We are staying prayerful and informed regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in our state and nation. Our commitment as Identity Church leadership is to walk in great faith and wisdom. Extraordinary prayer and trusting our God for wisdom go hand in hand.
Our governor, Mike DeWine, has issued an order to indefinitely close fitness centers statewide due to concerns regarding COVID-19. Additionally, Governor DeWine has changed the restriction on mass gatherings from 100 to 50 people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also released new guidelines on March 16 advising to avoid gathering in groups larger than 10 people in order to slow the spread of the virus.
We have been in contact with the director of the Green Family YMCA, and for the coming three Sundays we are not meeting together for corporate worship but will online stream our services at 10:00 AM linked through our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Our agreement with the YMCA is that, God willing, we will have our corporate worship together again on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020.
After careful consideration, a lot of prayer and discernment, the Elder Team has decided to postpone all weekly gatherings through April 1 with the exception of DNA Groups. With that being said, we are taking extra precautions to make sure that we are doing our part to mitigate risk and help provide the safest environment possible for everyone. We will continue to monitor this and make changes as needed.
We are encouraging DNA groups to continue and recommend they function as small prayer meetings of no more than 8-10 people. If you are part of our Identity family and would like to open your home for a small prayer gathering, please email info@identitychurch.org.
Please observe the following precautions when gathering:
- No personal contact, handshakes, hugs, etc.
- Encourage people to maintain a buffer zone as much as possible.
- Ask anyone that is in one of the at-risk groups to stay home. If you are sick, please stay home.
- Anyone displaying cold-like symptoms, including, but not limited to, coughing, excessive sneezing, or cold chills, stay home to ensure the health of others.
- Wash hands regularly. Use hand sanitizer if washing hands is not possible. Best practice is to not use hand sanitizers any more than 5 times before washing hands with soap and hot water for at least 20 seconds.
- Request that anyone who has traveled overseas recently remain home from our small groups until symptom-free for fourteen days.
There is a lot of fear running through our country right now. This is one of those times that that we truly believe God is moving in a powerful way looking to accomplish great things and drawing people to Him. Is the Church ready to take action? For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
Our hearts as an eldership is for our church family to help our community walk through this trying time, HUMBLE OURSELVES AND TAKE A STAND AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS. Here are some of the practical ways that you can get involved and help in advancing God’s Kingdom in our community through your daily life.
- Prayer and Fasting. To take a stand against the destructive spread of the Coronavirus, we as a church family are joining brother Lou Engle’s calling to the global Church to a three-day Esther Fast, March 18th – March 20th, to humble ourselves, confess our sins and the sins of our nation (Joel 2), and cry out to God for mercy. Then, on the third day, as when Esther went before the king, let us stand as the Ekklesia before the King of Glory! Let us stretch out His rod of authority out of Zion and rebuke the Coronavirus in united corporate agreement, believing in faith that the storm will abate, churches and stadiums will be filled, and 2020 will go down as the year of the historic advance of evangelism and missions worldwide. Would you join us for this three-day Esther Fast, March 18th – March 20th?! https://thejesusfast.global/coronavirus/
- Call five friends and check in to see how they are doing and see if they they need anything. Pray with them. Encourage them.
- Find out if any elderly neighbor or relative, as well those with underling medical conditions, needs any grocery or pharmacy goods and consider if you can help them with their needs.
- Buy a gift card from a locally-owned store for later use to support them during this time.
- Order takeout from a local eatery and tip well.
- If you have to go out, make sure that you are loving and kind to all the people that are working and look for opportunity to share the Good News.
From Pastor Kevin
I would like to encourage you with an encounter that I had during the night after our powerful Sunday morning prayer gathering. In this encounter I was taken in the Spirit and heard a groan from within for the Life of God. As I was lying in my bed thinking about what I had just experienced and heard, I felt the Holy Spirit give me some understanding of what is taking place right now in the spiritual realm.
- The Holy Spirit is awaking a cooperate cry in our hearts for the Life of God so that we can move on from just being an organization to a living organism.
- This awaking to His life within will result in a great demonstration of His Resurrection Life.
- Only then as the body of Christ we will see masses coming to the knowledge of eternal life.
Finally, I would like to encourage you to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy. Ephesians 6:10-11
Online Giving
Many of you worship through your giving and generosity and we are so appreciative. Since we will not be meeting or collecting offering in person over the next 3 weeks, please join us in giving your gifts online.
Online giving enables us to be the church we need to be in times like these. Will you please consider,
GIVE ONLINE HERE
Philippians 4:19-20
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.