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Dearest Church,

First, I hope you had a wonderful Easter, even if it was a stranger Easter than normal. 

Second, my suspicion is that some of us are starting to feel the increasing impacts and effects of this season that we’re in.  (Covid-19 is continuing to get closer; health care and other essential workers are getting overloaded; others are starting to lose their jobs or have hours cut back; other are realizing that the pace of life is not sustainable; and still others don’t know what to do and are worried…)  Please, let’s stay in touch, and let us stay in community.  Let us know how we can be helping and serving each other!  Let’s share ways we can serve our neighbors and community too!

Third, as these days have turned into weeks, and are now turning into months, I find myself starting to ask a different set of questions. 

Now that there’s a little less panic… and a little less shock… and a little less uncertainty, I’m starting to try and figure out:

• How do we use and make the most of this time?
• What should I (and our family) be doing to take advantage of this strange season we’re in?
• Can we be doing anything now to make this time more productive, more enjoyable, more helpful, or more sacred?

(And then, this isn’t just about me and mine, but how would we answer these questions for our church?  For our neighborhood?  For our community?)

Regardless of how long this time is, or how bad/good things get, it is still time that we’ve been given.  And, therefore, we are called to be faithful in it.  So how do we do that in a way where we will look back on this time and know that we made a difference?

To spur this thinking on further, I’ve been reading a number of articles that have been making the point that this is NOT something that is without precedent.  And, what’s more, there may be an opportunity (and even a blessing?) buried inside of it.  But the choice is ours as to IF we will use it or not.

Shakespeare spent some time in quarantine, as the theaters were closed in England as the bubonic plague ravaged the area.  But, there’s also a high likelihood that he wrote a large portion of King Lear and even parts of Macbeth during this time.

Isaac Newton did some of his best works, while in quarantine in a family farm (60 miles northwest of Cambridge) from the plague.  Among other things, this is where he reasoned out a lot of what became the foundations to his Laws of Motion.

And then, of course, Christians have found ways to serve and do ministry through times of plague and pandemic since the beginning.  Many Christians found ways to care for the sick during the 3^rd Century.  In the 14^th century, Martin Luther and his wife cared for the sick during the Black Death.  In the 1850’s, Charles Spurgeon saw his ministry become more effective as he continued to serve through an outbreak of Cholera in London. 

And so, I’ve been asking:

• How can I/we best use this time?
• What can I be doing now, such that I can look back at this time and know that it was time well spent?
• What are ways that I can reach out to, care for, or serve others (not EVERYONE… but at least SOMEONE)?
  • Especially those who live right next door…
  • Especially those who are finding themselves out of work…
  • Especially those who who shouldn’t be leaving the house…
    
  • Especially those who are lonely…
  • Especially those who operate small businesses…
    
  • Especially those who are having to make really hard choices right now…
    
  • Especially those who _____(You fill in the blank)_____________… 

Keep praying, keep connected, stay safe,

-Pastor Tim

You are invited to join us tonight as we celebrate and participate in Maundy Thursday Worship.  Our service will be centered around the Lord’s Table as we reflect on the different examples, practices and teachings Jesus left for his disciples before going to the cross. 

More to the point, this will lead us towards the cross… but much more importantly, to the Easter Sunday that lies beyond. 

Of course, due to circumstances, we can’t meet together at the church, but we can meet virtually.  And so, we will use the Zoom app to meet together.  I would encourage you to try and join us from your kitchen table, as we all connect our tables and families together at the Lord’s Table.

Also, we will be celebrating communion, and so you will need bread and a ‘fruit of the vine’ that is reddish in color (i.e. Grape juice, Red fruit punch, Cranberry juice, etc.).  (and you may need cups or glasses so that we can all partake together)

If you want to test out Zoom prior to worship, contact the church. 

The details you’ll need for the zoom meeting are below.  We hope to see you tonight!

-Pastor Tim

Topic: TPC Maundy Thursday Worship

Time: Apr 9, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/433276211?pwd=Q2J4QmpCWjJhSWZvemJNL0ZxTXVpUT09

Meeting ID: 433 276 211

Password: 112233

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Dearest Church,

As we begin a new month and make it through our current week, we quickly move towards Holy Week…

Of course, things are different this year.  Church is different, Holy week will be different, the world has been changed… and yet Easter will be the same. 

