18.03.20
Dear HBC family,
I’m writing again today to share more news about how we plan to facilitate opportunities for worship, prayer and community online and in other ways during our temporary closure. This is a very interesting exercise in being church in a different way – an exercise many of our brothers and
sisters throughout the world have to navigate on a daily basis when they are forbidden to gather. So, we find ourselves with a tiny glimpse into their world!
sisters throughout the world have to navigate on a daily basis when they are forbidden to gather. So, we find ourselves with a tiny glimpse into their world!
Here is what we are planning in the coming weeks:
Facebook Live Prayer Times (Sundays at 10.30am and 6.30pm for 30 minutes)
Facebook will enable us to host a live gathering. You’ll see me on the video and people will be able to type comments/reponses. There will be an act of worship, prayer, scripture reading and reflection, and any community updates we have. You do not need to have a Facebook profile to join in with this – just type the following address into your internet browser and you should be able to access the video: https://www.facebook.com/hertfordbaptistchurch/
Having said that, some of you who are able might consider creating a Facebook account, even if forthe duration of the crisis. It is a good way to minimise social isolation, and will enable to you draw closer to our church community online.
YouTube Videos
We will also be preparing pre-recorded videos for YouTube which will also appear on our ‘Recent Updates’ on the front page of the church website, so please keep a look there. To get instant notifications of YouTube videos being uploaded, please visit my personal YouTube channel, click HERE. If you click ‘Subscribe’ then activate the little bell logo, you will be notified of when a new video appears!
Sunday Sermons
We will continue to provide audio of our planned Sunday preaching series, which is pre-planned upuntil the summer! Hopefully, we will be able to get others of our preaching team to record a message at home, but whatever happens, we will continue to create messages like that. It is possible we can make these sermons available on CD for anyone who cannot access the internet in any other way, but a significant increase in this method will need a bit more manpower and organisation, so please bear with us!
Wednesday Online Alpha!! (Starting 25th March, 8pm – 9pm)
Again, through a Facebook group associated with our Facebook page, there will be opportunity for us all to gather, watch a 20 minute video, and then share in conversation! Please visit our Facebook page via the link above to find the link to the group.
Other Resources
Prayer Guide – our website has a seven day prayer guide to help you pray for different aspects of the coronavirus crisis each day. You’ll find the link HERE.
Weekly Newssheet – We will seek send out a weekly resource with any updates we have, with additional resources for personal study such as a bible reading plan, prayer prompts and church news. We will send this be email, but we will also produce paper copies. The office team are currently working on a list of those who will need to receive a paper copy due to not being on the internet. Again, we will need support to help coordinate delivery of those. We’ll be in touch!
Can I just remind you, once again, that we are seeking to keep the office open during our standard office hours so long as we have staff available. We will update you if we need to close the office completely. A HUGE thanks to the team who are working hard to keep things going at this time!
Please do get in touch if there is anything at all we can do to help or support you. The building may be closed, we may not be able to gather, but we are still the body of Christ connected together and finding new ways to be family!
God bless you all – keep healthy and safe!
Blessings,
Andrew