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3/13 Coronavirus Update

The Southwinds Church Family cares deeply for the health and safety of our neighbors in Tracy, Mountain House, and Lathrop. As we’ve watched the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and listened to the best wisdom we can access, we’ve decided to cancel all on-campus services and ministries until further notice. We want to love our neighbors by doing everything we can to help reduce the risk of spreading this virus. 

This Sunday, March 15, we will begin hosting our Worship Celebrations online at 9 & 10:45am. The Southwinds family and all the guests we can invite will be able to worship with our band, hear a message from God’s Word and pray together. As you join us online, you will be able to take notes on the message, and participate in chat with a host. Please help us get the word out!

We encourage our Life Groups to worship together as they view the online service, if they choose. Our Life Groups Pastor Chris Martinez is providing tools on our website to help facilitate. (southwinds.org/get-involved/events)

If anyone is not currently involved in a Life Group and want to join what we’re calling a LiveStream Life Group, you can click on this link and follow the instructions. (https://southwinds.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/311/responses/new)

Our response also means that other ministries through the week will be cancelled until further notice. This includes Celebrate Recovery, C.A.R.E. Night, AWANAS, Step Studies, and all on-campus Life Groups. If you have questions regarding any ministry, please contact a pastor or ministry leader.

As your pastor, let me share a personal word with you about how we as the Southwinds family want to live our lives in the days ahead. We do not know what will happen in the next few weeks, but we do know that God is in control. 

Let’s together commit ourselves to NOT taking a break from our mission as a church and as Christ-followers. People still need to be loved in Jesus’ name. People still need to hear the saving message of God’s grace in his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is still calling each of us to follow him. 

So let’s live these days in Jesus’ name. Let’s live these days in faith, not fear. We believe that God remains in control, so we do not need to be afraid. God’s Word commands us hundreds of times, “Do not be afraid.” Why? So often, those commands are accompanied with this promise: “God is with us.”

Think about it. If we get sick, we can fellowship with Christ in our sufferings (Philippians 3:10). Even if we die, we are confident that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). If we die, we will be immediately present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). We have nothing to fear!

Living by faith that God will work all things for our good (even lost health or lost income) is one way we glorify God and give a beautiful witness to his sovereign goodness. 

In addition, not giving in to fear is another way we can love our neighbors. Viruses may harm and kill but so can fear and nationwide panic. Panic can lead to economic and social disorder that may be worse in the long run than any disease. Let’s together trust Jesus and “be not afraid!”

Let’s intentionally love our neighbors. Look around you for people who have needs and serve them. If you know someone who is staying home because of valid concerns, like age or physical weaknesses, offer to get their groceries or take care of other needs. Give them a call to encourage them.

You may know someone who’s struggling with irrational fears (we all do at times), so we can text them an encouraging verse. We can avoid Facebook posts that make light of their fears. 

While you’re at it, wash your hands. Stay home if you feel sick. Do the right things.

What other needs can we meet? Let our Southwinds leaders know of ways we can help. Serve in some way with your Life Group. I heard someone say recently that Christ-followers want to be a people who wash our hands and who wash other people’s feet!

Most of all, pray. There is so much to pray about. Pray for our medical professionals on the front lines of caring for those who get sick. Pray for our president, governor, mayor, and school district superintendent. They all have important decisions to make in the coming weeks. Pray for missionaries experiencing disruption and danger. Pray for believers all around the world. Pray that God would bring this disease to a quick end.

Pray for our services that God would make the music and the message we stream life-changing for all who watch. Pray for me that God would give me the right words to share on Sunday. Pray!

The world may only see bad news. But we know that we have the only ultimate good news in this fallen, broken world. Jesus died to take the curse this world is under and he has broken the power of sin. One day, he will defeat all evil and sin and suffering forever. We believe this. Let’s live this. Let’s share the glorious message of the good news of Jesus Christ.

We’ll be updating you again soon. As you stay connected with Southwinds online, we want to encourage you to also connect with friends from your groups and teams throughout the week. We also encourage everyone in the Southwinds family to remain faithful in generosity, so we can continue to serve Tracy, Mountain House and Lathrop. Just a little while ago, we were able to help a family with needs for groceries and gas because of the Southwinds family’s generosity. You can access southwinds.org/giving to set up online giving, or mail your tithes and offerings to the church office.

In His Sovereign Hands,

Pastor Mike

Posted by Pastor Mike Nolen with