3.17.19
Dear Victory Baptist Family,
Psalm 46:1-2a reminds us: God
is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore
will not we fear…
We are in the middle of a
most unusual period of time in the life of our country with the spread of the
coronavirus. I, like you, have been
watching the news and have heard the constantly changing reports of its impact
on our lives.
The deacons and I have
grappled with the question of what is the best way to respond to what we are
being told from the Center for Disease Control.
Yesterday, the White House
issued the 15 Days to Slow the Spread guidelines to help protect
Americans.
Governor Holcomb announced
additional guidelines in Indiana to slow the spread of COVID-19.
I have personally spoken with
a scientist who specializes in communicable diseases and he has reinforced that
this is a very contagious virus that is far more deadly than other viruses we have
seen in recent years. The warning is not an overstatement. This has been called
a “stealth” virus because it is possible for a person to be a carrier, passing
it on to others even if you have minimal symptoms. The concern to see it
contained is legitimate.
Here is what we are going to
do as a church:
We want to abide by their
recommendations and so we will not meet at church for the next 2 weeks (now
through and including March 29). We
will reassess the situation at that time.
In the meantime, we will
be posting my sermons on YouTube.
A new one will be posted
each Sunday morning.
To access the sermons:
1. Go online
2. Go to our website: victorybaptistwhiteland.org
3. Go to our downloads page
4. Under announcement of church closure, you will see a
screen. Click on it.
5. Sermon will play.
or
6. Go online
7. Type in: YouTube. Click enter.
8. Click on YouTube.
When it opens, type: Victory Baptist Church of Whiteland in the
search box.
9. Click on the video of our church.
10. You may have to scroll down if you do not see ours immediately. There are a lot of Victory Baptist churches!
11. Encourage one another…remind each other to log on and
watch.
12. Call David Denny (812.344.3182) or Isaac Coats ( if you are having trouble.
Also, here are a few
suggestions: take time to pray for each other during this time. God loves to
hear our prayers of trust. Send cards and letters to each other. Check in on
those you think may need help. Take a meal or buy groceries for ones that
should not be going out to the grocery store. We are a family and need to
continue to care for each other.
I know this is difficult and
frustrating, and yet we do not want to be careless with the health of ourselves
and others. This is part of being good
stewards of what God has given.
Speaking of being good
stewards, 😊 if you would please mail in your offerings to the
church during this time so that we can continue meeting our obligations to our
missionaries and pay the bills at church, we would appreciate it.
Send them to:
Victory Baptist Church
PO Box 86
Whiteland, IN 46184
If you are giving with cash
and would rather not send it through the mail, call Mike Crute
(317.490.3698) and arrange to give it to him in person.
While we have a genuine
concern for our health during this time and a responsibility to take the
necessary precautions, we do not need to panic.
Psalm 121 brings these
comforting words:
1 I will lift up mine eyes
unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the
Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot
to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6 The sun shall not smite
thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord shall preserve
thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8 The Lord shall preserve thy
going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
If you have any questions
please call and will try our best to help.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark