To our Five Forks Family –  Friday, March 20th Update
 
“The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”  (Matthew 7:25)
 
As we, the staff, have been able to interact with many of you over these past few days, we are encouraged to hear your stories of trusting God and experiencing the peace of Christ in your heart.  Our prayer during this storm is that our “house”, that is, our lives will remain grounded on the Rock, Jesus Christ.  And the peace that He brings will be evident in our lives and will allow us to share the hope we have with those who find themselves anxious and perhaps even fearful during these days of uncertainty.   
 
THE WEEKEND
 
As the weekend approaches, it will likely look different for many of us.  Would it be fair to say that our culture appears to be activity driven, sometimes to the detriment of relationship building?  Perhaps this weekend, with many activities being postponed or canceled, we would take advantage of this opportunity to slow down and take time to enjoy the relationships we have with those closest to us. 

• Setting aside time for family walks. 

• Taking on a family project that has been long put off  – cleaning a room, garage, or basement  –  while working at a pace that doesn’t introduce stress.

• Taking advantage of your “RightNow Media” subscription.  Are you aware that everyone in our church family has free access to a huge online library of over 10,000 videos?  These include kid’s shows, movies, documentaries, Bible Studies and much, much more.  Earlier today, we sent an email invitation…simply click on the link in that email and set up your account and begin watching right away…as a family! If you did not receive the invitation by email, please contact the Church Office (julie@ffbic.org or call 717-762-2991). 

Having said all of this, we are aware that not everyone has a family to walk with, work with, watch with.  As much as we lament some of the downsides of social media – face to screen interaction as opposed to face-to-face interaction – in the short term social media can help many of us, including those of us who live alone, to remain connected in a way that was not possible a generation ago.  When all of this passes, and it will pass, we will look forward to coming together as before.  But for now, many in our church family will take advantage of what social media affords.
 
Additionally, as a staff, we are intent on identifying those in our church family who may live alone, may not be familiar with social media, and may not have the support of extended family that many of us do.  In other words, we will be putting effort into reaching out and maintaining contact with those most at risk for feelings of isolation.   We want everyone in our church family to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, all you need to do is call the church office and one of the pastors will be glad to talk with you.  Perhaps we can then connect you with others in our church family who want to make sure that no one in our congregation is left to feel alone. 
 
SUNDAY
 
Finally, in the midst of so much change, the one constant for this weekend will be the fact that we will come together as a congregation this Sunday morning.  While it’s true we will not gather together in one location, we will worship together and hear the message that the Lord has given to Pastor Ray to give to us.  Here is the link you can go to on Sunday morning in order to access the live stream that will take place from 9:30 till 10:30:   https://ffbic.org/service-live-stream/
 
In order for us to become familiar with the songs prior to Sunday morning, we’ve included some of the lyrics for you to read and reflect on…
 
REJOICE
 
Come and stand before your Maker, full of wonder, full of fear.
Come behold His power and glory, yet with confidence draw near.
For the One who holds the heavens and commands the stars above,
Is the God who bends to bless us with an unrelenting love.
 
Rejoice, when you cry to Him, He hears.
Your voice, He will wipe away your tears.
Rejoice, in the midst of suffering He will help you sing.
 
BIGGER THAN
 
You are bigger than all my fears
God of love, God my love
You are bigger than all my dreams
God my hope, God my peace
Whatever will come my way,
Through each day I will say:
God, I trust You…I trust You.
 
LORD, I NEED YOU
 
Lord, I come, I confess, bowing here I find my rest
Without You, I fall apart, You’re the One who guides my heart.
Lord, I need You, Oh, I need You.  Every hour I need You.
My one defense, my righteousness, Oh God, how I need You.
 
THE MESSAGE:   “IMPROVING OUR GOD CONNECTION”
 
How have God’s people connected with Him in the past, and what can we learn from them?
 
Miriam- Thanksgiving and Praise
Deborah – Attention to Detail
Hannah – Perseverance in Prayer
Esther – Recognizing Our Need of Other’s Prayers
Hagar – In despair and desperation
 
Though scattered throughout the area, we look forward to worshipping with you this coming Sunday morning!
 
-Bill, Ray, Shaun, Chris, Brady