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COVID-19 Update

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wvBc Communication

April 4, 2020

Dear wvBc Family,

We have received multiple questions regarding tomorrow's video presentation. Specifically, Community Group leaders are wondering whether this is an on-line formal service that would replace their Community Group gathering. The answer is no, not necessarily. 

What we're going to post on our wvBc YouTube channel is a twenty minute message from two of our Elders and their wives about what this coming week means for Believers and how to use the Easter Guide to get the most out of the week. The guide is a personal and family daily devotional that will walk us from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday with Scripture and activities for each day.

For those not in a Community Group we thought it would be good to start the video with our worship team leading through two songs and then after the twenty minute message there are two more songs you could join in worship of our Risen Savior.

If you're planning on meeting as a Community Group (video conferencing and/or audio) please do so. You could certainly use the video to worship together and then discuss the video message and its personal application. Or do what you were planning and then watch the video individually at another time.

Sure hope that helps clarify things!

Because HE LIVES,

wvBc Elders

April 3, 2020

Dear wvBc Family,

We are continuing to learn how to live in the COVID-19 era, which, for now, includes a lot more time at home than most of us are used to. Given that reality we can’t encourage you enough to stay in contact with other believers. Please don’t wait for somebody to call you. Take a deep breath and initiate a call to them! They’re probably sitting around debating whether or not to call you anyway, so you might as well call them first…right? Oh, and by the way, spend some extra time getting to know your wife, husband, kids, etc. “Make the most of the time...” (Ephesians 5:16) In front of a screen doesn’t count.

We are excited to encourage you and your family (if applicable) to join a church-wide, eight day preparation for Resurrection Sunday! We will be posting a devotional resource that walks us through the last week of Christ’s life from “Palm Sunday” (April 5th) to the Resurrection celebration (April 12th). Please go to our website (https://www.wvbconline.org/easter-guide),download the Resurrection guide, and walk the ancient path to Calvary and then to the victory of the empty tomb! We've also posted the next Children's Challenge (https://www.wvbconline.org/at-home-projects).

If all goes well we are planning a video message for Palm Sunday from some of our Elders. Before and after that message we’ll be worshiping our great God in song being led by our worship team. As we approach Resurrection Sunday (Easter) we’ll send out links to special worship music and songs that will enhance the celebration of the greatest event in all of human history. In addition, I’ll be sharing a message of HOPE and God’s very typical MO (mode of operation) of bringing LIFE from death! Victory from defeat! Celebration from sorrow!

Even though circumstances can seem dark right now, looking through the eyes of our Savior we can experience real joy and not get weary or lose heart:

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1–3

Because HE LIVES,

wvBc Elders

March 30, 2020

Most of you have probably heard that Arizona is now under what has been called by other states a "Shelter in Place" order. The Arizona version is called "Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected" Executive Order and was signed by Governor Ducey earlier today. This is not surprising for most of us since the schools were formally closed for the rest of the school year earlier today.

All of this adds to the critical necessity of staying connected. Please join us tonight at 7:00PM for our 1st wvBc wide webinar which allows a much larger group of us to 'gather' together and discuss your concerns, ideas, perspectives through an interactive medium. The elders will begin with brief updates on certain topics and then we'll open the floor to anyone with questions or concerns.  I've cut and pasted the email sent out last night for more details...

See you in a few hours,
Skip

March 29, 2020

Dear wvBc Family

Sure pray you had a great Sunday! We are very pleased to share with you that we’re going to have our very first wvBc webinar. We’ll open the webinar tomorrow evening (Monday March 30th) at 6:30PM. We won’t start until 7:00PM which will give us a few minutes to help others get on board.

Access is relatively simple:
(1) download the free Zoom app to your phone, tablet, or computer,
(2) click the following link (https://zoom.us/j/530895825),
(3) join the webinar.

The purpose of the webinar is facilitate participation in a live interactive forum in which you will be able to ask questions (should you have any) and hear the latest updates relative to West Valley Bible and the COVID-19 virus.

