June 26 | Pastoral Reflections on God’s Goodness to Us
Dear friends, It has been a joy to see many of you in person as our worship services have resumed. Church life remains far from optimal, with our limited capacity and curtailed programs, together with the fact that many of you do not feel comfortable attending in person yet. We also face unknowns about how the progress of the pandemic may affect our church. Nevertheless, every inch toward normalcy makes me feel grateful! Pastor Steve and I have sought to…
June 26 | Drive Up Service with the Lord’s Supper
This information appeared in the Messages of Grace Weekly Newsletter. We will be offering our first drive up service with the Lord’s Supper this Sunday, June 28th at 10 am. The drive up service aims not to replace the normal morning worship service but to supplement it with an opportunity to take the communion for those who cannot attend worship in the building. The service will be brief, consisting of a call to worship, opening prayer, short message, Lord’s Supper, and…
June 11 | Pastoral Thoughts on Making the Best Use of Our Time
Dear friends, The American educator Horace Mann once placed this ad in a paper: “LOST, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever.” Time is something that can’t be recovered. Since this is so, how should we use what we’ve been given? The Apostle Paul tells us, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of…
June 5 | IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THE SERVICE AND THE LORD’S SUPPER
(Distributed via MailChimp “Messages of Grace weekly email June 5) The Service Format Our service during the reopening phase will look a bit different. Mindful that we are guarding against COVID infection, we will seek to keep the whole service within 60 minutes. We will also celebrate the Lord’s Supper weekly, which will enable the whole church to participate as members take turns attending in person. Instead of reciting the 10 Commandments as we normally do when we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we…
June 4 | Pastoral Thoughts on Our Current Trials
Dear church family, Who could have predicted the trials we’ve seen in 2020? We’re facing a global pandemic that has claimed many lives. Unemployment has skyrocketed, and millions of people are facing severe economic hardships, including food insecurity. And now, our country has been torn by the tragic death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of a white police officer. There aren’t words that can adequately express the grief, anger, and heartache many feel. Old wounds…
May 28 | Starting Up In-person Worship Services in June
Dear Church Family, We have thankfully entered a season in which we can resume some in-person worship activities. The elders believe that we can do this responsibly, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, by taking the precautions set forth in government guidance and being practiced by other churches. This will enable us to resume meeting in a way that cares for our neighbors and submits to the authorities God has put in place for our good. This season of reopening calls for joy…
May 28 | Pastoral Thoughts on Our Daily Bread
Dear friends, During a trip to the grocery store, I noticed that the ice cream aisle was almost empty. Ordinarily there’s an abundance of flavors, presenting a challenging decision for an ice cream lover! Not so in my recent trip. The selection was sparse and the decision obvious. While ice cream isn’t essential, that aisle illustrated how I often take my food for granted. I assume there will always be lots of it available. Instead of assuming it will be…
May 20 | Note From the Elders About Worship Services In Coming Weeks
Dear friends, Our region of northern Virginia remains under a shutdown until at least Friday, May 29, as directed by Governor Northam. This means that, unless the Governor extends the shutdown, churches in our area may be able to hold in-person gatherings at 50% of building capacity as early as Sunday, May 31. The first in-person service at Grace may occur on May 31, or on a subsequent Sunday (June 7 or 14), depending on how quickly safety procedures can be worked out. This first in-person gathering will be attended by a…
May 21 | Pastoral Reflections on the Prospect of Reopening
Dear friends, When riding the London Underground for the first time, I smiled when hearing this announcement coming over the intercom at each station: “Mind the gap, please, mind the gap.” It struck my American ears as a very genteel way to remind riders to watch their step when exiting the train. No matter how you phrase it, of course, the reminder is appropriate. Gaps can be tricky. More broadly, times of transition in life require special care. We know…
May 15, 2020 | Coronavirus Update
Dear Friends, Our region of northern Virginia remains under a shutdown until at least Friday, May 29, as directed this week by Governor Northam. Since the coronavirus has affected the DC metro area more severely, we cannot enter Phase 1 of reopening as soon as the rest of Virginia. This means that we will have at least two more Sundays of only-streaming services. We will resume gathering for worship when (1) restrictions are eased and (2) we have appropriate safety…