Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The Kansas City metro area is moving toward extending the stay at home order until at least May 15th. It could be longer. Responding to this pandemic is challenging at a global and national level as more deaths occur. People around the world are suffering from illness and death. For over a week now, the coronavirus has been the number one killer in the United States, passing cancer and heart disease. Certainly, we want to keep others safe and abide by the government guidelines. We are all learning to live with a new “normal” that could be with us for a long time to come.
For myself, I am working from my home on a database of churches here in Kansas. This database will serve as a starting point for creating a “Church Ambassador Network” here in Kansas that we hope to launch in July. I will share more information at that time. As I go through the process of creating this database, I am very encouraged by the church websites and Facebook pages that I see. They are telling the story of churches making big adjustments to not meet in buildings yet to continue being the church. Meetings are taking place online and a few are meeting in their cars in parking lots while still adhering to social distancing guidelines. Through it all, benevolence and ministry toward others, both in and out of the church, is continuing and even increasing.
I am also reading of churches whose online presence is growing to amazing numbers. People are deciding to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior. What an encouragement! We certainly have the good news that our world needs in the face of unknowns. Through Jesus we can all have peace beyond our own understanding. God’s kingdom has always grown through the crises of this world. This pandemic is no different. People are coming to faith in the One who can provide eternal security even when the temporary has challenges.
For all these reasons, I simply thank you. Thank you for your leadership in how you are following Jesus in the cities and communities across Kansas. God is being glorified.
I send this email off with a prayer for your protection and for your continuing influence in your churches. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.
