coVID-19 updates
May 17, 2020
We are resuming indoor worship services beginning Sunday, May 17. In order to comply with the Governor’s Executive Orders, we will hold two services: first service at 9:00am and the second service at 10:30am. (If our numbers are low, we will have one service beginning at 10:00am.) We are adhering to the requirements by only allowing up to 50% capacity, spacing families at a six foot social distance, encouraging face masks, not passing items between individuals, thoroughly cleaning before and after services as well as posting signage that was provided by the CDC. (Phase One: Religious Services)
If you are interested in attending one of our worship services and are not on our church’s information chain, please contact us asap using the button below so that we can add you to the appropriate service.
We look forward to worshipping with you!
April 11, 2020
Greetings Saints!
I am excited about meeting together tomorrow at our Drive-In Easter Service at NCF.
There are two ways you can enjoy our drive in service tomorrow:
1) Tune your car radio into 1680 AM once you arrive at church.
2) A sound system will be projecting the sermon but we ask that you only crack your windows if you are using this method.
Safety Details:
In following the CDC recommendations, please do not leave your home if you are at risk with immunity or respiratory issue or if you are experiencing any Covid-19 symptoms. You can view the service on Facebook live from home.
Do not exit your vehicle unless it is an emergency. Practice social distancing of 6’ or more even when in the cars and avoid opening car windows.
FYI: Centra has a coronavirus hotline 434-200-1225. It is recommended that anyone who thinks they may have the virus NOT GO TO THE DOCTOR or the ER unless they are having significant breathing problems but to call the hotline for instructions on what to do and how to be tested if needed.
Building on the Rock!
Pastor Paul
April 5, 2020
This week’s sermon, built upon the previous two, will help us find our courage and take joy in obeying the Great Commission. The sermon notes and questions can be accessed by clicking button below and are provided for small meetings or for your personal use.
A Glimpse into the future…
We are going to have a “Drive In” Easter Service in the parking lot of NCF April 12, at 10am. Expect some important midweek instructions to be emailed so you can come prepared. There are a lot of working parts. Our plan: I will be preaching from the front porch (so everyone can see). We have a FM transmitter that will enable most of the cars to tune into the station we will provide midweek. This will enable you to hear the sermon on the radio. Unfortunately, longer range transmitters were sold out. Our transmitter will cover cars in the parking lot along the split rail fence in the front to the light poles in the rear. There will also be an amplifier. And we will also livestream on Facebook. If your internet provider covers the church than you can log in and watch from your phone or laptop. There was about a 1-minute delay for the live feed when we tested it tonight. We are hoping that these two methods will provide everyone an opportunity to hear the sermon, but we have never done this before so please be understanding if technical difficulties arise. In order to abide by the CDC Covid-19 standards please keep to the 6’ social distancing if you roll down your car window. We want this to be as safe as possible. Also, only the unisex bathroom in the foyer will be available and only for emergencies. We really don’t have the supplies or manpower to sanitize the whole church. We will try to keep the service at about 40 minutes, with 10 minutes of singing and a 30 minute sermon. There are many variables, such as weather, etc., so please pray the Lord will bless our efforts to worship Him on resurrection day.
Please know that all are welcome but this gathering is not a test of faith or spiritual maturity. It may be wiser for some to remain home and watch the Facebook feed. Your well-being is a priority. All participants come at their own risk! Look for more details to come.
After our Easter “Drive In” gathering, and until we are able to meet in person, I will be posting Sunday sermons on our church Facebook page for your viewing. Look for the first one on April
19.
May God Bless and Keep you All!
Building on the Rock!
Pastor Paul
March 28, 2020
Our plan is to continue growing together with the 3-part T4G sermon series (see button below) and then likely move to recording my sermons to be posted online each successive Sunday until our nation relaxes the quarantine. To help us stay connected, feel free to post insights or encouraging comments to the NCF Facebook page. As of now there is a ban on gatherings with 10 or more. Staying at home continues to be the safest measure for all.
Building on the Rock!
Pastor Paul
March 21, 2020
Dear Saints,
Today we have added a new page to the website titled “Sermon Plan.” This page includes information about Sermon Materials for the next three Sundays. The button below will redirect you to that page.
Building on the Rock!
Pastor Paul
March 17, 2020
Dear Saints,
“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” Ps 113:3. We are praising God today for His faithfulness to our body and for the prayers of help you offered to Him on our behalf. After we ‘sat at the gates’ and prayed and deliberated at last night’s meeting (March 16th), we departed knowing and experiencing God’s peace and provision.
We present a short-term plan as follows:
Sunday meetings, including Sunday school, are cancelled for the next three Sundays (March 22nd, March 29th, April 5th.)
We will decide about the wisdom of gathering for Easter Sunday following a two-week assessment of the pandemic conditions.
The April 4th Church work day has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 18. (Additionally, be on standby for the work day Coordinators, Eileen and Nevin, to provide possible opportunities for smaller groups (families?) to meet and accomplish smaller projects in need of attention.)
Worship Practice is cancelled until further notice.
Youth Group, Community Groups, Bible Studies and Missions Committee are free to continue meeting at the group leaders’ discretion, as these are smaller gatherings. Please contact your leader for updates. I know that ladies Bible studies have been postponed. It is possible, based on CDC safety standards of protecting the more vulnerable, that it is better for some Community Groups to postpone their meetings. Community Groups and all NCF are welcome to be innovative and creative in keeping up with each other, such as phone calls, social media, etc.
The NCF Women’s Retreat is currently still scheduled. Please be in prayer about necessary decisions for the near future.
Sermon Material: Because we will not be gathering for at least the next 3 Sundays, look for an upcoming email providing sermon material via a link and/or NCF website post. This material may be audio or video. Further, it has been recommended that I do not continue my sermon series until we gather again in person, as some do not have internet access and others say it just isn’t the same. Therefore, I have been tasked with finding other source material that already exists online that we can access. I will preview this material and provide notes and questions to accompany it for your personal use and/or Community Group use. No decisions have been made yet, but we are thinking of utilizing pastors such as Alistair Begg, John Piper, Matt Chandler, etc.
Ministry Outreach: Ironically, the best way to minister to others at this time is to practice ‘social distancing’ so we do not inadvertently bring harm instead of good to healthy people. However, we want to look out for each other and love our neighbors. If we are aware of people who have already tested positive and we are able, we may consider offering assistance. We want to look out for our elderly neighbors and perhaps offer to deliver groceries. We want to look out for our weary medical professionals and perhaps offer assistance to them.
We want to pray that God will use this national and global challenge to humble us and reveal our dependence upon Him. We want God to clearly know that we trust only in Him for life, death and wellbeing. No person or government is designed to provide what God provides, the ultimate cure for man’s sinful condition, forgiveness of sins, total redemption and the promise of a perfect world to come.
Thank you for your continued prayers and be on the lookout for further planning and sporadic updates as we continue to navigate this unprecedented ground!
Building on the Rock!
Pastor Paul and NCF Leadership