notes & news, thoughts & views - abcopadnotes & news, thoughts & views for abcopad...

American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware

Notes & News,Thoughts & ViewsFor ABCOPAD Churches fromRegional Executive Pastor Rev. Frank Frischkorn

Volume 31, Number 4 April, 2020

Greetings in the LORD!

Last week I was on a Zoom call with a number of other Regional Executive Pastors and we talked about the collective grief that our nation is going through right now. We have all seen the numbers of deaths rise each and every day as the news media makes a point of highlighting the spread of this invisible enemy at the top and bottom of every newscast. Let’s be honest, many of us are uneasy with what to do and how to feel as we consider what tomorrow may look like for us and for those that we love.

These days have been a rollercoaster for me as I’ve rejoiced in the ways I’ve seen God move and be glorified in the life of His Church here in ABCOPAD and then found myself overwhelmed with the sheer scope of the giant we are facing that goes by the name of COVID-19.

Changing the image, Psalm 46 captures some of that tug of war in my soul as we see that same push-pull of elation and despair. Read it slowly, and see if it doesn’t mirror your own journey these last weeks:

Psalm 461 God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.5 God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

he lifts his voice, the earth melts.7 The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.8 Come and see what the Lord has done,

the desolations he has brought on the earth.continued >


9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

So, as you read that Psalm, which side of the equation do you find yourself on today? Are you rejoicing that God has GOT this—has GOT us, or are you focusing more on the “nations being in uproar”?

As you contemplate that—as WE contemplate that—allow me to share a powerful quote by one of the smartest people I ever had the privilege of meeting: Dallas Willard. Dr. Willard was a gifted professor and writer who helps us get the focus right for our lives in the midst of this pandemic. He said: You are an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe. That’s the most important thing for you to know about you. You should write that down. You should repeat it regularly…you think you have to be someplace else or accomplish something more to find peace. But it’s right here. God has yet to bless anyone except where they actually are. Your soul is not just something that lives on after your body dies. It’s the most important thing about you. It is your life… The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become. That’s what you will take into eternity. Quoted by John Ortberg in his book, Soul Keeping, p. 23

In these days when the world is trying to point to your frailty, rejoice that in Jesus we have a future that is secure with a God who can be trusted. As Willard said, “The most important thing about your life is not what you do; it’s who you become. That’s what you will take into eternity.”

May you know His Peace and Provision as we walk through this together,

Frank


Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Johnson Regional Pastor with Congregations 888-687-0883 [email protected]

This is a GREAT time to spend the rest of the Covid-19 confinement praying the threefold prayer I often teach to churches with whom I coach and consult.

Though hard right now to believe, this virus will run its course. The government-imposed quarantine and the self-imposed isolation will be lifted. We need to be forward thinking right now about ‘what then?’ when the end of this pandemic comes.

But, BEFORE you think about just going back to the old patterns and previous practices, doing it the way it had always been done, why not start praying a threefold prayer. A three-strand cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Maybe three prayers in accord will help. Let’s be honest, it sure can’t hurt!

#1 LORD, what would you like us to STOP? What would you like us to let go? What would you like us NOT resume? Though we have been forced, no fault of our own into this present reality, this might be when we both seize the moment and cease some ministries. The scriptures speak to this very truth, “Old things are put away”

II Corinthians 5:17. You need to make some room for the new. It is time to celebrate and to sunset ministries that have served their purpose in the past and look now to the future.

THEN PRAY …

#2 LORD, what would you like us to START? With the road cleared of some of the past, we are ready to move into the future. For many churches this was asked in haste last month when we all realized this wasn’t going to go away overnight but the new shouldn’t just dismissed. The scriptures say, a quote from the LORD, “Behold, I do a

new thing” Isaiah 43:19. Actually, the text says every day, but it would be nice if every once in a while and it shouldn’t take a worldwide pandemic to get us to try something different. God already has in mind what He wants to do (John 6:6). We need to seek His mind to know it.

THEN PRAY …

#3 LORD, what would you like us to STRENGTHEN? This is asking God what we are doing right now that He wants us to continue to do just better and bigger. “Strengthen what remains” Revelation 3:2. But, don’t rush it. Don’t change for the sake of mere change. Do it with caution. People can only absorb so much. People accept

change at the speed of trust (Covey). You need to take what it is you do now, maybe what you just began during this pandemic, enhance and by default enlarge it because quality results in quantity. “God added” because they did it right (Acts 2).

The mere existence of your church right now, when some churches will close because of this crisis, means God still has something for you to do if you’ll do it. You need to decide what makes your congregation different and distinct from every other church (if nothing else, just the people who make up the congregation that no other congregation has but yours alone). If being wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) is true of us individually, couldn’t that be, wouldn’t that be, also be true of us congregationally?

I believe the prayer(s) must be done in this sequence. You cannot honestly ask God to do a ‘new thing’ if you are too encumbered with ‘old things’. Sadly, some will simply wait out the virus. They are just biding time to go back to the way things have been. Ask yourself honestly how effective was all that we were doing? You cannot ask God to stop if you aren’t open to new possibilities. God already knows what He wants to do (John 6:6).

God has continued to be at work during this health crisis. This pandemic has NOT stopped the LORD nor has this pandemic caused the LORD to kick into gear. God is at work ALWAYS, all around us. The sheer number of people not infected and those who are, but not fatally, is a testimony to God’s grace.

Use this time proactively. Use this time productively (Ephesians 5:16). Before we know it, almost without thinking about it, we will be back into a routine, and as hard as it is to believe right now, the crisis of covid-19 will be a memory and become a memorial. For heaven’s sake, don’t let your church become one.

Rev. Mark Mahserjian-Smith Regional Pastor for Mission and Communication 570-435-2001 [email protected]

Notes and News April 2020 Regional Pastor for Mission and Communications.

On Sunday, April 5 (Palm Sunday) something I didn’t think was possible took place. In about two and a half hours, between 9:30 a.m. and noon, I visited about 60 worship services in our Region. I didn’t drive a single mile. Some services took place in the church sanctuary with a praise team and a preacher standing in the pulpit, while other services took place in a Pastor’s Study, at a dining room table, at a home office, in a living room or family room and one even happened in a bedroom at a small office desk.

I had an opportunity to listen to music from praise teams, family music groups, soloists on guitars and pianos along with pre-recorded Christian music videos. Pastor Leaders did sermons or devotional messages on a variety of topics including traditional Palm Sunday-style sermons but also continuations of sermon series, as well as time spent encouraging congregations now dealing with the Coronavirus.

Prayer requests during the services came in via the comments section of Facebook or through text messages sent directly to a minister’s cell phone. All these visits were made while sitting at my desk going through the list of ABCOPAD Churches now doing ministry online. (You can actually watch a video with all the screenshots captured Sunday on our Facebook Page or YouTube Channel) Before COVID-19, ABCOPAD had quite a few congregations offering Sunday Morning worship services online via Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Periscope or some other streaming service, but since mid-March, congregations resistant to online services or reluctant to learn this new technology have taken a monumental step forward entering the digital world for worship, Bible study, prayer meetings and more. ABCOPAD went from a little over 40 Sunday services posted on our ABCOPAD Churches Live Streaming Worship webpage to now over 70 congregations offering Sunday Morning worship options.

It has been a joy coaching numerous Pastoral and Congregational Leaders begin this adventure into conducting services online. For some, the coaching involved using Facebook Live. For others, the coaching was establishing a YouTube Channel. For still others it was learning to use a Mevo camera, while some churches needed help setting up a Zoom account.

As the Regional Pastor for Mission and Communications, it has been a joy seeing so many of our partners in ministry launching out into new technologies to share the Good News of Jesus with their church families and beyond.

The fact is, the church does not stop being the church if it is not able to be physically together during those traditionally sacred hours on Sunday morning. While not assembled in a building between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jesus’ Disciples become the Church deployed, or the Distributed Church living out its calling to be salt and light in the world.

I discovered an interesting fact while visiting Church Facebook Pages and YouTube Channels. For many of our churches, more people watched the church’s Sunday morning video than would normally be in the sanctuary on Sunday morning. One congregation that averages about 15 people in the sanctuary on Sunday had about 150 people watch the worship video. Another church that averages about 30 - 35 people in attendance on Sunday had over 600 reaches and over 300 engagements to their video post. Lots of churches are reaching 10 times more people through their online presence than they would normally have in church on a Sunday morning. Clearly, church members are sharing their congregations video services with family, friends and acquaintances on Social Media. Evangelism is exploding despite the COVID-19. Incredible!

Sometime soon, the shelter at home orders will be lifted and we will return to being able to meet in our sanctuaries.We will return to life as we knew it before COVID-19. It is my hope and prayer, that many churches will maintain their online services—even after we return to our buildings—so Jesus’ Good News continues to be shared to a lost and troubled world.