Now, of course, that’s not to say that we will be doing church like we did last year, or that everyone will be wearing their Sunday best, or that there will be as many Easter egg hunts and family gatherings…

But, the reality is that none of those things are actually Easter.  Easter isn’t the extra good worship at church, or the family gatherings or any of the other festivities or pageantry…  Instead, Easter is about the life changing good news:

• That Jesus died and rose again… 
• That Jesus conquered death…
• That Jesus was resurrected…
• That Jesus invites us into a new WAY of life… even today!

And thus, Easter has not changed.

But our experience of Easter will be different… though maybe for the better.  With all of our distractions gone, maybe we will actually be able to experience a holier Holy Week and Easter than we ever have before. 

Which begs the question: How will you practice THIS Holy Week, as we move towards Easter?

• Will you pray more regularly and deeply?
• Will you read Scriptures?
• Will you reach out and connect to your neighbors and others (from a safe distance)?
• Will you serve those who are struggling?

Additionally, here are some of the things we’re planning for worship:

1. Worship will be done and found much like it has been for the past couple of weeks.  With that, we’ve updated and added some links on our church website (trinitysoutlake.org) to point everyone to our “Online Worship Page”.  Once there (on Sunday), you will find Sunday worship videos, children’s worship resources, and a new Connection Card “Check in”.
2. In preparation for Palm Sunday this week, the church got Palm Leaves, and we placed them outside the church (at the front doors).  If you want, you can stop by and pick some up prior to worship.
3. In preparation for Maundy Thursday worship, there are 2 parts to our preparation.  First, you may need to download the Zoom software (www.zoom.us).   We will all be worshiping at the same time on Thursday night.  (If you have not used/tested this software before, there may be a chance to try it out prior to the worship service – look to the E-news on Wednesday for more information)  Second, you will need to find your own elements for Communion in your home.  This should be some form of bread.  And preferably a fruit of the vine that is reddish in color (or the closest you can get under the circumstances (I.e. Grape juice, Red fruit punch, Cranberry juice, etc.)).    —  My hope is that we all can be sitting at our own kitchen tables… as we extend the Lord’s Table into each of our homes and to each of our families… and share the Lord’s Supper… TOGETHER.
4. And then, of course, we’ll have Easter Worship on April 12… stay tuned for more on that.

Finally, the president of Princeton wrote something up that I read recently, that I wanted to share with you (ESPECIALLY as we move towards Holy Week): https://www.ptsem.edu/alerts/perspective-humility-to-humility-the-sprituality-of-quarantine

Keep praying, keep connected, stay safe,

-Pastor Tim

Our worship service today will be online. You can participate in worship using the video whenever works well for you. Our suggestion would be to gather with whoever will be worshiping with you, and then click on one of the links below.

Also:

• It’s ok to sing along with the songs, and say the liturgy out loud, and follow along with the prayers and passages.
• Alternatively, if that feels too strange, it also works to use all of these pieces as prayers to God and silently use this time to pray.

For Worship, Click either of the following:

• Join us from TPC Website
• Join us From YouTube

For Children’s Resources, click on the following:

• Resource #1
• Resource #2
• Resource #3
• Resource #4

Dearest Church,

I hope this finds you well. 

I’m curious how you’re doing and how you’re experiencing everything right now. 

One of the things that I’ve noticed is that TIME seems to be flowing much differently for us.  Both faster and slower.  And this is partly due to the fact that many of us have lost our usual ways of marking time. 

Most of our weeks used to have an end, and a beginning:

• We mark time on Friday night and Saturday as our week comes to an end.
• We mark time on Sunday morning – church day.
• We mark time on Monday morning – as we are all tired, and yet start a new week.

But then we mark our seasons as well: 

• Winter and Spring and Summer mark time…
• March madness and Opening day mark time…
• Graduations and Spring concerts mark time…

We even mark time using our daily routines… work time, home time, rest time…

But what happens when we lose our normal ways of marking time?

