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Brothers and Sisters,
Late yesterday afternoon, our chairman of deacons, Daryl Stilwell, sent out a phone message. Everyone should have received that message. If you didn’t receive that message, please email me at pastorcbcclt@gmail.com.
During this unprecedented time, we have established 3 ways to communicate information from the church. Our first, and primary way is by email. We will also post our email messages to our Facebook page. Finally, for those who don’t have regular or any access to the internet, we now have the capability to send out a phone message. Email and Facebook are free. There is a cost associated with sending a phone message. For that reason, unless it is deemed vital, we will not send phone messages to everyone, but only to those who do not have regular access to the internet or email.
If you receive this email message and received the phone message yesterday, unless you specifically let us know your internet and email access is limited, in the future, you will primarily get information from the church by email. Please understand, we want to try and keep everyone informed, but we are also trying to cut all unnecessary costs at this time. Only ask for a phone call if you absolutely need it.
Along with the above ways of communication, we also have two ways to check with and minister to one another. The first way is through our Sunday School classes. Every Sunday School class has a teacher and a deacon. Please, through your Sunday School class, check on one another, and if there is a need, let your deacon or Sunday School teacher know so they can let the church leadership know. We also have our ladies "Lift Group" ministry. Thank you to the Lift Group leaders for reaching out to our church family to help identify needs and disseminate information.
Tomorrow we will be Livestreaming our church service on Facebook Live. The link for the Livestream is https://facebook.com/pg/cornerstonecharlotte/posts.
We are asking all our members and regular attenders who are not directly involved in our Livestream to PLEASE STAY HOME! Watch the Livestream from your home. If you don’t have access to the Livestream, please stay home and take that time when you would usually come to the church for worship, from 10:45AM – Noon, and shut off the TV and pray. For those who are involved in the Livestream, we ask you to only bring your immediate family (same household) with you. Additionally, if anyone in your immediate family meets any of these criteria, we request that you and they stay home:
If anyone feels sick, has a fever higher than 99.1, has any cold or flu-like symptoms to include a cough, runny nose, sore throat, or trouble breathing, please stay home.
If anyone has a chronic medical condition, including, but not limited to, lung disease, heart disease and/or diabetes, please stay home
If anyone is adult over the age of 65, or an adult who has recently been ill or hospitalized, or if you are at all concerned about your health, please stay home.
If you just feel it is best for you and your immediate family not to come to the church, please stay home.
You do not need to create a Facebook account or have Facebook to watch the Livestream. All you have to do is click on the link above at 10:40AM on Sunday morning. If you do have Facebook, if you like our church’s page ahead of time, you will get an automatic notification when the Livestream becomes available. We are looking at adding additional platforms for our Livestream, but right now we are limited to Facebook Live.
As you can imagine, these are difficult and uncertain economic times for many people, organizations, and churches. Our church leadership has taken several steps to reduce costs. We have postponed the repair of the projector. We have closed the Weekday Preschool. We have shut down portions of our building, adjusted the heat and air, and shut off hot water heaters. We have postponed our Sunday School literature, cut back on our office hours, contacted our mortgage company about making reduced payments, and looked at other ways to further reduce costs including reducing staff compensation. It is very important at this time for our members and regular attenders to continue to give, as they are able and as the Lord leads, even though we are unable to physically gather together for worship. Right now, there are three ways you can continue to give:
You can give by sending a check or money order to Cornerstone Baptist Church, 8947 Albemarle Road, Charlotte, NC 28227.
You can give using your cell phone by texting “Eph220” to the number 73256. Once you send the text, you will be given prompts on how to complete your transaction.
You can give by establishing an online giving account through Realm by emailing Lori Moore at lorimoorecbc@gmail.com or calling her at the church office. Lori will then send you a link on how to establish the account.
The crises we are facing as a nation and a world has impacted and altered every aspect of our society. While we have faced difficult times in the past, none of us have ever been faced with anything quite like this. As Christians, we believe in the power of prayer. We can only pray that this virus will not be as destructive as many health officials are predicting. Along with prayer, unless it is absolutely necessary, PLEASE STAY HOME! Don’t go to the store to see what is there; only go to the store if there is something you need. Stop all unnecessary travel! Practice social distancing. Now is not the time for backyard barbeques, children’s play dates, and any gatherings with family and friends. This virus and the threat associated with it is real! Please take every precaution to minimize your risk of being exposed, and the risk of exposing others to this disease. Thank you for all your patience and understanding during these unprecedented and uncertain times. Fortunately, as Christians, we know that God’s inspired and inerrant Word assures us that He is in control! We also know He does all things well and makes no mistakes! While it may be surprising to us, nothing we are facing surprises God! As His people, we don’t lose hope because we walk by faith, in Him, through every circumstance He allows us to face. We can rejoice knowing that we have Jesus as our Savior, and because of Him, we are confident in our eternal future no matter what we must face in this life.
If you have a need or any questions, please contact your Sunday School teacher, your deacon, or your Lift Group leader. You can also contact me at pastorcbcclt@gmail.com.
It is a privilege and joy to serve as your pastor! Remember Isaiah 26:3 tells us, “God will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are stayed in Him!”
In His Love,
Pastor Ted