Bethany's Council, following the strong recommendations and expectations from NC Synod Council, is cancelling all in-person gatherings, including worship in the building and committee meetings in the building, THROUGH MAY 12. Once again, this decision is not about panic, but about protecting the most vulnerable. We will continue to have Worship at Home. If you would like to worship "with us" from your own home, and are not already on our email list, please send a request to: bethanylutheranboone@gmail.com.
Stay tuned for some new online worship opportunities coming up for Holy Week and Easter.
This is not what any of us wanted. But we hope you'll continue to stay engaged with your church family through Worship at Home and some of the other opportunities you'll be hearing about soon, through email and newsletter.
God bless you and yours.
In Christ's Peace,
Bethany Lutheran Church
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
Cancellations through May 12, Covid-19
Saturday, March 14, 2020
COVID-19 Update: Worship Cancelled through end of March
Beloved in the Lord!
Grace to you, and PEACE through our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Bethany Church Council, in consultation with people who work in the medical and public field, has agreed to follow recommendations put forward by NC Bishop Tim Smith and CANCEL ALL in-person gatherings at the church, including WORSHIP, through the END of MARCH. (You can read Bishop Tim's letter, below.) To put it another way, at this point, April 5 - Palm Sunday - will be the next time we're in worship together, unless something changes.
This decision did not come lightly, nor did it come out of a place of fear or panic. Rather, it came out of Christian love and concern for others. It's about protecting the most vulnerable among us, AND our already over-worked healthcare system. By each of us making sacrifices now, we can slow the spread of this virus to better get a handle on it. Y'all. This is amazing how humanity as a whole - the whole planet, really - is coming together to do this - to think of others more highly than themselves (Philippians 2:3). For once, we're all on the same "side." Praise the LORD!
And here's the thing: we can still worship together...Just from our own homes. This is physical isolation, not social. Here's what I propose. Expect an email from me tomorrow morning with my sermon, some prayers and readings. Then, at 11:00am - our normal worship time - we'll ALL pray and worship at the same time in our own homes. Our voices will still be raised together in praise - even if we can't hear each other. We are seeing the sacrificial love of Jesus playing out all across our globe right now, and - what a glorious reason to praise God!
Christ's Peace be with you, always,
Pastor Laura
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Bishop Tim Smith's Letter:
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