COVID-19 UPDATES

Ministry Update: April 2021

By God's grace, we have returned to normalcy with few exceptions. We are still offering one worship service every Sunday from 11 a.m. — 12 p.m. Our men, youth, and children are meeting every Wednesday from 6 — 7:30 p.m. Sunday school has not resumed yet, but we will roll that back out in the coming months. Please re-visit this page or join our Facebook group to stay up to date on our weekly schedule and events calendar over the coming months. We hope to have you worship with us soon! 

Christmas Eve Service: December 2020

After much prayer and consideration we have decided to proceed with our Christmas Eve service as usual. In an effort to keep people reasonably spaced out we are capping the attendance at 80 people. If you would like to RSVP you can email our intern, Zac, at .moc.notnalcecarg%40caz For those unable to attend in person we will be streaming the entire service on our church Facebook page and here on our website. We wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and hope to see you soon!

Ministry Update: September 2020

As you decide what is best for you and your family in the midst of this pandemic, we want to provide as many avenues as possible for you to worship and grow in your faith. Here's how we're doing that right now:
WorshipWe are continuing to offer two services at 9:00 and 11:00 on Sunday mornings. Masks are encouraged but ultimately left up to your discretion. Our nursery for kids up to age 5 is now open during the 11 AM. We are also offering a livestream of our worship service beginning at 11:00 every Sunday on our website and on our Facebook page. We hope to see you soon!
Small GroupsWe recognize that one hour on Sunday mornings really isn't sufficient to foster community and spiritual growth. To meet that need, we have started back some small group ministries. This schedule will remain in place through the Fall and we will re-evaluate after the new year. For more information about any of these ministries, click here or contact the church office at moc.notnalcecarg%40eciffo or 205-755-4150.For Adults● Ladies Bible Study in the Sanctuary, Sunday from 6-7:30 pm● Men's Study in the Sanctuary, Wednesday from 6-7:30 pm.
For KidsGrace Kids and Grace Youth will meet on Wednesday nights from 6-7:30.Masks are recommended inside, but we leave discretion up to parents. We will not be serving food as we usually do, but will re-evaluate as the semester progresses. For nursery and Grace Kids, we will check temperatures at the door.● Grace Youth (7th-12th grade) in Salter Hall● Grace Kids (K-6th) in Fellowship Hall
Soli Deo Gloria,Kevin CorleyPastor

Phase 1 for Coming Back to Worship: May 10, 2020

Quarantine has been difficult. Pandemics are scary. Misinformation is running wild. It’s hard to know who to trust. Many of us have felt afraid, isolated, lonely, angry or a mix of all of them. Usually this is when the community of believers gathered together in worship buoys and supports us. We are not designed to be lone rangers. We need each other. IT’S GOOD TO BE WITH GOD’S PEOPLE UNDER THE AUTHORITY AND CARE OF GOD’S WORD. But that option has been closed to us. Thankfully, that is starting to change. As our state phases back “open,” we will do the same.
Here is our plan for “Phase 1” of re-opening church. Now, we know this isn’t ideal. We’d love to gather again in full force, hugging one another and talking over a big meal – and hopefully that can happen soon! In the meantime, please know that your Elders and Deacons have listened, talked and prayed together over these steps. Please pray for the unity and health of our church, and ask God to deepen our roots in Him during this trial!
WE WILL RE-OPEN FOR WORSHIP SERVICES ON MAY 24.Read the guidelines below, then take our worship survey to help us plan ahead! (Only one response per family is necessary.)
To ensure safe distance, we will do the following:● No Sunday School classes will meet for now.● We will have two worship services – 9 am & 11 am.● We will clean/sanitize our building after each service.● We will space out & stagger our seating in the sanctuary.● Greeters will help people to their seats and try to keep folks distanced.● We will dismiss by row after the service is over
To help with safe contact, we will do the following:● No coffee will be served.● No printed bulletins will be handed out.● Hymnals and Bibles will be removed, so remember to bring your own!● Instead of passing plates, we will collect giving as people exit the Sanctuary.● We’ll hold off on the Lord’s Supper until June 7 at the earliest. We will likely change the way we distribute the elements.● The restrooms in the Gathering Area will be OPEN, but the other restrooms and classrooms will not be. PLEASE WASH OR SANITIZE YOUR HANDS REGULARLY.
For those with kids:● The Nursery and playground will not be open during this phase.● Children will need to sit with their own families during worship. Don’t worry about your children being an obstacle to worship. Remember Jesus welcomed the little children!● We will aim to keep the service shorter for our youngest participants.● The Fellowship Hall will be open for families w/ younger kids, and you will be able to listen to the service.
Other considerations:● For those who don’t feel comfortable coming just yet, we will continue to send out worship guides via email. We will also continue posting a recorded video for at least the next few weeks. ● Please protect others by staying home if you are sick.● We encourage you to wear a mask if that would make you more comfortable or if you are most at risk.
Soli Deo Gloria,Kevin CorleyPastor

