To our brothers and sisters at Calvary Chapel Westminster
Yesterday our Government announced some new advice in regards to the coronavirus epidemic. The advice includes asking everyone to avoid social and family gatherings with immediate effect, and it was made clear in Parliament that this advice also includes all religious and faith groups.
This advice has been given to limit the spread of coronavirus and to protect the most vulnerable. As Christians we are commanded to submit to those in authority Rom 13:1-7 and to help and protect the most vulnerable in society James 1:27. As a result, many churches and denominations have decided to suspend all congregational gatherings for the foreseeable future, including the Church of England, the Baptist Union and the FIEC.
So we have decided to follow the Governments advice, after prayerfully considering all these things. We have taken the decision to immediately suspend all of our meetings. We will do this for a preliminary period of three weeks, from March 22nd through to April 5th, hoping to get back into fellowship at the school on the 12th April. We will review the situation on an ongoing basis as the Government advice is updated.
In light of this, we are planning to live stream our Sunday morning service on the church website at 11am, with both the video and audio recording also being made available on the church website to watch at any time.
The Scripture commands us ‘Not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together’ Hebrews 10:25: and at this extraordinary time, we need each other as much as ever! Now is a time to be united together as one body, committed to loving and helping one another through this challenging season. So, we would like to encourage everyone to keep in regular contact with each other, on an ongoing basis and take special care of those in our church who are in the category of the most vulnerable, those over 70, those with underlying health conditions, those living alone, and pregnant women.
It is really important that we as a church embrace the challenges that lie ahead for us all over the coming weeks and months, understanding that the Lord is sovereign, and Jesus is our Good Shepherd who will continue to pastor His people by His Word and through His Spirit. We pray that the Lord will work in and through us all, so we may encourage and provide for the brethren, and bring the love and hope of the Gospel to our neighbours.
Every blessing in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Pastor Alwyn, Pastor William and our board of elders, Jano, Tom, and Mark.