SRPC Responding to a COVID-19 National Emergency
Beloved Congregation:
On Monday (3/16/20) our country’s President gave new national guidelines for responding to the current COVID-19 virus threat. The guidelines tell the country to avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people for the next 15 days to aid in slowing the spread of the corona virus. This is a temporary measure intended for the safety of all residents.
Your SRPC Elders see the 15 day guideline as extending to our congregation’s weekly gatherings. This means that for now we are cancelling all our church’s weekly meetings, including the Lord’s Day services, until 4/5/20.
The Next 15 Days at Shawnee RPC
Your Elders are complying with the recommendations on the grounds that we want to do our part to slow the COVID-19 virus. Our Kansas City Alliance of Reformed Churches has canceled the 3/29/20 evening worship service as well.
Especially during this time the SRPC Elders urge all of us to,
- Participate in SRPC’s Lord’s Day Worship Services Online
As our Lord Jesus tells us, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). We need the encouragement and supply of strength from God and one way we plan to bring encouragement to you is to have Lord’s Day morning and evening worship services live streamed for all to join.
You can find SRPC Worship links for our live streamed services and also previously recorded services on our website at, www.shawneerpc.org. The live streaming will be at the regular times 11 AM and 6 PM on the Lord’s Day. We ask that you join with us at those times as you may be able and to let others know of our services too.
- Live a Biblically Based Response
As God’s dear children we want to respond to every event in life on the principles of God’s word (Eph 5:1). In instances such as these we need to avoid the extremes of surrendering to a mentality of fear or rushing ahead in foolish ignorance (2 Tim 1:7; Pr 27:12). Like Daniel of old, God calls us to a walk of obedience and love no matter what the circumstance or day in history we are living (Daniel 6:10). At SRPC we are,
- Complying with a lawful request from our nation’s highest office ( 13:1-5; 1 Peter 2:13-14; Mk 2:23-28).
- Seeking to keep our congregants and others safe and out of harm’s way (Mt 22:36-40).
- Being prudent with the information being given to us (Pr 13:16).
- Trusting our sovereign God for the care of our lives (Pr 3:5-7).
- Provide Ongoing Communication & Check on Member Needs
We will continue to monitor the situation and update the congregation as needed. We plan to communicate through telephone and email, or in person as need arises. Our elders will contact members in shepherding groups to ensure needs are being met [IF you or someone you have been in contact with during since last week has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus please make your shepherding elder aware. Elders will not share the names of those contracting the illness or testing positive for COVID-19 without consent]. Thank you!
- Aspire To:
- Demonstrate faith by working through love (Gal 5:6), show love to God and man.
- Provide care for one another (1 Thes. 3:12). Please consider reaching out to others and help as you can during these days ahead.
- Remind yourself and others to keep an eternal perspective on all of life (2 Cor 4:16)
- Pray earnestly and daily for this nation, people, and one another (1 Timothy 2).
- Cast our cares on God who alone is able to bear them (1 Pe 5:7; Mat 6:25-34).
- Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God! (1 Cor 10:31).
Your Servants for Jesus Sake,
The SRPC Session
