A Letter on Regathering at Prosperity Presbyterian Church
Dear Prosperity Presbyterian church family,
We know that many of you have deeply missed one another and our worship as the body of Christ! Our leadership is planning for safely resuming worship in our facilities at PPC on June 7th. We wanted to communicate the “knowns” of the process as soon as possible. Worship will resume in the sanctuary. Everyone will enter through the double doors. Hand sanitizer stations and other protective measures will be available outside the entrance and at each exit. After the service those closest to the pulpit will exit out of the side door through the breeze way. Those closest to the double door entrance will exit through the double door entrance. For those uncomfortable with gathering corporately we will still have a live-stream feed on our Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/Prosperity-Presbyterian-Church-275363616175410/.
We are trying to gather safely, so, as you decide to come and bring your family please note the following:
· Worship begins at 10AM. Please feel free to arrive early so that distancing isn’t an issue.
· Each family, including children, must stay with immediate family members before, after, and throughout the service. This means you can only sit with immediate family members and not your friends.
· We desire to see each and every one of you, but if you are in an at-risk category please use extra precautions and sound judgement before you return to services.
· If you are sick, running a fever, or generally under the weather, you should not attend.
· Please plan to keep all greetings at a distance. Smile, wave, and air hug often!
· We will follow social distancing guidelines. Every other pew will be blocked off to encourage social distancing. While we encourage individual families to sit close together, there should be appropriate spacing on either side of the family unit.
· The State of N.C. encourages people to wear masks. Please bring your own PPE for the service.
· Bulletins will be placed in the pews by our secretary the Friday before the service.
· Hymn lyrics will be posted on our overhead screen for safety and convenience.
· Offering plates will be placed at the exists for safety and convenience.
· The nursery will be available and sanitized before the service. Please bring your own play items from home. Toys have been temporarily removed.
· All chairs, doors and other touchable surfaces will be sanitized between uses.
· Although bathrooms and water fountains are available, please ensure that members of your family use the bathroom before coming to the service and bring your own personal water bottle.
We are excited to be worshiping together again. As Sunday school and other ministries come available, we will continue to provide updates via email and our Facebook page. Until June 7th please continue to join via our livestream and consider joining our Wednesday night Zoom Bible study. May God richly bless you as we anticipate worshiping together soon.
“Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” ~ Psalm 22:3
Pastor Bruce for the Officers of Prosperity Presbyterian Church
March 20th, 2020 Announcement on COVID 19 & Church Services
Dear Prosperity Church family,
Things are certainly moving fast with the COVID-19 news. According to https://www.ncdhhs.gov/ we are currently at 137 cases in North Carolina. The first cases of community spread are now being investigated. In light of this, we have decided to CANCEL OUR SUNDAY Morning activities.
The officers of Prosperity want to keep you as safe as possible and public health officials are telling us that Social distancing is the only recourse we have at this time. Also, the President as well as our State officials have asked us to restrict gatherings. We think being subject to the governing authorities in this matter (Romans 13:1) and making decisions based on love will demonstrate Christ's compassion to our neighbors (John 13:35; 1 John 4:7; Matt 12:31; James 2:14-17).
Our mindset in all our decision making has been – not panic but prudence. We have a wonderful opportunity to show the world that in Christ we have nothing to fear (Romans 8:28-39). But a steady confidence in the LORD does not mean that we do not take proper precautions. Although it’s a time to prudently restrict our activity it is not the time to cease prayer, and sharing our abundant hope in the LORD Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15)!
More arrangements for Sunday and Weekday activities will follow but for now note the following:
1. We are making arrangements to post our Sunday service this week. Hopefully we will have everything uploaded by 10 AM for you and your family to worship at home. Once again we will try a live stream so that we can sing hymns and pray together in the LORD. Even though we cannot be together physically, we believe this will enable us to stay together as we worship the LORD in Spirit and Truth.
2. Points of contact will continue throughout the week. Along with phone calls, Midweek Bible Studies will be posted to Facebook and Prosperity's website. Additionally we encourage you to call one another, pray for one another and continue to meet needs in our church family and community.
3. Prosperity Church Staff will continue to hold office hours and are always available for the latest information and updates. Please call us for anything whatsoever.
4. Please continue in prayer for:
Prosperity Presbyterian church - and all our sister Evangelical churches in the community and throughout the world.
Protection for our seniors and vulnerable in the community
Healing for many in the world who have already been infected
Wisdom for our national and local leaders as they work to contain and care for victims of the virus.
Help for those in our community already financially affected by the Virus.
For evangelistic opportunities (1 Peter 3:15)
Thank you for patience as we continue to keep you posted and aware of the latest decisions from our leadership,
Grace and Peace in the LORD Jesus Christ,
Pastor Bruce for the Session of Prosperity Church
March 13th, 2020 Announcement on COVID 19 & Church Service
Dear Prosperity Church Family,
As COVID 19 (corona-virus) spreads the Session of Prosperity Church will be making prayerful decisions as it relates to the gatherings of Prosperity. As of now, services will NOT BE CANCELLED for this Sunday (March 15). But please stayed tuned to your email and Facebook for day to day updates. We are monitoring State directives as they are being issued. Though we are holding services please be advised:
If you have symptoms of any potentially contagious sickness (coughing, sneezing, fever, etc.), it would be beneficial and desirable for you to stay home and rest. Please plan to honor the Lord’s Day by devoting yourself to Bible study, prayer, praise in the privacy of your home.
Even if you are not sick, we realize it is appropriate for many of our folks to stay at home to avoid person to person interaction. Health and Safety reports have determined that persons 65 and older are at a greater health risk. Anyone with existing health conditions and or compromised immune systems should also avoid added risk of infection.
For those who are unable to attend our Sunday service we will upload the sermon to our website at http://www.prosperitypca.com. We will also attempt to upload the service to our Facebook page.
For all who are currently healthy and wish to attend the Sunday service of the church: Let’s be wise and discerning in our interaction with each other. Until further notice we have discontinued our normal fellowship greeting as a part of the service. And remember, at this time, many will think it is preferable to greet one another with an “elbow bump” (chicken wing) over a handshake or a hug. Don’t take it personally if you are not greeted by others in the ways you expect.
Above all, remember we serve a loving Father that controls absolutely everything. There is literally nothing he cannot do. Remember Romans 8:28, a verse we have often heard- but it's promise is for us and its power is unending. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." The news headlines and our own personal experience may be presenting us with many uncertainties... but our all good, all wise, all powerful and all-knowing King is at work for our good and His glory!
Prosperity church family let’s live, worship, and pray with an unwavering confidence in the sovereign wisdom of our great Lord!
In Christ,
Pastor Bruce for Prosperity Church Session