Charles Town Presbyterian Church

This past week I encountered a difficult topic numerous times: Death and dying.

People don’t like to talk about dying. No one wants to be reminded of the stark reality that one day we all reach our end. Mortality frightens us, and we shudder to think of not being around the people, places, and things that give life meaning. The idea of losing someone shakes us to our core. How can life possibly go on if the people closest to us are gone?

Before the pandemic pain, grief, loss, trauma – all the things that make life hard – were part of our experience. Now, though, the pandemic has intensified those hard parts so that when we go through them, they are just absolutely exhausting and soul-draining. A single traumatic event can cripple us emotionally, and we feel desperate and hopeless. This makes experiences like grief and loss even harder.

Over the past few days, during my morning message on the church Facebook page, I have been going through Psalm 34, which has some very encouraging words for anyone who feels like they are in a dark and lonely place:

I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:4-8, 17-19)

What wonderful promises! If you are struggling to know the presence of God right now, read and reread those verses, and then turn to the Lord in prayer. Psalm 34 and many other scriptures promise that when we pray, God hears. I am also reminded of the promise we have in Romans 8. Paul reminds us that even death does not separate us from Christ. Why? Because, as he says, God’s gift to us is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38,39)

It is hard to lose anyone, and COVID-19 makes death a frightening possibility for all. As I read somewhere this past week, “You don’t catch Coronavirus, Coronavirus catches you!” It makes death more real than we could imagine. As children of God, we can trust God’s promises that he will always be with us here, now, and for eternity.

Blessings,
Pastor John

I am so excited for this Sunday!

We haven’t worshiped together since the middle of March – seven months!

When the coronavirus first became a threat, all of us hoped that our suspension of worship would be only a couple of weeks, maybe three at the most. Seven months ago, we had no idea what to expect; and to be fair, we still don’t know what to expect in the long term. There is a reason we keep hearing the phrase, “new normal.” Many things will be different, even at church.

Scripture is clear that the people of God need to be in the habit of gathering for worship. In Hebrews 11:24, 25, we read these words:

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Worship holds a twofold purpose. First, we give glory to God. We ought to be doing that every day with every part of lives. But we also need to regularly gather and glorify God corporately. What a relief we are doing that this Sunday! Second, worship serves to encourage us. This encouragement happens two ways. First, the experience of the worship service – singing and music, prayers, preaching, and sacraments – all of these serve to bring us encouragement. How frequently do we hear people express the sentiment that a worship service lifted them up?

We also find encouragement in one another. The collective love and wisdom of the Body of Christ is an irreplaceable part of the Christian experience. We need each other! Some of the greatest parts of our Christian experience happen when we are gathered.

I am thankful we are gathering again this Sunday. I know not everyone is comfortable with this. And if you are coming, it’s important to know what to expect. We may have to sit in different places, the worship order will be a little unfamiliar, and we will be practicing social distancing.

There won’t be congregational singing. [Please see the Re-opening Guidelines in the attached CTPress below.]

But there will be worship.

We will be encouraged.

And God will be glorified!

Blessings,
Pastor John

Summary of Re-opening Guidelines
The list below is a summary of guidelines mailed/emailed to every member this week. These guidelines will be in place beginning Sunday, October 4.
 Register – Everyone planning on attending worship is asked to notify the church office (304-725-5316, ctpres@ctpres.org). Registration needs to be updated weekly.
 Do a self-check – If you do not feel well, stay home, and participate via Facebook.
 Wear a Mask – Everyone will be asked to wear a mask upon entering the building for the duration of the service. If you forget your mask, we will have one available for you.
 Entering/Exiting – Enter/exit via the sanctuary entrance on Washington Street unless you need the elevator.
 Offering – Mail it to the office, give online, or place it in the offering plate upon entering.
 Bulletins – Print at home, save to your phone, or use one of the copies we will have on hand.
 Seating – One pew per household, even if it’s only one person.
 Singing – For now, we will not be singing. It is a major spreader of the virus. There will be music.
 Communion – Bring your own bread (BYOB ), juice will be set up and in pews prior to the service.
 Dismissal – By pews, as directed by the ushers.
 Nursery – Available for emergencies and nursing mothers. Children must stay in worship with parents.
Please avoid congregating close together before and after the service. To that end, we encourage people to consider staggering arrival times prior to the service, and to head straight to their vehicles after the service.
If you have any questions, please contact the church office.

