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I trust you are doing well and staying safe during these uncommon days of quarantine due to the COVID-19 coronavirus. The seriousness of the situation should give all of us cause to reflect deeply on the great need we have to walk closely with the Lord. I trust that with the “extra” time you likely now enjoy, that you are spending a greater deal of it in prayer, Bible study, and seeking the Lord’s grace and peace.
I’m reminded of that great old hymn by Annie Hawks, “I Need Thee Every Hour.” The first stanza and chorus are: “I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord, No tender voice like Thine can peace afford. I need Thee, O I need Thee, every hour I need Thee! O bless me now my Saviour, I come to Thee.”
We are reminded in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Jesus Himself said, “For without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5b).
For the true believer, we understand that we not only need the Lord, but we need each other. It has been heartbreaking that we have had to curtail our fellowship and gathering together for worship, prayer and Bible study.
In that regard, your pastoral staff and deacons are working to do what we can to stay in touch. The deacons are working the family ministry plan. If you have not heard from one of our deacons, please let us know. Pastor Landon is communicating with our youth, Miss Melba is keeping in touch with our children, and I am keeping up with our deacons as best I can.
Your pastoral staff wants to pray for you. We have enclosed a prayer card which you can mail back to the church with your prayer needs. We will pray for you! Perhaps you have heard that we are having “drive-in” church on Easter Sunday at 11 am. You can also bring your card to church and drop it off in the blessing bucket which will be made available as you leave.
There are numerous ways you can stay in touch with us. Our website at www.tbcmacon.com has staff emails and phone contacts. You can stay up-to-date on church activities by going to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tbcmacon/. You can access sermons and Sunday School lessons on the church’s You Tube Channel: www.tinyurl.com/TBCYouTubeChannel
Speaking of our plans for “drive-in” church here is what you need to know. The service will start at 11 am on Resurrection Day, April 12. Please arrive a few minutes early so that we can get you directed to a parking space. We will be meeting in the back-parking area and some of our men will be there to direct you.
RULES FOR DRIVE-IN CHURCH:
The building will not be open; you must remain in your vehicle during the service.
We will be required to maintain social distancing rules, so no handshakes or high fives through the windows. Wave and smile real big!
We will keep a minimum of one parking space between vehicles.
If you arrive in a truck or van, please back in on the back row. (Again, we will have men in the parking lot to assist you with finding a suitable space.)
The service will be broadcast on an AM radio channel. You will be able to tune in and hear the service in your car (the equipment has been ordered, we hope to have it operational by next Sunday). We will also have speakers so that you can roll down your windows and hear the service.
We are doing the service that had originally been planned as a Sunrise Service so it will be brief, under an hour.
If you have need of a bathroom, we will have to ask that you exit the parking lot and return home.
The blessing bucket will be made available as you exit so that you can give your tithes and offerings and leave your prayer requests as you depart.
Your pastoral staff and deacons are praying and seeking God’s wisdom as to how we can more effectively minister to our church family in these trying times. I have heard many words of encouragement, and I am deeply grateful for your positive attitude and support of the church.
Speaking of support, in spite of not meeting for two weeks in March, having a five Sunday month, and all the other uncertainties, we ended the month only about $300.00 short of budget. I praise God and thank you for being faithful. There are two ways for you to give. Mail a check to the church or you can utilize our online giving programs at https://www.tbcmacon.com/give. In an effort to keep your mail-in checks more secure we now have a P.O. Box for you to use. When mailing a check, please use the P.O. Box!
P.O. Box 28341
Macon, GA 31221
We will proceed in future weeks as seems prudent, wise and within the confines of government restrictions. Governor Kemp’s current “shelter-in-place” order goes through April 13. We fully expect it to be extended through the end of April. We are hoping and praying to have regular worship again on May 3. We will stay in touch with any new developments.