Email from the pastor

jerry old said:
Protestant Church's have a board of Elders (different name for
different dominations) They pay pastor, decide how offering is
distributed: Pastors Salary, Charity, Bld fund.....
Click to expand...

My church is independent and non-denominational. They don't have to answer to an organized religious foundation.
 

debodum
I also attend independent and non-denominational church
tiny membership, but still there are three people that govern
the distribution of offerings made.
a good idea for all gatherings where different ideas abound

there is no suggestion of pastor's excessive involvement with
offerings.
temptation-no, every member of congregation has the right
to question the distribution of funds.
 
There is no collection passed around during the service. There is one by the entrance where parishioners or visitors may make free will donations. The pastor doesn't touch that money. They do have officers and a Board of Directors. The treasurer distributes it where it is most needed, and I know the pastor's salary is a part of that.
 

debodun said:
Another email update on the Easter service - the music part of the program has been canceled. No reason given.
Click to expand...

Maybe in violation of a local noise ordinance. I would imagine that if the pastor is planning on using a loudspeaker outside, he better be careful of that, too. Here, a local fringe church decided to start having outdoor services last summer and they got seriously slammed by the city because of noise ordinances. Nobody likes being awakened at 5:00 AM by someone else's church service (or probably even their own).
 
debodun said:
My church is independent and non-denominational. They don't have to answer to an organized religious foundation.
Click to expand...
Your church consists of the worshippers and none of you have to answer to the pastor. Use your own judgement about what you do, but remember that if you attend and become infected you will inevitably infect others. Some of them, including yourself, may die.

What you are asked to do is look after each other, including the pastor. Don't let him starve. Phone him and ask him if he is OK. I'm pretty sure he will be.
 
debodun said:
Received a message from the pastor that Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday service will be held. The one big difference is that they will be open air and attendees must bring their own chairs. Most of the parishioners are in their 70s and 80s and to expose them to possible infection or even cold, damp weather (upstate NY)- I just wonder if this is a wise choice.
Click to expand...
Don't think so.
 
Reminder email from the pastor:

Easter Worship Service Sunday at 11am.
The service will be held outdoors.
You may bring your own chair or sit on the benches provided or stay in your cars. There will be speakers by the parking lot.
I believe our Omnipotent God will keep you safe. Faith overcomes fear.
 
My wife just told me that this will be our first ever time that we missed Easter service at the church. I always enjoyed the few special holidays like Easter and Christmas in the church. The choir always gave a great performance. We did get a new Pastor a few years back and he delivers a very good sermon. I really enjoy listening to his stories that he somehow works into the sermon.

I’ll have to look and find out if Sunrise Service is still on. I kind of doubt it.
 
debodun said:
Reminder email from the pastor:

Easter Worship Service Sunday at 11am.
The service will be held outdoors.
You may bring your own chair or sit on the benches provided or stay in your cars. There will be speakers by the parking lot.
I believe our Omnipotent God will keep you safe. Faith overcomes fear.
Click to expand...


Well, IMHO faith can overcome fear; but I doubt it can overcome the coronavirus, which is a pathogen that does not discriminate between the believer and the non-believer.

Faith might overcome the fear of being hit by a freight train, but fear or not, the freight train will still squash you like a bug if you stand in front of it.

Fear of outcome and the actual outcome are not related.

Anyone who believes that God has promised that He will always protect believers from bad things on this earth hasn't considered the question of why, using early Christians and the apostles as cases in point, so many of them were crucified, eaten by lions, ripped apart, burned alive, etc.

God never said that bad things wouldn't happen to Christians on this earth.
 
I will participate via computer and tv services. Looking forward to the music and sermons tomorrow. I have enjoyed the daily Lenten videos I subscribed to. Also the Daily Word devotionals I do each morning. It has been a meaningful Lenten season for me. I miss the contact with people and the Peace but we adjust when we have to.
 


Back
Top