As you likely know by now, Governor Abbott issued a statewide mask mandate that has gone into effect today, July 3rd. Many of you have been asking the pressing question: How will the new order affect our church?
Greetings Renewal Church, As Governor Abbott eases restrictions and churches across Bell County begin meeting again, we are faced with the question: When will we begin gathering again on Sundays? This question would have been unthinkable three months ago! And yet, here we are, grappling with a perplexing issue. As we navigate theses uncharted waters, we have the principles of God’s Word, wisdom from His Spirit, and unity in the gospel that will lead us to a Jesus-exalting decision. We Need to be Wise Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:15-17). We must exercise wisdom and caution as we seek God’s will on this matter. We have people in our faith family and community at large that are immune-compromised or have underlying health concerns. COVID-19 is a reality. It would be foolish to begin gathering again while ignoring the realities facing us. We Need to be Together Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:23-25). Our God is faithful; we are called to hold fast to our hope in God together. By God’s design, we cannot fulfill His purpose for us alone. We need each other. The church as a gathered worshipping community is God’s idea. Yes, we need to be wise in how we do it, but we need to gather together. Our Plan for Gathering Again Having carefully and prayerfully considered our options, here is the path forward: Home Groups. All Home Groups will begin gathering this week for their weekly meetings. Online Worship Gatherings. We will host Online Worship Gatherings on Sunday, May 31 and Sunday, June 7 . Home Groups will additionally gather on these two Sundays at 10:00 am to worship together. Gathering Together for the First Time since the COVID-19 Quarantine Began Belton ISD officials have graciously agreed to allow us to gather at North Belton Middle School as soon as students are safely allowed back in the building. In the interim, we will begin gathering weekly again on Sunday, June 14 at 10:00 am in the Hilton Garden Inn in Temple. We will follow all of Governor Abbott’s guidelines for social distancing and safety. We will have the nursery available for children two-years-old and younger. We will not require anyone to wear a mask, but you are welcome to do so if you want to. We aim to live-stream the service for those that cannot attend. However, if we are unable to stream the service live, we will post the Sunday Worship Gathering online later in the week. I look forward to worshipping our God together again soon! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call or email us. Blessings, Pastor Matthew
Moving forward with wisdom and caution is one way that we can express love for our neighbor. The key is to extend grace to one another in the midst of this hard season.
Most Beloved Faith Family, This coming Sunday, April 19, we celebrate Renewal Church’s One Year Anniversary! But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23 Over the last year, our God has once again proven Himself to be faithful. By His grace, we have been true to our vision of bringing renewal to Bell County and the world. By His empowering, we have seen people made new in Jesus, grow in Jesus, and be released into the world for Jesus. By His unifying Spirit, we have become a faith family. We have shared sorrows and successes together. We have laughed and cried together. We have broken bread and experienced God’s presence together. We have displayed the glory of God together by experiencing His renewal and seeking to spread it to those around us. Even in this quarantine season, God continues to sustain our church and keep our hearts bound together. As Renewal turns one this week, let us celebrate all that God has already done and resolve to continue looking to Jesus with confidence that our best days are still ahead of us! God still has far more to accomplish in us and through us! Join us this Sunday for a special One-Year Anniversary Online Worship Gathering at 10:00 am. Blessings, Pastor Matthew
I encourage you to stay connected with one another during this challenging season.
As we begin the third week of social distancing, school closures, and our church facing unprecedented circumstances, I don’t have any logistical updates. Bell County continues to have us “sheltering-in-place” and BISD has not released any new information.
The last week has been surreal. Normal life no longer seems normal. It’s crazy! Life as we knew it just seven days ago feels like a bygone era.
National, state, and local public health officials are calling for people to stop gathering in large public settings and be mindful of social distancing as we seek to stop the spread of the virus. This means that Renewal Church will not gather on Sunday
The Launch Team took delivery of the new equipment and trailers on the weekend of February 2nd & 3rd. Portable Church Industries trained the team on how to unload, set-up, operate, and re-pack the trailers with the new equipment each weekend.
