COVID-19 Response
Greetings,
Well, it looks like we’re going to be hunkering down a little bit longer. Once again, we will not be meeting this Sunday, in-person, we will continue to meet online via Facebook Live (or after the event on our YouTube channel). It seems we will most likely be meeting online for the next few weeks and possibly next month. This may have caught us all by surprise, but we’re confident that this is no surprise to our Lord. Our Lord and Savior is certainly just as Sovereign as He was last month as He is today.
One of my favorite passages in the OT is in Job 38:1-18. In this passage we see God finally speaks to Job, and wow what a response. If you continue to read until the end of the book, you’ll see how God puts things into perspective for Job. He never even answers the questions about Job’s guilt, God simply asks Job pointed questions, like “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” (Job 38:4).
When I read these passages of scripture I’m reminded, once again, that I am not in control of my future. There is no promise of tomorrow, there is no guarantee I’ll be healthy for one more second, let alone one more year or two or three. We must have the confidence in knowing that God is in control and only God knows when our last breath will be here on earth. God never promised us, as followers of Christ: a long life, a healthy life, a rich life, etc…However, God did promise us that if we are faithful until the end, if we place our trust in Him and Him alone, when we take our last breath here on earth we will take our next breath with Him for all of eternity.
Sam will be preaching this Sunday morning at 11am on the character of God. Please make plans to join us live or watch it later as we hear God’s Word being proclaimed to us.
Also, we will not be singing as a music team this Sunday, instead I’d like to encourage everyone to listen to the following songs in preparation for Sunday worship:
Sovereign Over Us - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl9a7sE4bcM
Jesus Messiah - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdxSC1tHJn0
Lord I Need You - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvfMDhTyMA
Finally, we just want to encourage you and let you know we are praying for you individually. If you have any specific needs please reach out to us.
In Christ,
Grace Elders
March 28, 2020
A letter to the church and our community, in regards to public meetings.
Greetings,
Please join us this Sunday at 11am (EDT) as we worship our Lord and Savior - Facebook LIVE
We would like to give an update on what we are doing here at Grace to help combat and prevent the mass spreading of COVID-19.
First, we have temporarily ceased to meet as a congregation. All of our services are being streamed online via Facebook Live and YouTube (after the FB live events). Our Sunday services will only have the essential staff in attendance, which is less than 10 people and the people that are at Grace on Sundays, are only people that are necessary to stream live the services.
Finally, and most importantly, we are all practicing social distancing, staying at home, per our government mandate and only going out for those essential items.
As we have said multiple times before please, if you are displaying any symptoms of a cold: headache, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, etc., please, please stay at home!
Also, please continue to pray for our governmental leaders and the leaders of the church as we move forward trusting in the sovereign control of the LORD!
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3
We love you, love our community and long for the days when we can meet in-person once again.
The Elders of Grace Baptist Church of Hamtramck
A letter to the church and our community, in regards to public meetings.
Greetings,
Please join us this Sunday at 11am (EDT) as we worship our Lord and Savior - Facebook LIVE
We would like to give an update on what we are doing here at Grace to help combat and prevent the mass spreading of COVID-19.
First, we have temporarily ceased to meet as a congregation. All of our services are being streamed online via Facebook Live and YouTube (after the FB live events). Our Sunday services will only have the essential staff in attendance, which is less than 10 people and the people that are at Grace on Sundays, are only people that are necessary to stream live the services.
Finally, and most importantly, we are all practicing social distancing, staying at home, per our government mandate and only going out for those essential items.
As we have said multiple times before please, if you are displaying any symptoms of a cold: headache, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, etc., please, please stay at home!
Also, please continue to pray for our governmental leaders and the leaders of the church as we move forward trusting in the sovereign control of the LORD!
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3
We love you, love our community and long for the days when we can meet in-person once again.
The Elders of Grace Baptist Church of Hamtramck
March 24, 2020
Greetings Grace Baptist Church,
In God's good providence He has seen fit to give us more time at home over the next few weeks. Resist the urge to complain! Give thanks to God for our governmental officials, and take advantage of the time to be in the Word and in prayer!
The elders at Grace want to stay close and encourage you as much as possible. One way we'd like to do that is to provide a daily devotional from Psalm 119. Monday through Saturday, there will be a livestream via Facebook at 7 a.m. each morning. The devotional will last 5-6 minutes. If you aren't available at that time, you can go back and watch it later, after the fact, at a time of your choosing.
As we journey through this unique period in world history, let's do this together as the body of Christ! God has given this to us. Let's not waste it. Let's embrace this good gift from our gracious Father in heaven. Let's grow personally and corporately in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We love you, and we are praying for you!
The Elders of Grace Baptist Church Hamtramck
March 16, 2020
Greetings. In light of the national emergency declared by our President and the encouragement of the Governor of the State of Michigan with respect to COVID-19, we are modifying our regular service routine . Though we are not required to cancel our regular worship service per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidelines (MDHHS guidelines), we feel it is in the best interest of our church to do so.
