Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in Jesus – the Lord of Glory in whose arms we rest! Today is Ash Wednesday – the beginning of Lent. We begin our forty-day journey in faith that our Savior’s cross and resurrection was for us and our salvation. This is more than a time of remembering what God did in the past. This is our moment to cling to Him with a certain hope that His life, death and resurrection brings. While we are ashes and to ashes we will return (Genesis 3:19), we also hold to His Word that speaks of the forgiveness of our sins, and the new relationship we have in Jesus (John 3:16). This Lenten season, ILC will be reading portions of the Gospel of John as we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s resurrection and life eternal on Easter. God bless and keep us all as we walk together in this wilderness. With the growing concerns of the recent local spreading of the coronavirus COVID-19, we want to take additional precautions to safeguard the ILC community and our families. For the time being and until further notice, ILC will be canceling our weekday events including:
- February 26 Ash Wednesday Service – Later today, materials and a message will be posted to the website and Facebook page for your use at home.
- All weekday Bible studies (Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. and Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m.).
- Sunday Education Hour classes (children’s Sunday School and all adult Bible classes).
- Other weekday activities that had been previously announced (February 28 – Game Night and February 29 – Fragrance of Christ servant event).
Please watch for additional notices through ILC email, website and Facebook page for updates including when these activities will resume. ILC will still have our Sunday morning worship service at 10:00 a.m. unless otherwise announced. We will also provide online worship resources for those who choose to stay at home. We pray that you are well and able to join us in worship either physically or online. Please make sure you are washing your hands regularly, wearing a mask when taking public transportation, getting sufficient rest and nutrition thereby ensuring the health of your family and that of your neighbor. We also ask that you observe the following:
- If you have fever or respiratory symptoms, please stay home and participate in the service via internet. We will post the service, readings and message on the website for your home use.
- For those who have been in contact with people from Shincheonji or have recently been in the Daegu area, we strongly encourage you to remain at home for now because of the recent outbreak of new coronavirus cases in that vicinity.
Please know you are all in our prayers this day as we seek the Lord’s mercy for our community and world. We say with the psalmist, 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. (PSALM 91) God bless and keep you in His care! Pastor Carl
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