As another Sunday comes and we are not able to meet collectively, it is very difficult. I love you all and miss seeing you. There is coming a day when we will be back together. Until then, I want to remind you just because we are not meeting doesn’t mean the church is closed. We are wide open and are looking for even more ways to be the church. Here are a few of those ways we can be the church:

Be faithful in worship:

• Gather your family around and participate in the services

• You are able to watch them:

  • Sunday morning at 10:00: Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/fbcshannon)

  • Monday morning:

    • Website

    • YouTube (Click Here)

Be faithful in connecting with others even while social distancing:

• Call and check on one another

• Write a letter

• Live out what the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18.

Be faithful in giving:

• Ministry continues

• Don’t forget Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

• Giving can be done by:

  • Our website

  • Text “fbcshannon” to 73256

  • Mail (P.O. Box 21, Shannon, MS 38868)

  • Dropping it off by the church

Our staff is in continual communication in looking for ways in this season to try and stay connected.  Below you will find a few things we are working on.

1. If you could say an encouraging word to your church family, what would it be? We are asking you and/or your family to answer that question through a 5-8 second video; then email or text your video to John or Jacob.

2. On Good Friday, April 10, we are going to have 24 hours of prayer and fasting. We will be asking people to sign up for an hour on that day to spend in prayer. You will be hearing more about this in the days to come.

3. We are working on compiling a list of free resources for you and your family. LifeWay and other ministries have made many resources available for churches and families.

4. If you would be interested in helping with a garden, please let me know. The idea of it is to help provide people in our church and community with fresh vegetables.

5. Don’t forget you can watch our services and other Bible studies here on our website or live our Faceboook page (www.facebook.com/fbcshannon).

We have said that we would be making decisions for our gatherings – small groups and corporate worship – in a week-to-week manner. That is still our plan. However, it does appear that our gatherings will be canceled at least through March 25.

• What makes it difficult to not join together, as the church, to worship? The Bible teaches us that it is in our DNA.

  • We were created for relationships (Genesis 1:18).

  • The genesis of the church was found meeting together in fellowship (Acts 5:32-35).

  • We are called not to forsake meeting together (Hebrews 10:24-25).

• What we are doing until we can gather together?

  • We will livestream on Sunday, March 22, starting at 10:00 on Facebook. These videos will be available on our website by Monday morning.

  • We will post Bible studies and other material during the week on our website and Facebook page.

  • Ministries of the church are continuing.

    • We helped this week feed the students of Shannon schools.

    • There are a number of people calling and checking on each other.

    • We have volunteers to go get food, medicine and other items for those who do not need to get out.

• What can you do in the time you have?

  • Make the most of the time given to you.

    • We may never have this much time with our family again.

    • See this time as a way of God causing us to “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

  • Make gathering online for Livestreams a priority, just as you do for corporate gatherings. Take time to pray, as a family, before viewing.

  •  Don’t forget the ministry of the church continues.

    • Find ways to continue being the church by loving your neighbors.

    • We ask you to continue to support the ministries of the church through your tithes and offerings.

    • This can be done through mail, dropping by the church, or through our website.

It is often difficult to filter through the noise in order to hear and know the truth. When it comes to COVID-19, it is hard to distinguish between what is in the best interest of public health and what is public hysteria. There are plenty of opinions and perspectives on both sides.

I have spoken with a number of our senior adults, deacons, and others today. I have also heard from those in the medical field. The following decision comes from those conversations and much prayer on what to do.

Sunday Services, March 15

• We will NOT have any services or activities.

• We will have notes and a video of the Sunday School lesson posted on the church’s website and on the church’s Facebook page by tomorrow

• We live stream a service on our Facebook page at 10:00.

Mid-Week Services

• A decision on Noonday and Wednesday night activities will be forth coming.

In The Mean Time

• Pray

  • Pray for the recovery of those who have been affected.

  • Pray for the virus to stop spreading. Though the U.S. has not yet been hit by the coronavirus as hard as other countries, the potential for it to impact our country is great. That’s why prevention is key.

  • Pray for your church leadership as we continue to make hard decisions related to our services and COVID-19.

• Love Your Neighbor

  • Check on those who are at risk. See if they need anything that they are unable to get out and get on their own

  • Check on those who are in self-quarantine. This is not their ideal situation, and they also may have needs that they can’t attend to.

As you well know, we are in a very fluid situation when it comes to COVID-19, the coronavirus.  We want to give you a place to keep up-to-date on how we, as a church, are responding to this virus. Also, we want to give you information how we ought to respond, on what we know, and what you can expect when it comes to church. For additional information, visit the Centers for Disease Control website.

• Live by faith and not fear

  • God is much bigger than COVID-19 or any other virus or disease.

  • This did not catch God off guard.

  • Take time to read Psalm 91, and pray it over your family.

• Be sensitive

  • It is easy to dismiss the seriousness of this virus and take it lightly.

  • Though we are not currently experiencing this virus in our area (and pray we will not), there are those areas that have been hit hard by this virus. Some areas have even experienced multiple deaths.

  • Remember that those who are older and those who have weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable.

• Pray

  • The most proactive thing we can do is pray.

  • We will have a time of prayer this Sunday concerning COVID-19.

  • Pray for those who have been affected and our leaders who are working to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

• Known cases:

  • At this time, there three identified cases in Mississippi.

  • There are also confirmed cases in Tennessee and Arkansas.

• Symptoms of COVID-19:

  • Fever

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath

• People traveling:

  • There are those in our church who travel on a weekly and those who have traveled during spring break.

  • Any of these people could have unknowingly been exposed to COVID-19 and be unknowingly contagious.

• Those who are most at risk:

  • Are 60-years-old or older.

  • Have compromised immune systems.

  • Have underlying conditions, especially respiratory illnesses.

• Precautions for everyone:

  • Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds each time, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) if you are unable to wash your hands.

  • Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

  • Limit touching others through hugs and handshakes.

  • Stay home if you are feeling sick.

• At church:

  • As of Friday, March 13, we will still have services Sunday.

  • Limit personal contact with others (hugs, handshakes, etc.)

  • If more cases begin to be confirmed in our state and especially our area, we will enact further measures in order to protect our faith family and communities. This will include canceling meetings, if necessary.

  • Communication will be through email, our website, and Facebook.

• If you are symptomatic or vulnerable:

  • We encourage you to prioritize your health.

  • Please stay home, if you have any kind of sickness or even feel sick.

  • Our services are available live on Facebook at 10:00 each Sunday.

• Tithes and Offering

  • Despite any viruses, the operational expenses of the church continue.

  • If you are unable to attend but still want to still give your tithes and offerings, you can do one of the following:

    • Mail your tithes and offerings to the church office.

    • Give online by clicking here.