What’s Westside doing during the pandemic? That is a good question! Here’s just a few things.
(1). Our shepherds put a great deal of thought and prayer on how to best respond as a congregation to the threat of COVID-19 virus. There has been, and continues to be, a tremendous concern on their part for God and His word, for complying with the laws of the land and for the safety of every member of the Westside church. Just as our leaders took prayerful and deliberate action after various “church shootings” throughout our nation in the recent past, they have taken prayerful and deliberate action during this ordeal. We should pray for Lynn and Terry and be thankful for their compassionate concern.
(2). A C-A-R-E ministry was implemented to keep in contact with every family unit at Westside. We believed it was imperative to respond to the pandemic with the love of Christ. The purpose of this ministry is to contact every family unit at Westside weekly for communication and fellowship purposes. This, of course, is done via phone call, text or email. The C-A-R-E ministry is to convey our love and concern for you, to affirm that we are here for you, to see if you have prayer requests and to evaluate needs you might have. Our elders, deacons and preachers are leading in this ministry, but it’s something YOU can do too!
2 things: (1) if you have NOT been contacted, please kindly let Lynn or Terry know. It is possible someone was mistakenly overlooked. (2) be willing to share if called upon. It is possible that, particularly some of our “senior saints,” might have needs of toiletry items and food. It makes my heart glad to know that several have already been helped in these ways.
(3). The Midland mayor’s office and the local sheriff’s department have been contacted. They have been notified that as a congregation we stand ready to help as needed.
(4). Last week, a special audio lesson was placed on our church website www.westsidechristians.org called, “We’re All In This Together.” Please listen to it if you haven’t already. Adam is preparing a lesson for this coming Sunday that I know will bless and encourage all of us. You may also go to the Polishing the Pulpit website and click the Polishing the Pulpit Study Aid for an entire “virtual service.”
(5). Special effort has been made to acquire individualized communion sets and to get those to members. Many have been delivered. Please let one of our elders or deacons know if we can help in this.
(6). An account now is on the church website to facilitate online giving. The generous spirit of the congregation has blessed many and made an eternal impact over the years, and there’s no reason to think the “present distress” we face with COVID-19 will change that. God bless you for such a spirit!
(7). I suspect the last several days have caused many of us to engage in greater prayer, more fruitful Bible study and deeper personal reflection. We have been able to slow down – “to be still and know that God is God” (Psalm 46:10). Anything that will draw us closer to God and make us more like His Son ultimately is good (Romans 8). While we all long for the time this ordeal will be over, let us not think for a moment that good cannot and is not coming from it. God IS greater! And He is worthy of our praise.
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