• When weeks bleed into each other…
• When seasons are cancelled…
• When the boundaries between work and rest blur…

It strikes me that that wears on us… that it makes us anxious… that it adds stress…


And yet, I’m mindful of God’s instructions that things come in seasons, and that our weeks are to have a rhythm including a Sabbath, and that God orders our days…

Maybe we could really USE worship as a way to mark time in our ever-changing lives, as things try and blend and muddle together. 

To that end, worship this week, will appear online on Sunday morning (like last week).  What’s more, I’m hoping that along with the worship videos, there will be some extra activities for our children, for our families, and even for our Growth Groups (which may start meeting virtually). 

Additionally, there’ll be an extended announcement at the end of worship about some exciting news that’s coming to our church (and a few next steps).

Maybe we can bring some order back to our lives through our faith and worship…

As always, if you or someone you know specifically needs help, please let us know so that we can see if we have the ability to do something about it!!

Keep praying, keep connected, stay safe,

-Pastor Tim

Dearest Church,

Greetings! 

How are you all doing though this strange strange time?  What an odd season we’re going through! 

• Church online – that’s weird,
• Work and School at home – that’s weird,
• Shops and Restaurants empty or closed – that’s weird,
• Life on hold and on fast-forward all at once – that’s weird too.

Life is just DIFFERENT right now.  And that’s unsettling.  That’s stressful.  That’s difficult. 
And yet, I find some comfort knowing that we’re all on this journey together. 


But, I also want us looking towards what’s next, and then what’s beyond that.

If the pattern that we’ve seen around the world stays consistent here (which is not guaranteed, but is probable), things are about to get worse.  Up to this point, for most of us, things have been annoying… even difficult… but not BAD.  And that has been happening as we have watched the virus move closer, and as we have prepared for its arrival. 

But now it IS starting to become local.  There are already a small handful of documented cases in our cities, but this also means that there is a good chance that there will be more.  And I want us to be ready for what this may mean.  As the virus spreads, there is a good chance that it will hit our community, our church, our friends, our family, and/or even us. 

I don’t say this to scare us, but I do want us being aware and prepared for what may be coming. 

I am confident that:

• We will be able to deal with this next season, whatever may come – because we’re the church
• We will be able to serve and love others despite what happens – because we’re the church
• And we will be able to rely on our God – because he is faithful (and because we are HIS church).

In the Bible, James (James 1:1-4) has a helpful perspective about all of this…

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
 
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

First, again, we see that this is not the first time the church has been through strange times… and it’s not the first time the church has felt scattered.  But, more than that, we see that the church is called to go through difficult times with faith and perseverance and even joy.  Such that we might become more mature and complete. 

And so, as we look to what may be coming our way, I want to encourage you to stand firm, stay connected, and trust in our faithful God.


But, as I said earlier, I don’t just want us looking to what IS and what’s NEXT, I ALSO want us looking to what’s BEYOND that.  Because after whatever happens next, we will emerge on the other side of all of this. 

• And we will be changed…
• And we will be closer…
• And we will be stronger…
• And we will be better…

As individuals, as families, as a church, as a community…

Which means it’s worth asking the question: What can we be doing NOW, to get us there… together.

(Again, I think most of us are just trying to keep our head above water… but, even while we do, we recognize that God is working in us and through us DURING this time… and he will be WITH us no matter what.)


Keep praying, keep hoping, keep connected, keep safe,
As we remember that our God is good!

-Pastor Tim


P.S. If you or someone you know specifically needs help, please let us know so that we can see if we have the ability to do something about it!!

Our worship service today will be online. You can participate in worship using the video whenever works well for you. Our suggestion would be to gather with whoever will be worshiping with you, and then click on one of the links below.

Also:

• It’s ok to sing along with the songs, and say the liturgy out loud, and follow along with the prayers and passages.
• Alternatively, if that feels too strange, it also works to use all of these pieces as prayers to God and silently use this time to pray.

For Worship, Click either of the following:

• Worship 3/22/20
• YouTube

Dearest Church,

Hello again! 

