If you are reading this, your life has been turned around, upside-down, and sideways by a virus that we didn’t see coming. Some of us are handling this better than I am… but most of us are still trying to get our feet underneath us as new information comes out every day that feels like it can rock our world at every turn.
As you interact with your own journey through the COVID-19 crisis, I would love Grafted to be a people that can walk along with you. We can gather our turned around, upside-down, and sideways lives and find ways to make it through together.
One of the keys to finding the light at the end of the tunnel is to know two basic truths: God is good and God is in control. These two truths can create a tension when we look out our windows and the world doesn’t look either good nor in control. Living in this tension can be difficult, but if we do it together, it makes it just a bit easier.
In order to be socially responsible, loving to the physically vulnerable among us, caring for those who are caring for the sick among us, and love our neighbors, Grafted is going to not meet physically on Sundays until a time when we can do so safely for everyone. We are going to rely on the suggestions of the CDC, the Minnesota Government, and the United State Government to know when that time comes. Until we can meet together physical and worship God together face to face, we will be gathering online on Sundays on Facebook to worship God through song, to look at His word, and to hear a meditation from one of our Elders. If you would like to have access to the privately streamed service: contact Pastor Dave and he will do his best to figure out how to get you connected!
Our Small Groups are still going to be the bread and butter of our church! We may not be able to meet in person, share a meal, or hug each other in excitement or sorrow, we can still check in on each other, we can pray for each other, we can study the Bible together, and we can remind each other of the love God has shown to us through His Son. Some of our Small Groups meet using Facebook, others with Zoom, but all of them are trying to care for everyone in the group. If you would like to get connected to a group, Pastor Dave, is once again the person to go to in this time. He will get you in contact with one of the small groups so that you can have someone to walk with you during this time.
In all of this, we are trying to do our best to distance from each other physically. But this is a wonderful time to connect with each other, to pray for each other, to connect with God, and to connect with ourselves. If you would like to talk more, Pastor Dave is one resource, but there are so many other Grafites with whom you can connect. Don’t be afraid to reach out!
Thank you for continuing to be the church while the church building may be shut down. We might not know exactly how to do everything… but we are working on getting better and better at being the Family of God even as the times change!