Thank you for your partnership in ministry.Mark


News From our AssociationsAbingtonSeveral pastors in the Scranton Area have partnered with Pastor Gary Joe Eaches and United, Scranton to live stream throughout an entire day bringing messages of hope and spending time in prayer. Visit the church’s Facebook Page to watch the stream. Pastor Elliott Cook from Jackson Street and Minister Valerie June Black from the United, Taylor were are all on the schedule.

Central UnionAt New Britain,volunteers prepared grocery bags for distribution as neighbors met the challenging precautions of COVID-19. Bags were packed and ready for a “drive-thru delivery,” as people were handed a bag of groceries without leaving their cars!

The Saturday morning Breakfast/Brunch Ministry at the Baptist Church of West Chester continues with appropriate adjustments for increased vigilance on health and safety procedures for those serving and those being served. 40+ years and still going strong!

Pastor Brad Lacey (FBC, Conshohocken) has made available Scripture booklets and leaflets—courtesy of the Philadelphia Bible Society—for evangelistic and/or pastoral purposes. Pastor Brad reports that everyone (literally everyone!) with whom they share the material is gladly and appreciatively accepting them, and often conversation and even prayer ensue. The times are fortuitous to open hearts and minds. The material is free and of excellent quality. And Pastor Brad will even deliver them to you; if possible. You may contact him via his mobile phone at 610-955-3481 or email at [email protected].

ClarionWalkchalk Salem, Kittanning is meeting the challenges of COVID-19 by providing members and friends an opportunity to worship Drive-In style! They built a platform near the parking lot for the service and ordered an FM transmitter that will send the signal directly to the cars’ FM radios. That way folks could still come together without ever leaving their cars (and follow the social distancing requirements!).

LaurelSeveral women from FBC, Greensburg were busy making masks as a mission project to fight against the spread of the Coronavirus. A total of 110 special masks that met federal regulations were made to fit over N95 masks; these were sent to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. Several other pleated masks were made for nursing homes, businesses, neighbors, friends and family.

French CreekGiven the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, FBC, Franklin has made nearly 150 16 oz. portions of homemade beef vegetable soup to be distributed in sealed styrofoam containers in their parking lot (one container per person, up to four for a larger household). This distribution is targeting those who have had their hours cut, been laid off, or lost their job due to the ongoing pandemic.

MiscellaneousIn the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis, several dozen congregations across the region have been broadcasting their Sunday worship services through a variety of live-streaming platforms. Additionally, the churches have been broadcasting Christian Education classes, Bible Studies and pastoral messages.

MonongahelaPastor Ken Sommerfeldt, Olive Branch, Belle Vernon, has been offering daily 5-minute devotional broadcasts on their church Facebook site. What a great way to extend pastoral care!

NorthumberlandWhat a great time of ministry at FBC, Milton! Although they could not physically meet, the youth group gathered online to connect with God and each other. Pastor of Youth and Young Adults Andrew Teish planned a great time connecting with the students online for some fun, games, and prayer. They even enjoyed a scavenger hunt—running through the house to find items and bring them back, including a parent! What fun to see the students laugh and enjoy some time with one another!

Wow! Pastor Lee Barnhardt, First English, Bloomsburg, had a micro-moment of fame, when he was featured on a CBS News Clip: “How to live AND work at home without going stir crazy.” (9-seconds!)

PittsburghWoodlawn is taking full advantage of their Facebook site in the midst of the COVID-19 restrictions. It’s not just Sunday morning worship! Throughout the week, they have prepared multiple opportunities for interacting with the congregation. There’s even a special focus on the kids: “Kindness Counts” presented a quick “real talk” session for the kiddos ... all about what is happening in the world and a fun story about germs.

Other Items of InterestDon’t forget: visit our website often at www.abcopad.org!



May 2020 Deadline: Items to be included in the May issue of Notes & News need to arrive by 5 p.m., Thursday, May 7.

Please send all material to Denise Veselicky. Mail: ABCOPAD 159 N. Bellefield Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2609 Email: [email protected] Phone: 888-687-0883 Fax: 412-687-3941

Thank you!Donna L. Schneff, [email protected]

He’s chosen every single

cobblestone on the path He’s planned for us. But He never leaves us to

fend for ourselves.Xochitl Dixon

notes & news, thoughts & views - abcopadnotes & news, thoughts & views for abcopad...

Documents