“Phase Two” and your local church

Jesus Grace International Church 

– our LPD Church of the Week

Each Sunday, a group of African immigrants and refugees has gathered in Vancouver to worship and fellowship together. They have come from Congo, from Uganda, from Kenya and other African countries and now reside in Greater Vancouver.

Each person comes with a story, and all are glad to make their home in Canada. Their worship is spirited. It is sincere. It is in community, and it is always a blessing for me to worship with them. It has been hard for them to not be able to physically gather together these days.

While  they love Canada, they have left something of their hearts with family and friends in Africa. They are aware that those they have left behind may remain in refugee camps and in hardship, and they care deeply for them. They pray and find ways to be a support to them.

I am thankful for Pastor Sammy and Eva Kabyemera, their leadership team and their church family. They love our Lord and they love those they serve in His Name. Please pray for this church family as they minister and fine their way in Canada, and as they reach out to brothers and sisters  in Africa.

Here is a link to their website:  https://www.jgiccanada.com/

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“Phase Two” and your local church

For the past couple of months, we have learned to “preach,” worship and fellowship  in a virtual world. To be honest, we all have somewhat mixed reviews as to how successful we have been thus far.

As I have been speaking with LPD pastors and leaders, I have been encouraged to know that, in many cases, there are more people hearing messages online than would be in a church on a Sunday AM. Messages are being delivered over Facebook, YouTube, ZOOM, and sermon manuscripts are being delivered by email, DvD and by hand.

I am hearing that worship is challenging. We may feel self conscious to worship via ZOOM (are people watching me?), and we may find  worship streaming convenient but impersonal.

Children’s Ministry, both through”online” services and during the week has been specially challenging.  it is hard to engage children via ZOOM, or include them in a service.
As we look to the weeks ahead, we are sanctioned to meet in groups of up to 50 people. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Just because we can meet, should we? Are you ready? Have you done your homework? As we do meet, what will we do? Will people be glad  to gather, or will they  be fearful?

Here is a link to a newspaper article with the latest from Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry. Religious_Services_and_Retail_Stores.pdf

Here are some questions I have been asking of our LPD Pastors during this time of pandemic:

1. What has been your greatest challenge? Many have  reported that it has been a challenge to “retool” to minister online. How does a church receive and receipt funds when it is not meeting?  How do we keep connected?
2. What has been the greatest blessing/opportunity? Many are reporting that their church “audience” has expanded.
3. What are you learning/reflecting on as you journey through this? What are we learning about church, and what really matters? What ministries can be done well online, and what is best done when we can physically be together?
4. Who is your congregation? How do you define? How do you maintain? How will you grow and enfold? When I participate in a ZOOM service, I make a point of scrolling the list of participants to see who is missing. When we share our service on YouTube or other medium, how do we know who is listening?  When we can gather together again, who will be there? Have we maintained relationships with our congregation? How can we include and welcome those with whom we have connected through online services?
5. If you were able to assemble this Sunday, what would you want to be different? We will not go back to “status quo.” Let’s think to our mission and core values. How can we best use our time together to this end? Are your people ready to gather, or do they remain fearful?

While our ability to gather will be restricted to 50 people or less at this time, there is opportunity to rethink, to refocus, and even “re-invent” how we minister as a church. How will you best use your opportunity to gather together? What ministries will you introduce in the summer months?

Here are some articles/resources for reflection:

1. A Word of Encouragement for Leaders. “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Lessons from the life of Jehoshaphat.  we-dont-know-what-to-do-but-our-eyes-are-on-you.
2. Hearing from our Congregation. What are people thinking about gathering again? surprising-things-i-learned-about-my-churchs-views-on-re-entry
3. Here is something from our friends at the Christian Missionary Alliance about churches “restarting” ministry. This provides a good start on the dynamics of “restarting.” Please check with us for some additional information:  BC_Restart_Plan_Churches_May_2020.pdf 

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Upcoming Opportunities in the LPD

EFCC PRAYER MEETING – via ZOOM
Sunday, May 24, 1:30 PM
watch for the ZOOM link:

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EFCC National Conference – Virtual
June 27, 2020