I hope this finds you well, as we continue to adjust to everything that is happening in our world.  I also wanted to write to you today to encourage us all towards endurance as we each respond in different ways. 

It’s also worth taking a moment to reflect on how fast things have been changing. 

This was brought home to me again, this morning, as Chalie and I were preparing for the day.  We generally do our dinner planning once a week.  And so, dinner tonight was actually planned out last Thursday.  At the time, we assumed we’d have a relatively normal day, with 2 parents working, 2 kids at school, 2 kids at daycare, and then 2 different soccer practices later tonight, and therefore, we had planned for a quick dinner for what would be a long day.  But of course, a lot has changed since then…  Even though that was only a week ago today.

That said, I also know that some of you have been dealing with some of these new realities for longer than we have.  And, some of you have been dealing with far MORE significant concerns that dwarf these current difficulties – medical and otherwise.  (I was even reminded, in talking with a few of you, that some of you have been dealing with the difficulties of quarantine long before anyone ever heard of Coronavirus.) 

All that said, I wanted to reach out today to connect us back together again, to encourage us as we face challenges, and to continue to invite us to find ways to grow deeper in our faith as we look towards our faithful God.

I’m reminded of Romans 5:3-5…“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Of course, this also seems to imply that we have a choice – depending on how we view and respond to our current trials.  Because we don’t have to persevere… we don’t have to try… we don’t have to press forward. 

We can simply give up, or we can settle for the way it is, or we can give in to fear.
But that’s not what Paul is saying in Romans…  Paul is trying to help us recognize that there’s another choice… We can persevere, we can grow in character, we can become a people of hope.

To put it another way, we can use this time to dig deeper, pray harder, read better, love more… – and be CHANGED.

But this requires us to live intentionally… and this won’t come easily…

Especially because, now there are more distractions than ever… EVERYTHING is clamoring for our attention… EVERYTHING is urgent…  EVERYTHING is life threatening… EVERYTHING is louder than it was before…

• Worry keeps us watching the news… just in case something else happens… and it makes us crazy
• Loneliness keeps us turning towards social media… to feel connected… and it makes us feel more separate
• Boredom keeps us hungering for anything more… to help us find more meaning… but we can’t do what we want… and so we go right back to where we just were
  • Plus, now we have more to do than normal: learning to work differently, discovering that there’s more that needs to be done at home, learning how to teach our kids at home, plus all the other challenges that we’re facing…
• AND, for most, we’re also stuck inside for all of this… or cautiously going out for work or supplies…

It’s no wonder that we’re more tired, more nervous, more stressed, and more agitated…

And yet, maybe WE need to remember what season we’re in… maybe WE – who are feeling the weight of worry… and the boredom, and the loneliness, and the exhaustion… –  maybe WE need to turn back towards God… and maybe WE need to be invited back into a holy Lent. 

What if we weren’t just separate, but what if we chose to live in a different way…
What if we responded differently…
What if we found our identity in our faith…

Maybe there are some new practices that WE need to return to… in THIS particular season:

• Maybe pick up your Bible and read Philippians… or 1^st Peter…
• Maybe put down your mobile phone and electronics… unless directly reaching out to someone…
• Maybe make a list of names to pray for… and then pray… (and then call/email/text them)…
• Maybe only look at the news once a day 😊
• Maybe, if it’s not raining (or even if it is), go into your back yard… and look for Spring (as we remember that God is still sovereign… and still faithful)
• Maybe involve the other people in your household into these practices WITH you.

And then, of course, we’ll also need to find new ways to worship together…

WORSHIP
In continuing to work to care for each other, and knowing that there are many at high risk, we are going to attempt to move our worship online this coming Sunday. 

This is not normal, this is not the way it is supposed to be, this is not what I want to do – but I think this is the best and right thing for us to do.

Furthermore, it will feel strange, it will feel artificial, it will feel like something is missing.  And it is.  Because something in us knows that we are supposed to be together. 

That said, even in New Testament times, we see that people were worshipping in their homes… were living the faith as families, in neighborhoods, wherever they were.

