Greetings to each of you in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. By the grace of God, we have made it into the month of May, and we now have been physically apart for almost eight weeks. In the meantime, please adhere to the following:
- Continue to be safe. The “shelter in place” has been extended through the month of May with some exceptions. Today, Governor Newsom said that we will enter into Phase 2 of reopening our state on tomorrow which he says is contingent upon health, data and science. Social distancing and wearing a mask in public are still required; consequently, the more we stay apart, the sooner we can be back together.
- Visit our website at least weekly. You will find updated and needed information about Online Podcast Messages, Sunday School, Prayer Meetings, Bible Study, The Lord’s Supper and other relevant information.
- Pray mightily. Please continue to pray at least 3 times daily (1st prayer between 12-6 am) because the prayers of the righteous availeth much!
- Assist others. Please make sure other St. John members are receiving information and messages from the pastor. Unfortunately, I do not have the email address of everyone, and many are incapable of communicating electronically, so please help the parishioners that I am not able to reach.
- Happy Mother’s Day. I begin now by wishing all mothers a happy Mother’s Day. To each of you who have a mother who is still alive, don’t forget to demonstrate to your mother some special love on Sunday. To others whose mother has passed, reflect on good moments you had together with your mother.
- I need to hear from you. If you and I have not communicated since we have been sheltered in place, please email me or write me briefly letting me know how you are doing. (I am very concerned about you.)
- Thank you. So many of you have faithfully and generously supported St. John financially, so to each of you, I take this moment to express a big “thank you” for financially supporting St. John despite all the financial challenges people are experiencing. Also, I cannot say “thank you” enough for all of the birthday gifts I received from many of you.
- Faithfully and generously support St. John financially with your tithes and offerings. Our church is still in business, but our income is about 60% of usual. Remember, our two-fold emphasis is Commitment and Unity which pertains to our giving also; hence, I encourage each of us (especially those of us who are financially able) to give faithfully and generously. You can mail your Tithes and Offerings to our St. John South Campus (662 South 52nd Street—Richmond, CA 94804), or you can give online by going through our website (www.sjmbc.org). Although I do not recommend this next option, if you prefer, you can also set aside weekly your Tithes and Offerings and give the total amount (individual checks, one check or cash) the Sunday we resume corporate worship.
In conclusion, “Trust In The Lord,” “Encourage Yourself In The Lord,” and “Think Yourself Happy.” Oh, don’t forget that when you are “Covered By The Blood,” acknowledging that “He Is Risen,” “God Will Take Care Of You.”
May God Bless And Sustain Each Of Us.
Your Servant In Christ,
Dr. Kevin B. Hall, Pastor