Whatever Happens, God is Sovereign

October 21, 2020

Leadership Notes

As we inch closer to November and the holidays, we will be working through some reconfiguring of our worship space. Worship attendance continues to increase {70 on October 18}, as more people feel more comfortable returning to in-person worship. We will continue to livestream. Some in-person worshipers wear masks throughout worship. We honor and respect whatever decisions people make for their comfort and peace of mind. As always, Covenant Church will be careful, cautious, and unafraid.

I recently read about the six most controversial situations stemming from the pandemic. As I did, I quietly thanked God for the people of Covenant Church and the fact that these problems are not our problems. Some of them included:

* Mask or No Mask: By far the most common issue, but one which I think is settled for us here at Covenant Church…we respect the decisions people make for what's best for themselves and their families. It's never a bad thing to make freedom your default setting.

* Social Distance or No Social Distance: As an introvert, social distancing is rarely a bad thing. But some folks are less fond of it. Again, we're reasonable about it here at Covenant Church. If you need to make more space between yourself and others, you can.

* Change or No Change: We've seen lot of changes these past seven months. Some will be permanent. When done to the glory of God and for the building up of the Body of Christ, none of it is bad. I love how the people of Covenant Church love each other through change.

Those are but a few examples of how we're processing these challenging and exciting times.

On another front, with the election looming {gird your loins}, here are a few tips for avoiding controversy {i.e. being an opinionated jerk}:

* Listen before you speak.

* Do not endorse individual candidates from the pulpit {this one is for me}!

* Pray daily for our nation.

* Think Biblically about issues facing our nation.

* Encourage on social media rather than debating. I have found that people often don't hear how shrill or judgmental they sound on social media. It's like a character blind spot. We all have them, and social media can be an amplifier.

Remember, whatever happens this election year, God is sovereign…and our gospel work will continue. Galatians 5:22-23!

Be of Good Cheer,

Richard

P.S. A quote to follow last week's message on diversity, from Pastor Ekkie Tepsupornchai:

I have met believers all over the world who understand Scripture the same.

To associate biblical doctrine with any ethnicity or skin color is an insult to the work of the Holy Spirit everywhere.