The following is the basic agenda:

1)    Prayer and overview of where we are to date – Dave Magelssen

2)    What we’re NOT going to do – Greg Huber

3)    Options for those not connected to a Community Group – Larry Pierce

4)    What will change when the COVID-19 crisis is over – Mickey McGee

5)    Open Q & A – attendees and all Elders

If you are not able to attend the webinar and have questions you can email your questions to office@wvbconline.org before 6:00PM and we’ll answer them during the webinar. You can then listen to the webinar when you're able as we’ll be recording it and posting it on our website.

Lord willing, we’ll see you tomorrow night!

His Kingdom Come,

wvBc Elders

March 28, 2020

Dear wvBc Family,

Please know, we are praying for God’s encouragement, His comfort, His challenge, His courage, His grace, His very presence for you and yours!

First some brief wvBc family updates:

  • The word from Tim McColley is still very good. He’s feeling much better and none of his kids have any symptoms to date. Other than Tim we haven’t heard of anyone else within West Valley testing positive for the virus. Some others from wvBc have been tested but results are not back yet. Please keep praying!

We would like to update you on a few things as we move forward in this new world. Yesterday the entire Elder team and wives recorded a video conference announcement that is now posted on our website (www.wvbconline.org/coronavirus). When you go to that page right under “Useful Information” towards the top there is a green link called “Elder Announcement”. Click on that link and you will be taken right to the video announcement. It only took us four attempts before we were ok with posting it…you can ask Dave Magelssen why .  It’s a 34 minute overview of some important topics that will help us to stay informed and connected.

As much as we tried to cover all there was to cover in that video we later learned that there are still many good questions that need to be answered. In a separate video conference meeting with all the Community Group leaders we realized we needed to expand our communication medium allowing for a more interactive experience with all of us together.

Today we have acquired the ability to do live webinars with up to five hundred people at one time. We are putting things together right now and are planning on our first live webinar for this Monday, March 30th at 7:00pm. After a few trial runs tomorrow we will be sending out links and instructions to our entire church family. Please try to set aside Monday evening for our very first live church wide communication since we met last on Sunday March 15th.

To make sure we’re on the same page, we will NOT be corporately worshipping together tomorrow. We do hope and pray you consistently connect electronically with other believers through Community Groups, neighborhood groups, family, friends, etc.

Please remember, the day of the week we gather is NOT what’s important. What's important is that we worship God with a sincere heart all day, every day with our very lives. Consider what Paul said,

“Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day—things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” Colossians 2:16–17

“But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.” Galatians 4:9–11

The New Testament clearly supports that for true believers every day should be a “Sabbath Day.” In other words, we live everyday with the daily ambition of making that day a day of worship! “Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)  That does not take away the priority of setting aside a day of rest to focus on the worship of God. What we’re saying is that the day you do that does not have to be a Sunday. The day is ‘form’ the ‘function’ is worship which could and should happen any day, every day!

Consider the following passage and the implications on our lives today:

“And it happened that He was passing through the grain fields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:23–28

So whether you electronically gather tomorrow or sometime in the middle of the week, gather to worship our amazing God!

Please watch the video mentioned above (www.wvbconline.org/coronavirus then click on “Elder Announcement”) and Lord willing we’ll see you on Monday night at our first live webinar.

Because He Lives,

wvBc Elders

March 24, 2020

Dear wvBc Family,

Below is a picture of Tim McColley and his family (with permission). As we reported yesterday, Tim tested positive for the COVID-19 virus on Sunday. We spoke with him earlier this morning and he is doing much better and feels like he's on the downhill side of this. At this point he believes he's got everything he needs but will let us know if that changes. He shared his biggest frustration in all of this is being served as he’d much rather serve others. We'll continue to check in with him and update you! 

His children still have not demonstrated any symptoms of the virus, thank You gracious Lord!! When we asked about them Tim wrote, "They are all doing well. No symptoms." Please continue to pray fervently for all of them!

Again, thank you very much for your concern and prayers for this beautiful family! Please continue to practice loving God and loving people...but at a minimum of 6 feet!

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you,
that you also love one another.
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34–35

Keep Clinging to Jesus!

wvBc Elders

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URGENT COMMUNICATION:

March 23, 2020

Dear wvBc Family,

Just a few hours ago we were informed by one of our members that he has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Immediately after receiving that information the Elders held an emergency video conference meeting and unanimously agreed that effective immediately we are formally suspending any and all in person West Valley Bible Church activities regardless of size.

