Hello
Beloved Spiritual Family,
* We
are all experiencing the disruption of life as we know it. The world seems to
have been turned upside-down and inside-out by the COVID-19 pandemic. I am
reminded of Psalm 46 which says,
“God
is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth
should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of
the sea…
God
is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved…The Lord of hosts is with
us; the God of Jacob is our refuge…Be still and know that I am God!”
* We
believe that God continues to hold all of us and the whole world in love, that
God continues to be with us. We believe there is a place of peace, protection,
and strength to be found in the stillness of our own hearts which connects our
present experience of trials and suffering with the eternal promises and power
of heaven where there will be no more sickness, no more death, no more tears.
And, we’re able to access this place through spiritual practices including
scripture reading and prayer, conversation with one another, and worship at
home and with the whole church. We believe the world needs to know how to
connect with God, and that each of us are gifted and called to be witnesses of
Jesus. That we are called and sent into the world for just such a time as this.
* I
want to give you an update on our shared ministry at Christ the Servant. We are
taking the following steps in response to the ever-developing situation:
· * In
alignment with the Governor’s “Stay at Home” order, the church office and
facility will be closed and worship and meetings will be offered or hosted
online through Friday, April 10th and likely beyond that date. Our
Passionate Worship team will be meeting this coming week to finalize and share
plans for Holy Week services, including Easter, as soon as possible. You can
join in livestream worship through our Facebook page, by visiting
cslcvhorg.yourlivestream.com, through Zoom Video Conference which also includes
a call in option for audio only. You can find all of these options on our home
page at www.cslcvh.org.
· * While
we may not be able to physically gather as church, nothing prevents us from
continuing to be the church for each other and for the community, just as God
continues to be for us. The primary way we are seeking to #BETHECHURCH, to
Encounter God, Love One Another, and Reach the World even when we are not
gathered in the building, is by establishing 9 different extended family
household size groups called Missional Communities (MC). You can think of your
Missional Community as your extended family household within the larger
spiritual family of Christ the Servant. You will be receiving communication
from those I have asked to serve as MC leaders. I encourage you to communicate
with and support one another and engage in our mission together during this
time through your MC.
·
* Staff
will continue to work, but will do so from home during this time. If there is
anything you need, or any way we can be of assistance to you, please don’t
hesitate to contact us. Staff will be available directly by e-mail:
o
Sandy Hammerlind, Ministry Coordinator – office@cslcvh.org
o
Katie Langston, Intern Pastor – internkatie@cslcvh.org
o
Chris Steubing, Pastor – pastorchris@cslcvh.org
· If
you call the church office (651-429-6595), please leave a voicemail message and
someone will return your call as soon as possible as we are checking this
regularly. If you have an emergency and need pastoral assistance, please call
Pastor Chris at (651-335-0256).
· * Community
bread distribution will continue on Tuesdays on a limited basis as a “take out”
in front of the main building entrance.
* We
want to encourage everyone to practice Extravagant Generosity during this time.
Carrying out our congregation’s ministry requires your generous financial
support so that we may continue God’s mission for us. There are several ways you may contribute including through mail,
online, and text. We have also created a Community Assistance fund to enable us
to respond quickly to emerging needs within our congregation and surrounding
community. See the attached document and/or give directly at www.cslcvh.org/tithe.
·
* DEADLINE
FOR EASTER FLOWERS FRIDAY, APRIL 3RD: We are still planning to
create a display of Easter Flowers to use on Easter Sunday even as we
anticipate continuing our online livestream format. Donated flowers will be
displayed in worship and made available for pickup after Easter. Because there
is a limited selection of only lilies (cost of $9) and hydrangeas (cost of
$18), we invite you to make a donation for flowers and either mail it in or
make it on our website at www.cslcvh.org/tithe
and leave a comment if you would like to them to be dedicated to someone.
God’s
richest blessings, the grace of Jesus, and the community of the Holy Spirit be
with you all!
In
Christ,
Pastor
Chris Steubing
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