Elders Update Letter: Dec 9, 2020
Friends of First Christian Church!
So... 2020... Fun times, eh?! While 2020 has been a challenge for us all, our prayer as Elders is that we would all remain faithfully engaged in the mission God has given us—Helping People Find and Follow Jesus! Like we said at the beginning of our last letter, things for us here at FCC "have been a Covid-normal mix of frustrating and tiring, but God is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9), we have continued to learn to obey His commands (Matthew 28:20), we haven't stopped proclaiming the gospel as His power for salvation (Romans 1:16), and He continues to send us brand new people (Isaiah 56:8; John 10:16)!" God's mission doesn't pause during a pandemic. Here are some ways we've seen His faithfulness and a few ways we're praying for His ongoing favor.
Recap: Online + In-Person = A Lot! Thank you! — The last 9 months have been a lot of work! Online, we built a small in-house studio and began producing new digital content: FCC app, informational/devotional videos, a worship service directed to the online audience with a new team of online FCC hosts, daily/weekly Kids lessons and activities, streaming of both re:generation and 180, and 2 audio/video podcasts, Brown Bags & Bibles (bible/theology teaching/discussion) and Coffee Convos (interactive live interview of an FCCer). We've also shifted to keep all digital content in multiple places, but primarily with a Christian company that allows us to own our content without it being censored or monetized. In-person, we flexed to 6 physically-distanced services with shorter singing and sermon times and redesigned Next Steps for scaling up beyond Covid. We also tried virtual/Zoom and a hybrid of virtual/in-person in every single ministry area. Meanwhile, the Care Team, and many small groups and individuals, have been doing a great job checking in on those who are sick or immunocompromised, taking food/meals, delivering communion, and helping care for benevolence needs. In addition to all the above, we've been doing all the normal pre-Covid ministry like re:gen, Marriage Ministry, Kids, and Youth, navigating numerous transitions among FCCers and paid staff, and are now needing to reconfigure half our office space. It's been a lot but our volunteers, leaders, and staff have been awesome! Thank you for your faithfulness, FCCers!
In-Person: Small Upcoming Tweaks & Returns to Almost Normal — Starting Sun, Dec 20, we return to 2 in-person services at 8:45a & 10a. They will remain well-distanced, with pre-packaged communion and offering boxes (no passing/touching). We're adding a song and the sermon will be delivered live and back to almost normal length. For more info, go to http://bit.ly/st201129.
Online: Small Upcoming Tweaks — Starting Sun, Dec 20, online service times change to 8:45a & 10a, (with on-demand available throughout the week.) It will remain directed toward the online audience, but a tad shorter (minus a song) and more focused on inviting non-FCCers to join us in-person. For now, communion stays for FCCers still at home, in order to protect the most vulnerable.
Christmas Candlelight Services: Sun, Dec 20, 8:45a & 10a (at Gville & Afton); Wed-Thu, Dec 23-24, 6:30p (at Afton) — Our Christmas Week services are all exactly the same format, with a few special elements and candlelight added. So, choose one or six, they'll all be the same. Kids Min will be provided for preschool ages. Note that Wed & Thu services are at Chuckey-Doak HS only.
2021 Budget – God has been good and your generosity enables us to do ministry in a flexible and creative way that we pray God will use to increase our reach beyond Covid. It is in this vein of ongoing ministry, future outreach, and eventually a 3rd campus that we present our 2021 Budget, found here: http://fccgreene.org/2021budget. At time of printing, it is 2.4% lower than 2020.
Thank You, Stay Updated, and Keep Praying – First, thank you for being patient as we fumble through uncharted waters, trying to be flexible while staying faithful to our mission. Second, stay updated on the latest with Scott's Thoughts (on the "Pulse" tab on the app): 7 Days of Prayer (led by our Residents!), sermon series, and other ongoing practical info. Last, keep praying, for our medical and mental health professionals, political leaders, and our church, that we would remain faithful, continue to fight for the health of our community, and extend Christlike grace to one another. God has called us to be salt and light that is #ForGreene and that keeps Greene County strong! Friends, we love you, are privileged to serve you as leaders, and are praying for God’s best for you!
