Friends, I love being bold for the Gospel and finding ways to share the Good News of Jesus. I love the thought of us being able to gather at the Promised Land even if most of us are in vehicles just to be together to worship. Yet, there is a point where no one will really be able to enjoy the service because of all the distractions. I was good with snow but it doesn't appear that is going to be a problem. I was fine with rain but now we are under a flood watch and that becomes dangerous. AND if that wasn't enough some of the storms Thursday night could contain winds over 60 mph and isolated tornadoes! Ok..so maybe it is not best for us to be in an open air pavilion for that!! So for the most Christmasy Christmas we have ever Christmased we are going to plan B. What is plan B you may ask? Well here it is.
We will still have the Faith Boyz leading us in a Praise and Worship service at 5pm but it will live-streamed from the sanctuary. The only ones in the sanctuary will be the Faith Boyz and their family along with myself and our tech team. We will be live-streaming on Facebook and on YouTube. We will open up the downstairs Fellowship Hall for anyone who wants to watch from that television. You can call in using any phone to 857-799-9465 to listen to the service. Essentially all the same options we have had for Sunday mornings will be available.
At 7pm we will have the sing along service of carols. And the ways that you can join us will be the same as at the 5pm service. This will have the most traditional Christmas songs you can sing along with. The notes will even be on the screen for most of the songs if you are a music reader!
We will have an amazing service with a communion love feast at 9pm. It is an online only service and you can watch on Facebook Live or YouTube. Have your candles with you to lift up high. Have some food and beverage with for our communion love feast. I promise you that you will not want to miss this service it will be touching and moving even though we are not gathered together. You can get the video on Facebook by going to our Tom's Creek Facebook site and the YouTube link is: The YouTube link is: https://youtu.be/1i_DWaIHihY. Share with the world!!
We will also have an in person 11pm candlelight service in sanctuary. This is very limited capacity and you need to let me know to reserve your spot. There is still room so if you had planned on coming to the 5pm or 7pm and want a service where you can be with other people and able to be where the service is occurring this is an option. This service will last only 30 minutes and we will be using battery powered candle light during the service. You will receive communion which will be homemade bread that is pre-bagged and a little cup of sealed juice. We will bless the elements during the service for you to take them with you. This way the elements can safely be consumed when you are able to remove your mask. We will leave going out the doors to Silent Night and Joy to the World!
This is not what I had hoped we would be doing for this Christmas. Yet, safety has to be a priority along with people actually being able to see and hear during the time of worship. So this is what we will do in this most Christmasy Christmas we have ever Christmased. Please get the word out to those that you know that don't have email and don't go online. Please invite people to join us online for worship!
Attached to this blog post you will see pictures of the Promised Land all decorated. Jeff completed the lighting today and Roger Culp provided a nativity scene along Route 140. I know people have enjoyed them and appreciated them even if we don't worship there tomorrow night. And there is always 2021, Lord willing and the creek don't rise (oh wait)...
Merry Christmasy Christmas,
PH
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