March 19, 2020

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,

This has been a challenging week for many of us. At church, we've been figuring out how to do something different for a while. Our mission statement identifies three essential aspects of our life together as a church: worship, fellowship, and service. All three of these are made more difficult by various orders not to gather in groups and even not to leave home.

For the next several weeks, here’s how we’re going to do our best to live in union with Christ and with each other through worship, fellowship, and service.

Worship will consist of four parts:

1. Each week, you’ll find a recording of that week’s sermon at fresnocrc.org. Those who need a CD will have one mailed to them.
2. There will be an at-home liturgy that you can use to worship with the people you live with, including Scripture readings and prayers.
3. Kids will receive a packet of children’s worship materials.
4. You’ll find a playlist of recommended worship songs.

Head to the church website—fresnocrc.org—and click on “WORSHIP” for all these materials. Please let Pastor Nick know the names of anyone who will need materials mailed to them.

Fellowship: We’ll connect as a church using YouTube.

6:00 PM, Monday and Wednesday

Each Monday and Wednesday at dinnertime, I (Pastor Nick) will host a devotional and time for sharing prayer requests by live chat on YouTube. Head to the church website—fresnocrc.org—and click on “FELLOWSHIP”.

Service: We can continue to engage in Christian service in three ways:

1. We will plan to continue serving the hungry at the Food Distribution on the last Friday of the month. If you are healthy and not in a righer-risk group, please come and help.
2. We will look out for each other. Call your neighbors. Call fellow church members. If you know of someone who has a need, let the church office or Pastor Nick know, and we’ll see how we can help each other. Check out servefresno.org for opportunities to help around the region.
3. We will also continue to receive offerings for the ministry of our church and for the causes we support. You can make an online contribution at the church website—fresnocrc.org. Click on “SERVICE.” You can also mail a check to PO Box 9339, Fresno, CA, 93791.

Remember, in all of these, we’re not just finding creative ways to “do church.” We’re really, truly united to Jesus Christ and to each other in all of these things, even if we are separated.

We will continue to monitor the pandemic situation and the recommendations from public health authorities and will pray that we can resume in-person church ministry soon.

Stay healthy, stay hopeful, stay united to Jesus,

Pastor Nick