The Elders of First Christian Church of Greene County, TN: Chuck Bowlin, Carl DelSorbo, John Hamilton, Mark Liebert, Bill Richards, Mike Schubert, Scott Wakefield
So... 2020... Fun times, eh?! While 2020 has been a challenge for us all, our prayer as Elders is that we would all remain faithfully engaged in the mission God has given us—Helping People Find and Follow Jesus! Like we said at the beginning of our last letter, things for us here at FCC "have been a Covid-normal mix of frustrating and tiring, but God is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9), we have continued to learn to obey His commands (Matthew 28:20), we haven't stopped proclaiming the gospel as His power for salvation (Romans 1:16), and He continues to send us brand new people (Isaiah 56:8; John 10:16)!" God's mission doesn't pause during a pandemic. Here are some ways we've seen His faithfulness and a few ways we're praying for His ongoing favor.
Recap: Online + In-Person = A Lot! Thank you! — The last 9 months have been a lot of work! Online, we built a small in-house studio and began producing new digital content: FCC app, informational/devotional videos, a worship service directed to the online audience with a new team of online FCC hosts, daily/weekly Kids lessons and activities, streaming of both re:generation and 180, and 2 audio/video podcasts, Brown Bags & Bibles (bible/theology teaching/discussion) and Coffee Convos (interactive live interview of an FCCer). We've also shifted to keep all digital content in multiple places, but primarily with a Christian company that allows us to own our content without it being censored or monetized. In-person, we flexed to 6 physically-distanced services with shorter singing and sermon times and redesigned Next Steps for scaling up beyond Covid. We also tried virtual/Zoom and a hybrid of virtual/in-person in every single ministry area. Meanwhile, the Care Team, and many small groups and individuals, have been doing a great job checking in on those who are sick or immunocompromised, taking food/meals, delivering communion, and helping care for benevolence needs. In addition to all the above, we've been doing all the normal pre-Covid ministry like re:gen, Marriage Ministry, Kids, and Youth, navigating numerous transitions among FCCers and paid staff, and are now needing to reconfigure half our office space. It's been a lot but our volunteers, leaders, and staff have been awesome! Thank you for your faithfulness, FCCers!
In-Person: Small Upcoming Tweaks & Returns to Almost Normal — Starting Sun, Dec 20, we return to 2 in-person services at 8:45a & 10a. They will remain well-distanced, with pre-packaged communion and offering boxes (no passing/touching). We're adding a song and the sermon will be delivered live and back to almost normal length. For more info, go to http://bit.ly/st201129.
Online: Small Upcoming Tweaks — Starting Sun, Dec 20, online service times change to 8:45a & 10a, (with on-demand available throughout the week.) It will remain directed toward the online audience, but a tad shorter (minus a song) and more focused on inviting non-FCCers to join us in-person. For now, communion stays for FCCers still at home, in order to protect the most vulnerable.
Christmas Candlelight Services: Sun, Dec 20, 8:45a & 10a (at Gville & Afton); Wed-Thu, Dec 23-24, 6:30p (at Afton) — Our Christmas Week services are all exactly the same format, with a few special elements and candlelight added. So, choose one or six, they'll all be the same. Kids Min will be provided for preschool ages. Note that Wed & Thu services are at Chuckey-Doak HS only.
2021 Budget – God has been good and your generosity enables us to do ministry in a flexible and creative way that we pray God will use to increase our reach beyond Covid. It is in this vein of ongoing ministry, future outreach, and eventually a 3rd campus that we present our 2021 Budget, found here: http://fccgreene.org/2021budget. At time of printing, it is 2.4% lower than 2020.
Thank You, Stay Updated, and Keep Praying – First, thank you for being patient as we fumble through uncharted waters, trying to be flexible while staying faithful to our mission. Second, stay updated on the latest with Scott's Thoughts (on the "Pulse" tab on the app): 7 Days of Prayer (led by our Residents!), sermon series, and other ongoing practical info. Last, keep praying, for our medical and mental health professionals, political leaders, and our church, that we would remain faithful, continue to fight for the health of our community, and extend Christlike grace to one another. God has called us to be salt and light that is #ForGreene and that keeps Greene County strong! Friends, we love you, are privileged to serve you as leaders, and are praying for God’s best for you!
The Elders of First Christian Church of Greene County, TN: Chuck Bowlin, Carl DelSorbo, John Hamilton, Mark Liebert, Bill Richards, Mike Schubert, Scott Wakefield