Please take the time to read this letter from Pastor Nate about where The Town Church stands on reopening.
Please take a few moments to fill out our Online Worship Service Survey to help us continue to serve you as a church.
One of the things we’ve missed the most during this time is being able to gather together as a church family–and to sing together. We’ve included YouTube videos in each Digital Liturgy to encourage you to sing during our online gathering and have taken the opportunity to introduce some new (to us) songs. If you’d like to listen to those songs throughout the week, we’ve created a playlist on Spotify for you.
Singing our praise and our laments to God is one of the great gifts we’ve been given as the church of Jesus. Let’s continue to sing–physically apart but unified in heart and mind–to Jesus.
Crossway Publishers has made the book The Final Days of Jesus available for free. We encourage to read through this each day through Holy Week.
For those of you who want to learn even more about the final days of Jesus, check out this free course from The Gospel Coalition.
Each day during Holy Week we will be sharing prayers, Scripture readings, videos and meditations on our Holy Week blog. We will also be streaming live from our Facebook page each day during Holy Week. Please join us as we remember and reflect on the final days of Jesus leading to his crucifixion and resurrection.
Town Church family,
Like you, my family and I are learning how to navigate the disruption of our lives due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak. To help you during this time, I’m excited to share that our church now has access to an extensive, new video library called RightNow Media! It’s like the "Netflix of Video Bible Studies" and has a HUGE library of faith-based videos that you can access whenever and wherever you want—on your phone, iPad, computer, or at home on your TV.
As a church, we’re always looking for ways to help you develop and strengthen your faith. We believe that RightNow Media will be a tool to serve you as you live out your faith at home, at work and in your neighborhood. RightNow Media has videos for everyone—kids, youth, parents, married couples, college students, single adults, working professionals—all aimed at helping you grow.
You should have already received an official invitation email to give you FREE access to RightNow Media. If you haven't received it yet, check your mail filter (because it came from RightNow's system, it may have gotten caught there).
Once you find the email, simply click the link, sign up for an account, and you’re all set to explore more than 20,000 videos. We pray that RightNow Media will be a blessing for you and your family!
In the hope of Christ,
Pastor Nate Downey
You can watch the sermon from our first online gathering over on our YouTube channel.
Our weekly gatherings will be available each week at http://www.thetownchurch.com/liturgy
You can access previous online gatherings here.
Are you scared or anxious in this season? We want to open up time for you to pray or process whatever is on your heart. Even if you are not religious, we invite you to share and process with us how this virus is impacting our lives.
If you'd like to schedule a Zoom (video) call with Pastor Nate, you can sign up below.
One of the ways that you can grow in your faith during this trying time is to immerse yourself in God's Word. The Town Church has been gifted 60 free days of using the Dwell app which will help you love and enjoy the Bible.
Please visit our Digital Liturgy page for more information about how we will be gathering together (via the internet) on Sunday mornings at 10:30 AM
Dear Town Church family,
Following the recommendations of our local, state, and federal government and health agencies, we will be suspending all gatherings of our church family until further notice. While we grieve these restrictions and the reasons they are in place, this is a very practical way for us to love our neighbors, as Jesus commanded us. We will be having an online gathering that will go live Sunday morning at 10:30 AM. Further information on how to access that gathering will be given here on Saturday, 3/21/20. Until then, I encourage you to continue praying for one another, for our community, for our leaders, and especially for the health care professionals who are serving on the front lines during this very difficult time.
If you haven’t already, please “like” our Facebook page, where I’ve been going on live each day to give updates and an encouragement from the Scriptures.
In the hope of Christ,
Pastor Nate
Dear Town Church family,
I would like to give you an update in light of all the discussion surrounding the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). First, I want to declare that we believe that our God will carry us through this trial as he has done in every other season and situation since the creation of the world. He is always faithful. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1) This is crucial to remember as the next few weeks unfold. As those who follow Jesus, we have been given the privilege of choosing and living in peace rather than panic.
As we witness the current events regarding this outbreak, we as a church want to lead with an abundance of caution rather than reacting in an abundance of fear. We believe in and worship a God who is mighty and sovereign over all things including viruses, disease and death. Cultivating a Godward perspective is what will ground our hope and inform our response. This is not the first crisis of its kind, nor will it be the last, until Christ returns and restores all things.
In seeking to be wise and discerning as circumstances change daily, here is our current plan:
PRAY
Times like this draw our attention to the fragility of life (James 4:14). It reminds us of our weakness and need for a Savior (2 Corinthians 12:9). Therefore, with these truths reigning in our hearts, we pray to the Father in heaven for ourselves, each other and the world. Pray for our leaders, wisdom, healing, treatment/cure/vaccine, safety, provisions and the final cry of our hearts is, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
GATHERINGS
After monitoring the latest news and updates from local authorities and the CDC, our leadership team has decided that we will be gathering together on Sunday, March 15. In addition to sanitizing commonly touched surfaces, we will not be sharing in communion together or making coffee available. Our children's ministry will also be taking extra precautions.
As we continue to monitor the progress of the COVID-19 virus, we will keep the Town Church family updated on our plans moving forward. If the situation surrounding the virus continues to escalate, we will evaluate future gatherings and be looking for new opportunities to serve our church and community.
VIRTUAL GATHERING
If we do decide to cancel Sunday gatherings in the future, we will institute some kind of virtual gathering on Sunday mornings. Check our Facebook www.facebook.com/thetownchurch and our website for ongoing updates.
CAUTION
Public health experts say people who are at higher risk of illness including (1) those over 60, (2) anyone who has underlying health conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, chronic liver disease, blood disorders, or (3) those with weakened immune systems should remain at home as much as possible. For more information, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html#who-is-higher-risk
For those who are recommended to stay home, there is an opportunity for others in the church to care for them by running errands, shopping, etc. If you are willing to help out with this or if you are someone who needs help, please email us at info@thetownchurch.com
ILLNESS
If you or a family member has a runny nose, cough, fever, or other respiratory difficulties, we ask you to stay home and do not attend any church-related activities such as Sunday gatherings or Gospel Community events until you are fever and symptom free for at least 24 hours.
If you have any questions, or if you are diagnosed with the virus, please email us at info@thetownchurch.com. Our desire is to love, care and pray for our church body and we will make every effort to extend care and help you should you become ill.
As we move forward, our chief goal is to love God and love our neighbor. This conviction will inform our decisions and direct our path as a church.
While these are troubling days, I truly believe that they are an opportunity for us to powerfully declare and display the good news of Jesus to those around us. So keep loving one another. Keep asking for opportunities to love and serve our neighbors. Keep your eyes on Jesus. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14)
In the hope of Christ,
Pastor Nate Downey
The Town Church