Dear C2 Family,
Darci and I miss you all so much! We miss seeing your faces and giving you hugs and high-fives. If absence makes the heart grow fonder, our fondness of you is overwhelming!
Many of you, like us, are wondering when we can gather again to worship and fellowship in-person. To tell you the truth, I was hoping it would be much sooner. I know many of us have grown weary of the guidelines and restrictions. Our team has been praying for you all, especially those whose livelihoods have been affected by these economy-crushing dictates.
As everyone adjusts to everything reopening, we too are prayerfully discussing how our church can also reopen. The county and city restrictions make it difficult for a church our size to navigate exactly how and when to reopen. We desire to balance honoring those in authority while also not surrendering our right to freely assemble and worship. Our first priority is to honor God in all that we do. We desire to operate in a way that keeps people safe but not operate out of fear of disease, government, or public opinion. We understand and honor those who are ready to get out and resume life and those who want or need to be more cautious.
For at least the next two Sundays (May 10th and 17th), we will continue our online-only services on Sunday. We have scheduled two Friday Night Drive-in Worship and Prayer services on May 15th and 29th at 6:30 pm. Our team, as we have been, will continue to assess and decide our next steps and communicate them to you.
We are also using this time to finish our foyer renovation that was put on hold when this crisis first started. We are now into the reconstruction phase and we want to be able to welcome everyone back in the building with less of a mess and more of it completed.
I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:3-6:
“I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith… 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
I ask you to continue to worship with us online. Don’t just watch. Worship. Don’t multitask. Take notes. Teach your kids. Host a watch party with unchurched friends and family. Gather with another family to worship. Get a small group together to worship. Don’t stop being The Church. The Mission has not stopped.
Until we meet again or Jesus returns,
Pastor Jeremy and Darci Risner
