We want to let you know what we are doing at
Bonny Doon Church to help our county health officials combat the spread of the
coronavirus––and the anxiety associated with it. There’s a lot of info to cover in this update, but please read all of it so
you have accurate information.
First, we encourage you to fix your thoughts on Jesus. He is at work even now. There is no need to fear or panic.
Instead, look for opportunities to help.
With that important foundation in mind, we
want to answer some questions you may have.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH CHURCH SERVICES?
On Monday March 9, the Santa Cruz County Health Department declared a local emergency and issued a statement that
they “recommend cancelling or
postponing large gatherings of around 50 or more.”
After weighing options, Edd, our part-time pastor,
decided to preach at church on March 15t.
On Marc On March 16th, Santa Cruz County ordered the
community to “shelter in place”. On
March 14th, Edd shared this message on our church’s Facebook page:
We are
just in the beginning stages of what we will see with this coronavirus. I am
not usually an alarmist, but I see the statistics and Martin Gaskell sent out
an email this yesterday that confirms with data what I have been feeling. The
cases in China began in early December last year and according to the graphs
reported almost daily, they reached a peak of the number of cases after about
three months, but the world's cases began to grow shortly before that. Now that
the cases have come to our area of the world, I believe we can expect to see a
quick growth in cases as well. If the statistics pan out, we could see this
growth of cases continuing until at least May when the growth will begin to
subside (statistically). And I, as a mathematician, think in statistics and
numbers. My trust is in the love of God and knowing that He cares for us all. I
believe there is something good and beneficial in this pandemic that we cannot
easily see with our eyes and limited understanding. I believe we, as the Bonny
Doon Church, need three things at this point. And I include all inhabitants of
the Bonny Doon area in my comments and prayers.
One, we need prayer, chronicles says, if my
people will humble themselves and pray. You might not want to pray, you might
have an experience in your past that has convinced you that God doesn't exist
or at least doesn't care and will never answer. The people of Bonny Doon Church
believe otherwise. We talk about the way God answers prayers on a weekly basis
as we gather on Sunday mornings. What a great opportunity we all have, to come
into the presence of God and pray; for ourselves, our neighbors, the world. Ask
God for protection of you and your loved ones first but also ask for your
neighbors and their well being, and then send your thoughts to the different
areas of the world where you have connections or have always wanted to visit,
they need your prayers at this moment as well.
Two, we need encouragement, and I find that
encouragement in the Bible. I make a regular habit of reading the Bible, three
to four chapters per day. I start in Matthew and keep right on reading until I
get to the end of Revelation. It takes about 15 minutes a day. During times
like this, I try to read more. Join with me, would you? Listen to what God has
to say and let the Holy Spirit come upon you as you read. Let Him soothe you
and care for you and heal you and strengthen you and above all fill your mind
and heart with hope. I have posted on this sight, the first of many short
messages from the book of Psalms in the Old Testament. I hope you will come
back each day and read the new message for the day. may you be Blessed as you
read these words and especially the words of the Bible, God's words of hope to
us.
Three, we all need compassion. We are all in the
same boat, with the storms raging around us. We all hear the fear in the news,
see the frustration in the voices of others, and can't help but notice that our
own minds and hearts are growing with that temptation to be afraid, day by day.
How can we stand with the love of Jesus and still the storm in the power of His
name? He stood up in the boat with His disciples and spoke to the storm, and
commanded it to be still. For the sake of others whom we know and love and even
those who we don't know or love, can you stand with me, in the name of Jesus,
and command the storm of virus to be stilled? Can you speak those words each
day?
I am not going to ask any one to come to church
on Sunday morning, but I will be there. It would be nice to send some sense of
the service out to others in some form, I hope that will materialize. But I
offer you an alternative if nothing else happens, drive by the church, and get
a drive by blessing. I pray for the church and property often that the presence
of the lord Jesus will be upon the land. Tomorrow, if you want to get out and
about, get in your car and drive through the parking lot, drive around the
church, sit in your car and pray, let the presence of the LORD and the love of
the people come upon your car and your lives. Honk at your neighbors and
friends, pray for them as you sit there. Blessed one another with the love of
Jesus and His healing power. Act out your faith.
If any one knows how to get the word out, I am
available to pray in specifics if they ask, edd@breeden.us, or
831-239-6817. I will be praying and would love to help as best I can. To me,
what I have to offer is prayer, teaching, the blessing of the presence of the
LORD God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His name, be blessed.
Edd
Bonny Doon Church is committed to the health
and wellbeing of our whole community. While
we never want to respond to uncertainty with fear, we do want to be a church
known for deep compassion and good citizenship.
MAKE “REMOTE CHURCH” YOUR MISSION
Let us be clear: Church is not cancelled. It’s just changed.
Last Sunday, our church offered an opportunity
for its members to participate in worship from their homes via a videoconference
service and sent out an email recording of the sermon to individuals who were
not able to be present at the service. Based on the most recent “shelter in place”
order, it is likely that our worship service will go 100% online this coming
Sunday. We will share information on our
Sunday plans here as well as on Facebook.
MORE WORDS FROM OUR PASTOR, EDD
Blessed
is the person who walks in the counsel of the LORD; his delight is in the law
of the LORD, and on His law, he meditates day and night. He is like a
tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its
leaf does not wither.
In
all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1: 2,3
As we begin a few months of cyber communication with the onset
of the coronavirus in our community, I want to offer some words from Scripture
and some hope for us all. I must admit, I do not know what will happen to us as
a community, or how individuals within our community will fare. I would hope as
all do, that this virus would just pass us by; that the angel would pass over
our houses as happened to the Israelites during the time of the Exodus.
(chapters 11 and 12) And to that end I pray.
I plan to post something every day, or as often as possible. And
I will be using the Old Testament Book of Psalms as inspiration. David, the
author was a man of many moods and a varying sense of faith. He would get quite
angry with God at times, frustrated that others did not believe in God,
critical of the "wicked" who did not seek after God, and the like.
But he also shared some very comforting words and words that will be helpful
for us in the coming months.
Psalm One includes the words I have used at the beginning of
this post.
When you have nothing positive to think about in the days ahead
turn to the word of the LORD. Turn to the Bible. The news you read and hear in
the coming months will be filled with more negative ideas, more fear, more
speculation than any of us need in our lives. I encourage you to listen to the
news some but spend an equal amount of time reading the words of the Bible,
maybe even the Psalms and the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Psalm One says a person who meditates on the law of the LORD, day
and night, will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, yielding
fruit, and not withering.
I would pray that each of you who live in Bonny Doon or read
these words from afar, would fine the health and strength of that tree which
will not wither.
Jesus, I believe You to be alive and working in this world. Why
a virus like this comes our way, I do not know, but I trust that you know best
and You have a love for mankind that we cannot even imagine. Please, pour out
Your good upon us in these trying times, and help us to put our trust and hope
in Your goodness and love towards us. Amen.
HOW TO HELP AND FIND HELP
If you are alone and need help,
please contact Edd (edd@breeden.us or 831-239-6817) or one of our church members.
STAY HOPEFUL AND PRAYERFUL
God is going to work through
this in ways we can’t even imagine now. Can
you anticipate that God will move in great ways now?
He will deepen your faith.
He will deepen your family’s spiritual life as
you worship together.
Let’s be people of peace and people of prayer.
Pray for the leadership of our county. Pray for those who are seriously
impacted by this virus. Pray that people all over the world will draw closer to
God. Pray for the church, that we will be united around this, instead of
divided by this.