March 18, 2020

Hey Grace family,
Most of our regular gatherings and special events are suspended for the next few weeks. We think this is wise and an honoring of our civil authorities as Romans 13 tells us. The one exception is our church workday which is still planned for March 28. Since we’ll be working outside, we thought that was still a safe option. I hope you’ll come to that.
Now I want to tell you more about how we’re going to be worshipping for the next several Sundays. I know many churches are live-streaming their services, but I wanted to try something a little bit different that actually lines up better with our mission of making followers of Jesus. Starting this week, we are going to be emailing out a worship guide that looks just like the one we use on Sunday mornings. Instead of watching a service online, your family will use this guide to worship at home.
The guide will have Scripture readings, prayer times and even links to songs selected for that service. During the sermon portion of the service, we’ll include a link to our YouTube channel where you will find a video of me walking through the sermon passage for that Sunday. Instead of a formal sermon, I will lead you through the passage much like I would a Bible study, making observations, asking questions of the text and suggesting applications. I’m inviting you into the “sermon lab” so to speak to equip you on how to study the Scriptures on your own.
Why are we doing it this way? Here are some reasons:1. It’s active participation in worship, instead of passive consumption. Every member of the family can be involved, much like they would be on a Sunday morning, and you can tailor that to the make-up of your home. Groups of families can even join together if you so choose. (Be wise in your gatherings.)
2. It’s discipleship. This model fits what we believe about making followers of Jesus. Disciples are made not just through listening to a message, but through training and engaging with that message.
Now, we know this is not ideal. We love to be together. We get the most out of being together. Heaven itself will be a huge, joy-filled gathering. So this is temporary. It’s also new, so we’ll have to work out some kinks. We’ll see how it goes and we’ll make adjustments along the way.
In the meantime:● Make sure we have a good email address for you.● You can call the office at 205-755-4150 or email us at moc.notnalcecarg%40eciffo● Keep your eyes on the Facebook page and our website for updates.● You can access our YouTube channel here. Videos will be posted before Sunday at 11.
Soli Deo Gloria,Kevin CorleyPastor

March 17, 2020

These are strange days, full of hysteria, information, misinformation and fear of the unknown. But we also want to see these as days full of opportunity as well. As we strive to love God and our neighbor during the next few weeks and months, we wanted to share with you two principles to live by and several ways you can live them out.
Pursue Peace over PanicPaul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus tells us that every hair on our heads is numbered by God and that we are valuable to him so we shouldn’t be afraid if we are known by Him (Luke 12:4-7).
Now, this isn’t easy, especially when there’s panic all around us. We must speak these truths to our hearts in the midst of the storm.
Pursue Self-Sacrifice over Self-preservationJesus says, ““Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)Likewise, each of us is to “look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4)
Here are just a few ideas on how to live these things out:● We need God’s precious truth to overcome the fear in our own hearts. Fill your heart with God’s Word and other helpful resources that nourish your soul. Catch up on your Bible reading here. Read and listen to other good stuff here and here.
● Be smart and prevent transmitting the disease – wash hands, stay home if you’re sick, “social distancing. This is not self-preservation, but keeping your neighbor from getting sick.
● Support small, local businesses through gift cards and carry out. The economic impact of this event will be felt the most at the small level.
● Don’t hoard supplies that your neighbors need. Share what you’ve got.
● Check in on the elderly and immune compromised. Offer to go to the store for them, bring them meals, etc.
● Donate food to our local YMCA as they provide lunches to kids who are out of school.
● Most of us will be “watching” church services on livestream. Invite your unchurched friends over to watch with you, and talk about what they heard afterwards.
These are just a few ideas. May God’s grace and peace be yours as you seek to follow Him during this epidemic.
Soli Deo Gloria,Kevin CorleyPastor

March 14, 2020