As vaccines and antibodies continue to increase, the statistics suggest that the pandemic may be gradually reaching its end. According to the The New York Times on February 1 there were 147,000 new cases, whereas on March 1 there were 56,000 new cases.
Though this coronavirus like isn’t dissapearing any time soon, it seems our defense against it may be at least strengthening. As our leadership continues to monitor new information and how it impacts our community, we are constantly reevaluating how this influences how we operate week-to-week. Expecting this regression to continue, we will be weighing our approach to the need for masks, social distancing, etc. in the weeks to come.
Something we have longed for the last few months is community with one another. Sunday morning Bible study classes are thriving. We also recently resumed connect groups on Sunday nights and this Sunday morning we will begin serving fresh, hot biscuits before we get the day started! We are hoping that as progress is made against COVID-19, we can resume children’s activities on Wednesday nights, choir on Sunday mornings, outreach-oriented connect groups, and more.
I have personally been so amazed by the love that binds Fellowship together. From day one, I have told my family that our church is appropriately named. While we see evidences that “fellowship” is resuming, we are also sensitive to the fact that many are still feeling alone, discouraged, and forgotten. Many of our people are still worshiping via Facebook Live from afar; we love you, are praying for you, and miss you.
With the vaccines rolling out, our numbers have noticeably increased as has the excitement to be getting back to some normalcy.
God is at work in our church, and as history has proven, our God is not stopped by governments, rulers, movements, or forces…even a pandemic (and neither is His Church)!
Pastor Caleb
December 3rd, 2020
Periodically, we have considered it essential to update the church body of our responses to the constantly changing momentum of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the Mississippi Department of Health released a statement in which they recommended that the public should “avoid any social gathering that includes individuals outside of the nuclear family or household. MSDH recommends that Mississippians only participate in work, school, or other absolutely essential activities.” In-person church services were included in the non-essential social activity list provided by the MSDH.
As our leadership has considered both our respect for our state officials as well as the essential nature of our gatherings, we have determined that Fellowship will continue to meet for our Sunday morning and Wednesday night gatherings as is.
Our desire is that each individual and family make an informed decision regarding whether or not they will choose to worship with us in person or via Facebook Live. While we understand the legitimate reservations of many, we also understand the weighty desire and need for others to gather with the fellowship of believers. Ultimately, we trust that you will make the decision you consider best for you and your families. We know many will be apart from us due to the circumstances, and we long for the day you can gather with us again.
We ask that you please continue to exercise cautionary measures when you gather with us. Though several of our brothers and sisters have had run-ins with the virus, God has spared our flock and kept us safe from the rapid spread. We pray and trust that He will continue to sustain us physically as He sustains us spiritually.
We will continue to provide periodic updates as our leadership deems necessary. We love you, are praying for you, and long to see you soon.
Pastor Caleb
October 6th, 2020
In our last update, we stated that the plan was to resume Sunday morning Bible study classes sometime in October. Well, that day is here! October 11th (and Sundays following) at 9:00AM, we will resume Sunday Bible study classes (Sunday school) for all ages.
Regarding precautions, we are asking that all participants exercise social distancing and continue to wear a face covering. Due to the size of the classrooms in our new building, we are confident that spacing will not be an issue.
This will not change anything for children. During the 10:00AM service, nursery (birth — 3 years) and children’s church (4 years — 2nd grade) will continue to be provided. During the 9:00AM hour, nursery and Sunday school for these ages will also be provided.
Next steps: we hope in the weeks ahead to resume Sunday night connect groups, choir, and Wednesday night AWANA (children). We still have various reservations about each of these, but we know as time progresses, so will our resumption.
If you have any questions, please contact the church office by a visit, call, or email. We will ensure that you find where you need to be this Sunday! Our prayer is that God uses mightily the Sunday Bible study classes and the congregational gathering for worship to make much of His name and enrich the hearts of His people.
Pastor Caleb
August 24th, 2020
It has been five months since the pandemic began to rock churches’ day-to-day. Fellowship has been no exception as we have chosen to be flexible and cautious to resume “business as usual,” especially as cases have finally begun to reach our area in a greater capacity.
We have chosen to keep a close eye on sister churches as well as schools to glean from them strategies as we evaluate what decisions best minister to and love the people that make up Fellowship. Our leadership has prayerfully come to the decision that it is now time to move to our next phase of resumption.
September 13, we will be resuming—during the worship hour at 10AM—nursery (birth to 3 years) and children’s church (4 years to 2nd grade). We will do both with wisdom and caution as we navigate difficult variables, while also seeking to minister best to the young families’ children that we are blessed to have at Fellowship.
Though we are not sure when at this time, the next phase of resumption will likely be our Sunday morning Bible study classes for all ages. Since our new building is now completed(!), we are able to utilize large classrooms for plentiful social distancing. Though we are unsure on the exact date, our loose target is to begin Sunday morning Bible study classes around the beginning to middle of October.
Stay tuned in the weeks to come for how and when we will move forward. Until then, we are thankful for the positive trend of being able to worship as we have been in the past!
We take refuge in knowing that though we do not know what tomorrow holds, we belong to the God who holds tomorrow. He is supreme over all things, and this pandemic falls within His reign and rule—for His glory and for our good!
Pastor Caleb
July 7, 2020
Much of what we do has been greatly altered by this unfortunate season. Though “church” looks different, God is sovereign and His church will not be stopped or shaken.
We currently gather Sundays at 10:00AM in our worship center for our morning service. Since many of our people are shut-in and limited in their ability to leave their homes, the service is live-streamed on Facebook Live for all to participate from a distance.
For our physical gathering, we block off every other row and encourage all attendees to wear a mask and limit physical contact with others, while maintaining a safe distance. We do offer printed worship guides, but we are choosing to place an offering box at the exit of the worship center in lieu of passing plates.
We hope to soon be able to resume Sunday school, nursery, children’s church, and Wednesday evening activities for all, but right now we are choosing to be limited.
For now, we have our Wednesday adult Refresh gathering in the common area (also on Facebook Live). We have also resumed our youth gathering (grades 7-12) upstairs in the main worship area. Both of these gatherings are at 6:30PM Wednesdays.
We long for the day that we can resume the many ministries that we offer in order to reach and have fellowship with one another. A thorough list of these seasonal and year-round ministries can be found under “Other Ministries.”
For now, we prayerfully trust God, who was not and is not caught off-guard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we anticipate the day that we can be together in full for the glory of God!
Pastor Caleb