This summer, I began leading the congregation through the teachings of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. We started in Matthew 5, after the Beatitudes, because I had preached on those a little over a year ago. It’s been a fun series to preach, full of challenges and reminders, and it’s been amazingly practical.

This coming Sunday, I am going to be teaching on prayer and fasting. I am more convinced than ever we need prayer – the more the better.

Frequently in the Old Testament, when calamity struck, there was a national call to prayer. Since the first century, whenever and wherever the Church is, when there is danger or threat, there is always a compulsion to pray. Perhaps I have been out of the loop, but with everything going on in our world at the moment, there has been one thing missing: a call to prayer.
I want to encourage everyone who reads this to start today, and to specifical-ly pray for our country. I urge us to pray for the following:

• That the people of God would seek the Lord and ask for forgiveness,
• mercy, and grace as we seek to live for God and shine God’s light into the world.
• For a cure and/or vaccination for the Coronavirus.
• For a return to peaceful, uplifting discourse, publicly and privately, even when we disagree with one another.
• That we will be able to demonstrate grace and civility in political discussions.
• That we will be able to hold a peaceful election with a clear outcome, and a peaceful transfer of power should the people elect a new president.
• That we can learn to love our neighbors. All of them.
• That the Church of Jesus Christ would show the love of God to the world.

I hope that all who read this will agree to join me in prayer for our country. We are facing so much uncertainty and anxiety in 2020. In times past, these kinds of moments drove God’s people to prayer. Let’s change the world by changing how we respond to all of this, that we would seek God in prayer as our first, best response!

Yours in prayer,
Pastor John

Reminder – If you are joining us for in-person worship next Sunday, October 4, that signing up in advance is required, so that we are adequately prepared. Even if you are involved in leading worship (deacons, elders, staff, communion prep, special music, etc.), sign up is required. And in case it was not clear, sign ups must be done every week, by the end of the day Thursday prior to the Sunday you plan to worship with us.

It is Finished!

These important words were said by Jesus on the cross when he paid the penalty for our sins and reconciled us to God. It was the ultimate sacrifice for which all of us should be grateful. These words were spoken when Jesus was bringing to completion God’s plan of salvation, made complete in the resurrection of Christ!

Guess what else is finished? The Save the Steeple capital campaign! The elders designated the campaign a success at the session meeting on Tuesday evening. The cost of the steeple project was $147,790 and to date, we have raised $148,460. The elders wish to convey their thanks to the congregation for their generosity and support for this project! Those who still wish to fulfill their remaining pledge are welcome to do so. The congregation is also encouraged to consider shifting support from the steeple to supplement their regular tithing.
Well done, everyone!!

Congregational Meeting
The session has called a congregational meeting for Sunday, October 11th, following worship. We know not everyone wants to attend in person, so this meeting will be held concurrently via Zoom (information is below). That means we will be holding an in-person/virtual congregational meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to hear and act upon recommendations from the nominating committee. The CNC will also be presenting the following question:

• Shall the session transition over the next three years from twelve to nine members? The CNC will also place into nomination the following persons: For class of 2023, Elder – Beth Pugh, Kathy Donadio, Roger Snook; Deacon(4) – Anne Portrey, Hoyle Fulbright, Matthew Henshaw; Trustee(2) – Susan Wall, Allen Rogers; Class of 2021 CNC (3) – Jane Ishman, Stephanie Rossi, Henry Christie.

