Dear friends,
Due to the rise in cases of COVID-19, the government has decided move the whole country to Stage 3 of the government’s “National Framework for Living with COVID-19” from midnight on Tuesday the 6th of October. This means that church services must go online for at least three weeks.
This has been all over the news this week, so you probably knew all this already, but I wanted to write to encourage you to continue on. Continue to sow seeds. Continue your worship at home. Continue to join me on for the reflections and prayers online. Continue to play your part in our fellowship. I know missing this Sunday in church is particularly difficult for the Trinity and Corraneary congregations who were planning to have harvest thanksgiving services this Sunday. I know it’s tough going and we’re all tired of this virus and the fight against it has wearied us, but God has brought us together and given us fellowship with one another. Even though we must physically keep our distance from one another, we can still support and love one another and enjoy that fellowship.
Please join us as we seek hope and peace in God’s word during these difficult times. Online sermons and prayer will continue to be provided. For those who would prefer them, I am more than happy to send out audio CDs or sermons in written form.
Please pray for the country, for those who are sick and for those in the front line of this battle against the Coronavirus – those who are fighting directly against the disease, and those who are fighting to keep essential services up and running. Pray for wisdom for our leaders. Pray for those who are anxious or lonely. This is a very difficult time, but God is our strength and fortress.
I encourage you all now to read and reflect on the words of Psalm 46.
God bless,
Rev. John.
Psalm 46 (NIV (Anglicised, 2011))
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8 Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.’
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.