 4:4-8
3/15/2020 – Do not fear, God can be trusted.
Words of encouragement from Psalm 46:1-2
We pray you will stay safe and healthy during this season, and will know the peace of Christ that comes as we place our trust fully in him in spite of the chaos around us.