With COVID-19 response, we are unable to physically meet for EFCC National Conference this year. We will be meeting for an abbreviated conference on June 27. Here is a letter from George Budd, EFCC Board of Directors Chair:
Letter_from_the_Chairperson_of_the_EFCC_Board_of_Directors.pdf
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Coach’s Corner – with Steve Sharpe, LPD Missionary of Church Planting  and Development (srsharpe@shaw.ca). Steve shares  coaching insights for pastors, church leaders and church planters. This week, he writes on, “TRUST: Impact on Church Life” Here is the link:  TRUST_15May2020.pdf

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Please remember all of our LPD Missionaries (and all missionaries) at this time. Here is the link to their information and how to support them:
https://www.lpd-efcc.ca/donations/

LPD Missionaries
Dan and Sharon Williams (Osoyoos Project)
Steve and Gillian Sharpe (Missionary of Church Planting Development)
Jonathan and Harmony Ng (Inner City Ministry)
Noel and Lynda Macasaet (New Living Assembly)
Jorge and Emily Lin (Church of All Nations/”new”New West EFC)
Joshua and Nicole Fast (Priceless Youth Ministry)
Allen and Hannah Chang (Steveston Project)
Daniel and Joyce Wong (Steveston Project)

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HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR CHURCHES REGARDING COVID-19

We in the LPD are here to serve you and your church through this time.  Josephine has been continually updating our information, so has the most current information available on resources available to you and your church in this time. Currently, six LPD Churches have successfully applied for assistance, with our help. There are several resources available  for Non-profits, and we will be glad to share these with you. Please email the office.

• Please also contact our LPD Office for information for Online Giving Options for your church – helpful, especially when your church cannot physically gather.

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Please pray for:

• Churches, as we contemplate and seek the Lord regarding “phase two” of our recovery program, where we can meet in groups up to 50 – with proper precaution and plans.  When should we plan to meet? How can we meet meaningfully, and to further our mission?
• One another, as we all learn to minister in this “new season” of life and ministry. May the Word of God go forward, and messages be heard online by those who might not choose to attend church. May God also enable us to minister to our neighbours. I am thankful for the way that the Gospel is being heard by many who  many not come to church but will listen online.
• First responders and our political leaders through this time. May they humbly seek the Lord for His wisdom.
• Our LPD Board. Board members are Randy Lemke (Allana) – Chair, Patrick Chan (Sarah) – Property and Finance, Ben Crumback (Anna) – Island Liaison, Charles Labun (Carolyn) – Church Board Liaison, Rob Stewart (Karen) – D.S., Tim Stewart (Emily) – Innovative Ministries, Sang Hyun (Sam) Cho (Eun Young) – Korean Church Liaison; Phil Yung (Grace) – Church Planting, Philip Leung (Karen) – Chinese Church Liaison and Josephine Papp, LPD Office Administrator – Recording Secretary. We next meet Wednesday, May 20.
• Tom and Sandi Ford and family, as he awaits transplants, made necessary through the impact of his diabetes. He asks for urgent prayer for physical strength to be ready for a kidney transplant.
• Town + Field Church, in their time of pastoral transition. Pray for Matt (Val) Myers and team, as they provide interim leadership. Pray for their pastoral search process. http://townandfield.ca/leadpastorhiring/.
• Fort Langley EFC, in their search for an Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults. https://www.flefc.org/news/hiring-associate-pastor-of-youth-and-young-adults–210

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EFCCM Missionaries to Kenya
Henry and Kim Ngugi

We are excited and thankful for how God has led and called Henry and Kim Ngugi to serve with EFCCM, and we invite you to join in their prayer and support team. They trust to travel to Kenya to begin this ministry in September. Here is a link to their newsletter, “The Daily Move.”

TheDailyMoveMarch.pdf

Website:

https://movedchurch.org/

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In 2020, our Lower Pacific District is assisting in the birth and revitalization of churches. We have also stepped out in faith with local churches through providing financial support and seed money. To this end, we appreciate the gifts of many district churches and also of individuals.  You can participate through both cheques and online through PayPal at our website.