We will also take nominations from the floor. Because of COVID and the hybrid nature of our meeting, this gets tricky. If we have more nominees than slots available, we will need to do a paper ballot vote that will need to be sent to virtual participants and returned by mail. This will also require a vote by the congregation to allow this one-time method of voting at a congregational meeting. We are asking that if anyone plans to make nominations from the floor that they contact the church office and let us know so that we can appropriately plan for this contingency. All nominees must fulfill the requirements found in the Book of Order G-2.01. Of course, if there are no nominations from the floor we will be able to handle this with a simple voice vote.

CTPC Congregational Meeting: Oct 11, 2020 11:15 AM Eastern Time
https://zoom.us/j/93908217387?pwd=cE9PemVMdXM5dURBbEI2T0UzWCt6UT09
Meeting ID: 939 0821 7387
Passcode: CTPC1

Blessings,
Pastor John

September 16, 2020 Dear Church Family,

Last month, the session agreed to tentatively plan for in-person worship beginning on Sunday, October 4.  That plan is still moving forward. The worship service will also continue to be streamed on Facebook.  As we all know, the Coronavirus has dramatically changed how we do everything, and worship is no exception.  Included in this document (below) are the guidelines unanimously endorsed by the session. 

In-person Sunday School is still on hold.  The session will be monitoring the situation and will determine when it is best to return to in-person Christian education.

We all need to be flexible.  There will be “hiccups” and missteps along the way.  This situation is unlike anything any of us has experienced.  Please be patient as we all figure this out together.

October 4 is World Communion Sunday.  All persons joining us for in person worship are encouraged to bring their own bread, and those who will be worshiping with us virtually will need to have bread and juice ready for that service.

I am looking forward to seeing people in worship.  It has been a long time, and it will be nice to see the church family again!

Blessings,

Pastor John

Please carefully read the following guidelines created by The Worship and Music committee and endorsed by the session: 

Before Worship

Register – Everyone planning on attending worship is asked to notify the church office that they are planning to come (304-725-5316, ctpres@ctpres.org).  We are asking people to register because having to observe social distancing reduces the number of available seats.  Not including the balcony, we have approximately 22 available pews that will accommodate up to seventy people.  Please notify the office no later than noon Thursday if you plan to attend on Sunday.

Do a self-check.  Before leaving for worship on Sunday we invite everyone to take their temperature at home, if possible.  Anyone running a fever, please stay home.  Also, we are asking everyone to review the questions below.  Individuals answering yes to any of the questions should stay home.

• Have you or anyone in your household tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 21 days?
• Have you or anyone in your household had any of the following symptoms in the last 21 days: sore throat, cough, chills, body aches for unknown reasons, shortness of breath for unknown reasons, loss of smell, loss of taste, fever at or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit?
• Have you or anyone in your household traveled to an areas considered a “hot spot” in the past 21 days?
• Have you or anyone in your household traveled on a cruise ship in the last 21 days?
• Have you or anyone in your household cared for an individual who is in quarantine or is a presumptive positive or has tested positive for COVID-19?
• Do you have any reason to believe you or anyone in your household has been exposed to or acquired COVID-19?
• To the best of your knowledge have you been in close proximity to any individual who tested positive for COVID-19?

Worship

Masks.  Please bring a mask from home.  We will provide masks for anyone who forgets theirs.  Masks are required for the duration of the service and the entire time we are in the building.  Anyone who cannot or will not wear a mask is invited to enjoy the service via Facebook Live.

Entering/Exiting.  We will only use the sanctuary doors.  If someone needs to use the elevator, a deacon will be stationed at the parking lot doors to assist.  In order to observe social distance, please arrive with plenty of time to enter in an orderly fashion.  If we all arrive at 10:25, it will be more chaotic.  Doors will be open no later than 10am. When the service ends, we will dismiss by pew, to keep appropriate distance.

Offering.  Upon enter, there will be offering plates available in the narthex for offering.  Of course, online giving or mailing in offerings is still welcome.

Bulletins.  Bulletins will continue to be emailed each week and posted on social media.  Those who are able, should print a copy of the bulletin or bring a digital device on which to follow the order of worship.  This will cut down on the handling of the bulletins (a possible source of transmission). We will place a few bulletins in each of the pews that are being used.