In an effort to love our neighbors as ourselves and honor the recommendations issued by the government, we will not gather for worship as a body this Sunday (3/22). We will broadcast on Facebook live (more info to come on that). It appears as though this will be the case for possibly 2 more weeks, though we will be in touch weekly to update. There will also be no Wednesday Bible Study.
Remember to wash your hands regularly and practice social distancing (6 feet between yourself and others when possible). We would all do well to refrain from unnecessary social media interaction regarding COVID-19. God has given us the government as a gift of protection. Get your information from www.cdc.gov.
Please pray for our governmental leaders and the leaders of the church as we move forward trusting in the sovereign control the LORD!
Finally, remember to stay and pray. Stay in the Word and pray, pray, pray. "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." (Isaiah 7:9)
Grace Baptist of Hamtramck Leadership Team
Greetings. In light of the national emergency declared by our President and the encouragement of the Governor of the State of Michigan with respect to COVID-19, we are modifying our regular service routine . Though we are not required to cancel our regular worship service per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidelines (MDHHS guidelines), we feel it is in the best interest of our church to do so.
In an effort to love our neighbors as ourselves and honor the recommendations issued by the government, we will not gather for worship as a body this Sunday (3/22). We will broadcast on Facebook live (more info to come on that). It appears as though this will be the case for possibly 2 more weeks, though we will be in touch weekly to update. There will also be no Wednesday Bible Study.
Remember to wash your hands regularly and practice social distancing (6 feet between yourself and others when possible). We would all do well to refrain from unnecessary social media interaction regarding COVID-19. God has given us the government as a gift of protection. Get your information from www.cdc.gov.
Please pray for our governmental leaders and the leaders of the church as we move forward trusting in the sovereign control the LORD!
Finally, remember to stay and pray. Stay in the Word and pray, pray, pray. "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." (Isaiah 7:9)
Grace Baptist of Hamtramck Leadership Team
March 14, 2020
In light of the national emergency declared by our President and the encouragement of the Governor of the State of Michigan with respect to COVID-19, we are modifying our regular service routine tomorrow. We have waited to a late hour to make this decision because events have progressed at light speed over the past three days. Our desire was to make a decision based on the latest information available.
Though we are not required to cancel our regular worship service per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidelines (MDHHS guidelines), we feel it is in the best interest of our church to do so.
In lieu of our regular service routine (9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.) we will only gather at 11:00 a.m. for prayer, the Lord's Supper (this will be administered in a fashion respecting the need to avoid multiple people touching the plate), and a challenge from the Word of God. This service will be broadcast via livestream on Facebook (instructions on streaming will be sent out to you later this p.m.), and we encourage you to join in with us.
We will keep our time together simple and abbreviated. There will be no transportation provided to and from the service (no exceptions!), no nursery, no bagel time, and of course no handshake/greeting time.
If you are displaying any symptoms of a cold: headache, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, etc., please, please stay at home!
When you arrive tomorrow morning you will be asked to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, then to dry them thoroughly. Hand sanitizer will be available, though there is no substitute for proper handwashing!
Again, we appreciate your patience as we have prayed over this decision. Obviously, this is the beginning of what will be a multi-week process of evaluating and re-evaluating the affect COVD-19 will have on our day to day lives and our life together as the church.
Please pray for our governmental leaders and the leaders of the church as we move forward trusting in the sovereign control the LORD!
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3
Grace Baptist of Hamtramck Leadership Team
In light of the national emergency declared by our President and the encouragement of the Governor of the State of Michigan with respect to COVID-19, we are modifying our regular service routine tomorrow. We have waited to a late hour to make this decision because events have progressed at light speed over the past three days. Our desire was to make a decision based on the latest information available.
Though we are not required to cancel our regular worship service per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services guidelines (MDHHS guidelines), we feel it is in the best interest of our church to do so.
In lieu of our regular service routine (9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.) we will only gather at 11:00 a.m. for prayer, the Lord's Supper (this will be administered in a fashion respecting the need to avoid multiple people touching the plate), and a challenge from the Word of God. This service will be broadcast via livestream on Facebook (instructions on streaming will be sent out to you later this p.m.), and we encourage you to join in with us.
We will keep our time together simple and abbreviated. There will be no transportation provided to and from the service (no exceptions!), no nursery, no bagel time, and of course no handshake/greeting time.
If you are displaying any symptoms of a cold: headache, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, etc., please, please stay at home!
When you arrive tomorrow morning you will be asked to wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, then to dry them thoroughly. Hand sanitizer will be available, though there is no substitute for proper handwashing!
Again, we appreciate your patience as we have prayed over this decision. Obviously, this is the beginning of what will be a multi-week process of evaluating and re-evaluating the affect COVD-19 will have on our day to day lives and our life together as the church.
Please pray for our governmental leaders and the leaders of the church as we move forward trusting in the sovereign control the LORD!
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3
Grace Baptist of Hamtramck Leadership Team