In fact, a few letters in the New Testament were written by Paul BECAUSE he was separated from the others in the church (sometimes even in prison or under house arrest).  To put it in OUR context, we might say that he was quarantined (by the Romans… and THEY took quarantining to another level) 😊.
And yet, he still wanted to reach out and stay connected… and so he used the best technology that he had, to reach out and be connected to his church. 

All that to say, what we are doing is not without precedent.  Of course, we also have better technology that allows us to be even MORE connected while still being apart.

So, here’s the plan:
THIS SUNDAY, if everything works out (technologically speaking), Sunday Worship will be found online.  We will record and post our worship, we will upload a shortened bulletin (order of worship), and then you, in your homes, can gather together to worship as a family (with the people that you’re already in contact with).  You’ll be able to find it on our website: www.trinitysouthlake.org.


But wait, there’s more.  There is some software that may allow us all to meet together, face to face, virtually, but this will require some more tests…  SO, the following Sunday, we may be able to have a worship experience face to face at 10:00 am… (even though we are separate).  But again, stay tuned for more information on that next week.


Either way, remember that church isn’t the building that we go to, or even what we do on Sunday mornings.  Church is the connected people of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, who pursue the kingdom of God.  Or, in our parlance: those who make and grow disciples who give their lives to make a difference in this world!


I am so thankful for all of you
I’m thinking about you all
And I’m praying for each and every one of you


Stay Connected, Be Safe, Hold Fast,

Yours,

-Pastor Tim

P.S. If you or someone you know specifically needs help, please let us know so that we can see if we have the ability to do something about it!!

Dearest Church,

Greetings!  I hope you are doing well, and staying well, despite all that is going on. 

I’m currently struck by how VASTLY different our experiences are right now:

• For some of us, nothing has changed…  for others everything has…
• For some of us, all of our little kids are now home (indefinitely?)… for others we are completely isolated…
• For many, work has become different, busier, scarier, cancelled, at home, looking bleak…
  • And I know many are worried that layoffs will be starting soon
  • And I know that others can’t hire and train new people fast enough
• Some of you just lost a large portion of net worth or what you live off…  some of you are running out of supplies… while others are doing just fine. 
• Some of you are worried about your own health (or the health of loved ones)
• While all of us are washing our hands more than normal… and more conscientious of what could be potentially harmful.

AND, I am 100% certain that things will be even MORE different in the next couple of days and weeks…

So, I wanted to share a few thoughts. 


First, I don’t know if you’re like me in this, but I have felt a weight: a pressure, a darkness, a stress over the last few days. 

I know that what is happening is bad.  I know it will get worse.  I don’t know how long it will last.  I don’t see a way through it.  And I don’t know what to do.  (And that is weighing on me – and it gets worse every time I see the news – and I don’t like it) 

But I also know that recognizing it, naming it, or even talking about it, relieves some of the pressure.  This also helps us process it and deal with it. 

All that to say, please give yourself some grace (and give it to everyone else too).  Go slow.  Take care.  Be careful.  Be kind.  Keep living.  Pray.  Sing.  Read.  Help.  Hope. 

Remember, as we talked about on Sunday, Psalm 23 says, “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, for you are with me.”  It’s our job, as the sheep in this Psalm, to look towards and walk with our Good Shepherd.  We don’t need to know where we’re going, and we don’t need to know why we’re here.  But we do need to focus on and follow after our Good Shepherd – because he does. 


Second, I think this is a time for us, as individuals and families (and organizations) to live more intentionally.  Despite all the chaos, despite us needing to redefine normal, despite all of the unknowns – we still can use this time to live well.

• What if we used this time to really engage with our families, friends, and neighbors?
  • Pray with, talk to, teach, play with, and worship with your kids
  • Reach out to people you haven’t talked to in a while (Send a note, text email, or even pick up a phone)
  • Spend intentional time together
• What if we actually became more connected as communities and neighborhoods again?
  • We could call our actual neighbors and check in
  • We could add our physical neighbors to our social media pages and find ways to help/serve each other.
  • We could drop off groceries or supplies as there is need –  even to those living around us
• What if we focused on faith and faithfulness in our lives, in our homes, with our families?
  • It strikes me that these are the times when you need something (or someONE) to rest in and rely on.
  • It strikes me that this is where we could find peace in a time of chaos
  • It strikes me that we could use this time to grow DEEPER, with God and with each other

What if this became a time when there was MORE connection, MORE community, MORE depth, MORE care… (despite the necessary physical distance)?
What if this ends up shaping us all for the better?