Seating.  We will not all be able to sit where we like.  The property committee has measured carefully, and the pews we cannot sit in will be cordoned off.  This is critical:  ONLY ONE HOUSEHOLD PER PEW.  We can only sit with the people with whom we live, even if we share the same last name.  This will be tough to observe since we consider one another family. If we want to be sure to limit the spread of the virus, we need to strictly adhere to this.  For that reason, we strongly encourage people to stay in their pew, and to avoid the temptation to roam around the sanctuary. People worshiping in the same pew, need to live at the same address.  That might mean some pews have four or five people, and some pews will only have one.

Singing.  Because singing can easily spread the virus, even with masks, there will not be congregational singing, at least initially.  If the guidance on this changes, we will be sure to revisit this part of the decision.  For now, we will attempt to have special music at every service. 

Children.  Children are always welcome at worship.  However, we will not have a nursery/children’s church ministry until it becomes safer.  The nursery will be open for nursing mothers (who may also use the library, if they wish), and if a child has emergency.  Children may not be dropped off at the nursery at this time.  Our nursery worker will be present to assist parents as needed.

The Lord’s Supper.  On the Sundays we observe the Lord’s Supper, congregants are encouraged to bring bread from home (this is actually a very old tradition from the early Church).  Cups of juice will be prepared ahead of time and placed in each pew (with limited contact, of course).

After Worship

Dismissal.  As mentioned earlier, we will be dismissed by pew.  When each pew is dismissed, congregants are expected to exit the sanctuary and return to their vehicles. Sadly, we cannot stand around and linger or visit like we are used to. 

Testing.  If you or anyone in your household tests positive for COVID-19 within two weeks of attending a worship service in person, please notify the church office.

Conclusion

This is a fluid situation, and we ask that the congregation be patient.  As we are able, we will relax certain aspects of these guidelines, and work our way toward a more familiar experience.  Until such a time, we all must work together.  These guidelines were crafted with the safety of the congregation as the guiding, most important issue, and we are hopeful the congregation will observe them in a spirit of Christian unity.

And remember, we are still going to be virtual.  We will be going live on Facebook at 10:30am when the service starts.  If you are more comfortable participating from home, please feel free to worship in that way.

The first week of school is officially behind us in Jefferson County. Like the end of last school year, the beginning of this one is like nothing any of us has ever encountered. The end of the 2019-20 school year was hard for my family. My youngest child was in his senior year, and like most seniors, he finished the year with no prom, no awards banquets, no graduation ceremony, not even a party. Nothing. But we rolled with, we found ways to celebrate, we adapted. This school year none of my children are in state-mandated school, so I haven’t had to worry about virtual, in-person, or hybrid. But it is still different. This is the first time in twenty years there is no “first day” picture. It’s hard to say this, but a good thing to come from the pandemic is that not having to choose how my children are educated has made that transition a little easier. I’m adapting.

I can tell you with confidence that all pastors are concerned about this moment in church history. Church attendance nationwide has been in slow decline for some time; all predictors are that the coronavirus is going to hasten the closing of churches in an unprecedented manner. The closures that were expected to take twenty years prior to the pandemic are now expected to take only five.

Here is what that means for every church: If we want to survive, we must adapt.

The good news is that the pandemic has taught us that we have a greater capacity for change than any of us thought possible! Churches all over the country have learned to adapt to technology to deliver virtual worship services and other ministries. We have learned new ways of serving to help people on the margins. We’ve tolerated masks and less contact to connect people to Christ.

Who knows how long it will take to be free of the virus (notice, I did not say, “…get back to normal.”). But when that day comes, and we start looking forward at what’s next for our church, we will need to be flexible. We will like some of what we need to do, and some of it will be new and, therefore, uncomfortable. We may have to learn new ways of doing old things. But we will adapt.

There is an uncomfortable moment in the book of Acts, where the apostle Paul and Barnabas have such a strong disagreement, that they part ways. That could have meant the end of both of their ministries. Instead, they adapted, and the Church grew.

And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Acts 15:39-41

Blessings,
Pastor John