Hard Times. Faithful Father.

Hey there!

Blessings and peace again this day!

700 years before the coming of Christ, the old prophet Isaiah, prophet and preacher at God’s temple in Jerusalem for decades wrote the words of God prolifically on a variety of subjects.   Isaiah is perhaps best known for several of our most important prophecies about Jesus -- His coming, His Kingdom and even His suffering on the cross -- but Isaiah’s primary message for the people of his day was the inevitability of the very hard times ahead.  But it wasn’t all hard, for interspersed in his warnings and admonitions are many profound words describing God’s tender love and promises of protection for His people.

When our friend Ty texted these words to me early this morning, I was drawn again to the depth of Father’s love and mercy toward his children; especially when they are in distress.  These words are timeless, touching generations of God’s people since they were written.  Let them seep down in your bones as you read; rooting deep, bolstering your trust:
          Isaiah 43:1-3 1 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed
         you;  have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they
          shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the
          Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Never forget: Father loves you more than you know!

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What are the plans for Resurrection Weekend (aka: Easter)?!
Our present circumstances may affect the details, but the celebration will go on!

Good Friday, Friday, April 10 - Coming from the FCC auditorium, the First Christian Church Facebook LiveStream begins at 7:00pm.  We’ll be doing it by candlelight and take about a half-hour to remember and reflect on Jesus’ willing sacrifice on the cross.  At the end, Doug will be leading us in communion.  If you choose to, perhaps light candles at home and prepare communion (bread and juice) for yourself prior to the start.

24 Hour Prayer Relay, April 10-11 - Who would have suspected this time last year how, when we changed to format of our annual Resurrection Prayer from building-based to house-to-house, it would be so perfectly suited for this year!?  The plan is simple: We’re joining together in a ‘relay’ of sorts, each of us praying from home to create a non-stop 24 hour time of prayer, ½ hour at a time!  From 9:00pm on Friday, April 10, to 9:00pm, Saturday the 11th, we’re asking everyone at FCC, young and old, if they will commit to pray through at least one ½ hour during that time period.  (Don’t let the amount of time intimidate you, we’re helping by providing a step-by-step guide. We think you’ll be surprised at how quickly the time will pass!)  So, start by picking a time (or times) that best suits you. While we’ll take whenever you are available, look at the middle of the night and the middle of the day on Saturday, as these will be the hardest to cover!  We’re keeping the master list in the church office, so please send us an e-mail, text us or give us a call leave a message and we’ll put you down!

Resurrection Morning, April 12 - Not all of our plans have jelled yet, but we’ll be enjoying an extended bit of music starting at 9:40am followed by the message at 10:00am, all on the Facebook page.  We’ll publish the particulars  early next week as well as a reproducible e-mail that you can forward to friends and family, wherever they may be, who may want to join us that morning.  We will be taking communion again at the conclusion, as we will continue to do each Sunday, so you can prepare for yourself (and those in your house) before we begin.

So grateful to be a part of this family!
Dean & the Staff