SV Update 4.16.20
Hello Church Family,
Our Easter Services were just amazing! Thanks to Andy and our Worship Team, Mike Poole and our Media Team, and Curtis Woods for such a timely message.
We weren’t able to meet together physically, but were able to gather together via Cable, Online and Radio. Here’s some good news to celebrate:
- Our total engagement for our 3 Facebook broadcasts was 14,100,
- 6,080 views on Facebook
- 442 on YouTube
- 458 on our website
- People viewed our services from 24 states in the US
- 3 countries from around the world
No other Easter Sunday has Severns Valley reached this many people with the message of Hope from the Resurrection. We believe God is preparing to do a remarkable work. He uses all things for His glory.
Because of Coronavirus, we are seeing people take time to reflect on:
- Family
- Time
- What’s really important in life
- God
- Relationships
- Simplification of life
- And so much more
Let’s not waste this crisis! Let’s be ready for what the Lord has in store for us. Let’s be a people who are stronger, bolder, more focused on being the people of God than who we were before COVID-19.
So, we have two questions for us today.
- What does God want me to learn from this crisis, COVID-19?
- What does God want us, as a church, to learn from this crisis, COVID-19?
Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good”
We have the opportunity to learn from God through this crisis.
- How is He speaking to you?
- What does He want you to do?
- What does He want you to start doing?
- What does He want you to stop doing?
- What is He showing you that has taken priority over Him?
- Who does He want you to forgive?
- Who does He want you to go and ask for forgiveness from?
If we go through this crisis and not think about what the God of all creation:
- wants for us,
- what He is trying to teach us,
- is trying to say to us,
- and how He’s trying to get our attention as a person, a family, a church, a nation, then we have missed an opportunity to join Him in His work.
How do we learn while in a crisis? It’s not rocket science. You’ve heard it before. But right now many of our excuses have been literally ripped out of our hands. We have time now to focus on the basics. Here’s what we know God desires of us:
- Spend time worshipping God individually and corporately.
- Spend time learning about who God is and what is will is for my life. Bible reading.
- Spend time praying to Him sharing my worries, concerns, trials, sins, joys and needs.
- Spend time serving others. Not focusing on me, but putting others before myself.
sv.church/updates
We’ve made it incredibly easy to help you to do these by going to one webpage: sv.church/updates. On this page you’ll find:
- A link to see all the ways you can view our Worship Services via: Cable TV, Online and Radio.
- A link to find a Virtual Small Group to join.
- A link to find out how you can leave a prayer request, and download our Daily Prayer Calendar written by our staff.
- A link to find out how you can serve / provide for those in need in our church and community.
This is not a time for us to sit and be paralyzed. This is a time for us to invite people to church, connect with others in small groups, pray for our nation, state, those who are sick and help those who are in need. Let’s be the Church.
Lastly, we want to update you regarding our status as a church.
We will continue to keep our campus closed through the end of April. We will be reviewing and monitoring the situation and keep you informed of any changes.
Just as the government is looking at when and how the nation will be open again, we are doing the same as a Staff and Church Council. We are in uncharted waters.
Let’s pray we are ready for what God wants to do when we can gather together again. How does He want you to: Change? Grow? Serve? Give Up? Take On?
We want you to be encouraged by God’s Word. Here is a passage we picked specifically for that purpose.
2 Cor. 1:3-7 (CSB)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.
We love you,
Your Staff and Church Council
SV Update 3.31.2020
Hello Church Family,
The COVID-19 outbreak has changed all of our lives. These days have made us think about those we love and long to be with but can’t. We are learning to not take things that are commonplace for granted, like: toilet paper, eating out, seeing friends and family.
Our prayer is, when things return to “normal”, our “normal” looks much different. Having a new perspective, a new focus, more intentionality, thankfulness and a grateful heart are a few of the things we hope will last.
We are also being confronted with the reality of just how frail our lives are and how they are just like the mist that vanishes too quickly. Let’s not just get through this. Let’s come out of this more focused on how we are to live life as scripture says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matt. 6:33.
We wanted to give you the latest update regarding our On-Campus activities: the Church Staff and Church Council has determined to keep our campus closed to all services, programs and events through April 19th. This means we will not have Easter Services on our campus. We are heart broken in making this decision. But, we believe it is what we need to do at this time. We will continue to monitor the current situation and will let you know when we believe we can resume On-Campus Worship Services and other activities.
At our last Virtual Staff Meeting we discussed what our “Major Focus” needs to be during this time. We identified four things:
Our 1st Focus: Corporate Worship
We are so grateful and thankful for our Media and Worship Staff and teams for making it possible for us to gather together even though we are scattered. They are working diligently to make sure we have Sunday Worship Services.
We realize we had some technical problems with our broadcast last Sunday. We are trying to determine what was wrong and fix those problems that are on our end. But, because we are broadcasting through 3 different mediums: Cable TV, Live-Streaming and Radio we don’t have full control over what happens.
We thank you for your patience during times we are having difficulties. Just know, meeting together for Worship is our Top Priority.
Having Online Worship Services provide unique opportunities. This is the best time and easiest way to invite someone to join you in worship. Invite people to our worship services by pointing them to our Facebook & YouTube pages and also to sv.church/live.
Our 2nd Focus: Small Groups
It’s more important now than ever for us to stay connected with our church family. The best way to do that is by being involved in a Small Group.
We currently have 16 Adult Small Groups meeting virtually. You can find a listing of these groups by going to sv.church/adults.
SVstudents have 13 virtual Small Groups. All of our SVstudent Small Groups are meeting online! To find out more about these groups go to: sv.church/students.
SVkids is providing videos to all parents of children so they can continue to have their Small Groups at home. If you want more information about this content go to sv.church/svkids.
If you are not involved in a Small Group or if your Small Group is not able to meet online, you are welcome to try out any of our groups. This is a great way to meet people and when we are able, you can join them in person when they meet. To find out more contact joe@sv.church.
Our 3rd Focus: Serving
We have created a specific page on our website listing all the current ways you can get involved during the COVID-19 outbreak, sv.church/serve. Some of the ways include:
Food distribution to families in need and Sr. Adults
Donating: food, bibles, hygiene items
Making masks for Nursing Home and Assisted Living center employees.
Running errands for our Homebound and Sr. Adults
We will continue to update needs and ways to serve as we become aware of them. To find out more go to: sv.church/serve.
Our 4th Focus: Prayer
Requests for prayer have significantly increased these past few weeks. We are convinced prayer is something we need to be more focused on both corporately and individually. Because of this, we have taken these steps to help us become more of “A Praying Church.”
Last week we published our Prayer Calendar on our website: sv.church/prayer-calendar. We encourage you to download it and use it yourself and with your family.
We’ve created a page on our website where you can submit a prayer and also share with us how your prayers have been answered. sv.church/prayer.
You can now call in to leave a prayer message and also text a prayer to: 270.883.1316.
You can email your prayers to: prayer@sv.church.
Your prayer requests will remain confidential and will only be seen by our Staff, Church Council and Deacons unless you give us permission to share with the church body.
Please share this information with others. Wouldn’t it be great for our community to know of Severns Valley as A Church of Prayer!
In closing let us be reminded and be comforted in what Psalms 46:1 says about our God. “God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.”
In Christ,
Your Staff and Church Council
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