June 2020

Dear Friends –

Acts 8:1-4 reads “And Saul approved of their killing (Stephen). On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.  (2) Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.  (3) But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.  (4) Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”

Notice the word “scattered” in the first verse. It was a tragedy, the first great persecution of the church, that caused Christians to leave Jerusalem. The result of the scattering was that disciples spoke the word of Christ wherever they went (not the apostles - they remained in Jerusalem.)
The faith was spread in new ways, to new places when the church was scattered.

We are a scattered church, too. We can’t gather in our building to worship, meetings for Sunday school, choirs, Bible study, youth, Super Seniors, and Family Life are all canceled. Some of us are still working, others are laid-off and at home for more hours than we’d like. We are scattered, but we do not cease to be the church just because circumstances prevent us from meeting. Instead, we can learn, as did the first believers, to blossom where we are planted.

Admittedly, sharing Christ is restricted because we aren’t at the Y, or Belle Lettres, or other familiar haunts. But what if we took this time to build some relationships so that as the reopening progresses we will have some standing on which to offer Christ?

Here are just some thoughts:

• Bake cookies and take them to your neighbors in sealed plastic bags just to say “Hi.”
• Make soup and share that with your neighbors in a safe container.
• If you have some extra time, mow someone’s lawn or trim their hedges for free.
• Call families who live around you just to ask how they are.
• ​If you are going to the grocery store offer to pick up milk or bread for a neighbor.

The idea is to reach out in new ways. Because we are all feeling isolated it will be appreciated. And because this is a unique situation it won’t seem weird, but kind.

Then pray and look for a chance to share Christ. Apply Ken Wilson’s strategy to make an opportunity.

When the first church was scattered by tragedy the gospel was spread to new people. We are scattered too. Let’s take advantage of the opportunities this presents.
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     ~ Pastor Byron

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