To put it a different way, can you imagine the impact we could have…

• If those who are able brought groceries and supplies to those who should not be leaving the house…
• If those who feel helpless and homebound started receiving calls from YOU… starting today… 
• If those who have needs (or extra) had the courage to express that and offer help…
• If those who have more than they need donated (or even volunteered if able) at a local charity like Community Storehouse or Christ Haven…
• If all of us became an ACTUAL people of prayer. 

Can you imagine how powerful this could be in our world full of fear and loneliness and uncertainty and isolation?


Third, maybe THIS is what it means for us to BE the church. 

We are still called to make and grow disciples, we are still called to give our lives, and we are still called to make a difference in the world.  Our mission doesn’t change.  In fact, right now the world is even more desperate for disciples, who are willing to sacrifice, to make an actual difference. 


But it’s not just our mission that doesn’t change… because we also believe that:

• Our God is still in charge
• Jesus is still Lord
• And the Holy Spirit is still at work in us, in our church, and in our world.

What’s more, this is not the first crisis that the Church has faced.  This is not the first economic disaster that the Church has seen.  This is not even the first pandemic that the Church has worked through. 
We are actually NOT the first ones to go through something like this.  And in all of those times, it’s the church that has stepped up, reached out, and joined together to help.

Obviously, the current health issues make this harder, but while it’s harder, it’s not impossible.  And, we are not the only ones who are called to faithfulness in the here and now, no matter what is happening.  And so, we join together with Christians across the centuries… and across the globe,  as we strive to live faithfully today… and everyday.

So keep BEING the church, and doing the WORK of the church, as we continue to live out our mission! 


Stay Tuned, Be Safe, Hold Fast,

Yours,

-Pastor Tim

P.S. There is a high likelihood that we are going to be moving our worship services online this Sunday… but I’ll tell you more about that later this week (probably a Thursday email).

P.S.S. If you or someone you know specifically needs help, please let us know so that we can see if we have the ability to do something about it!!

Dearest Church,

After talking with session, staff, and other church leaders, we have decided that it is prudent for us to move to one worship service at 10:00am, starting THIS SUNDAY.  We will also not be holding Sunday School classes for the next few weeks.  (and, we will be posting more and more online as we are able)

We want to be proactive and wise about what we can do, how we can help, and, how we can keep people safe.  We recognize that there are some who are more at risk, and we don’t want them to be placed in harm’s way.  That being said, for those who are healthy, low-risk, and able, we still want to offer worship opportunities. 

In many ways, these are the times when it’s most important for us to be the church, together. 

• We need to find ways to worship so that we can be reminded and refocused on God’s power and goodness. 
• We need to find ways to learn so that we can recognize all the different ways that Christians have lived faithfully through difficult times. 
• We need to find ways to fellowship so that we remember that we’re not alone. 
• And we need to find ways to serve, because we have been called to be the hands and feet of God to a hurting world. 

Speaking specifically of service opportunities, we have identified a few places where we can get started serving today. 

• Community Storehouse needs grocery gift cards and non-perishable food.  If you pick up any of these things, feel free to drop them off at the church, or you can deliver them straight to Community Storehouse.
• People are going to feel more and more isolated over the next few days and weeks.  What if we took it upon ourselves to call a couple people a day to check in with them?
• Of course, we should be in prayer during this time, asking God for wisdom, healing, and peace.

I was also struck by the fact that it’s Lent: a season of reflecting, slowing, remembering, and looking to God’s faithfulness to us in Jesus.  What if we all practiced a Holy Lent over these next few weeks… 😊

Yours,

-Pastor Tim

P.S. A reminder for parents of young children: Remember to talk to your kids about what’s happening.  They HEAR more than you think, but they often don’t know what’s happening.  And it’s scary when your parents seem nervous.