Last night Tim McColley was informed by Mayo Clinic that he had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Please consider if you have been directly exposed to Tim McColley and/or any of his children (Josiah, 14; Abrianna, 13; Kylie, 11; Aden, 9; Seamus, 3) in the last fourteen days and take the necessary steps to limit exposure to anyone else. Tim and his older four children last attended church on Sunday March 15th which was the last time we met together corporately as a church. For those with children in the 3-4 year old class and 4th-5th grade class during 1st service, please know that Tim’s children were involved in those classes. As of the writing of this email, the McColley children that attended Sunday March 15th have no symptoms of having the virus.

For those who attended the March 15th service, we are asking you to please just assume you have been exposed and take every precaution not to expose anyone else! We have included links below for good information regarding self-quarantine and related topics regarding this virus. We are very grateful for the others-oriented heart (Philippians 2:3-4) Tim is displaying, wanting any and all that might have been exposed to know as soon as possible. We are in constant contact with Tim and currently all his needs are being taken care of. If anything arises that you could participate in caring for them we will let you know.

If any of you need help regarding circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 virus please let us know and we will do everything we can to assist you! We are a family of faith and we will stand together with you. Please continue to rest in the promises of God through His Word!

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.”

Isaiah 26:3–4

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6–7

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/10Things.pdf

https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/58863/Home-Isolation-Guidelines?bidId=

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/do-you-have-coronavirus-who-to-call-how-to-get-tested-in-arizona

https://www.wvbconline.org/coronavirus

“In God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock,”

wvBc Elders

 

March 22, 2020

Good Morning wvBc Family!

This morning while I was spending time with the Lord I happened to be in Lamentations and the following passage jumped out to me because of the context in which Jeremiah was writing it:

“This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.”
Lamentations 3:21–25

If you’ve ever read the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations you know the context is absolute terror and horror as they have been watching their families and friends dying of starvation and worse as some are eating their babies to stay alive in the famine brought on by war.  They’ve been under attack for years and now they’re being  slaughtered in front of their eyes as he writes while they are being brutally conquered by the Babylonian army. Now read the passage above again…the words ring completely different don’t they?

We have so much to be grateful for. We have been blessed beyond anything we could imagine! I can’t fathom going through what Jeremiah and the people of Israel went through and yet he praises God “The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fails. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

As you worship this morning or whenever you do, please keep in mind the nature and character of our sovereign, merciful, gracious, just, righteous, holy King! This is exactly why we started the Concert of Prayer with praise and worship. No matter our circumstances He deserves our praise; life could always be worse. Please whether by yourself, with your family, or electronically with whoever, please come and worship the King. Here’s the directions to get there:

Go to our website (www.wvbconline.org) and click on the front page smaller banner called “Current Series” which is just to the right of the scrolling banner on the front page. You will be taken to the wvBc YouTube page where you click on the “Concert of Prayer” which is the first one listed. Once it’s starts you don’t have to do a thing. It was filmed from start to finish allowing the viewer to simply participate in the worship of God and prayer to our great God & King. It’s as if in person with the worship team! We have no greater need right now than to PRAY! 

Please join us!

Because His loving kindness is new every morning!

wvBc Elders

March 21, 2020

Dear wvBc Family,

 It seems weird and almost unnatural that tomorrow will be the first time in 15 years that we have not gathered together in some form or fashion. Perhaps it’s because we can’t even gather together in Community Groups (except electronically) since the vast majority of our groups are well over ten and then throw kids in and most group are large. We are praying that you are “making the most of the time because” left to themselves “the days are evil.” In the power of God’s Holy Spirit we are either controlling the time or the time is going south real fast.

 With that very thought in mind, if you find yourself home bound with little ones our Children’s Ministry leadership (Maria Gabbart & company) has put together a project for you and your kids. It will not only engage your children with the gospel but can also help expand your influence on your neighbors, family, friends with the gospel. Please go to our website (www.wvbconline.org) on the front page, upper right click on “Connect” and then choose “wvBc Kids.” We will continue to add more resources.

 We hope you are planning on joining us for the Concert of Prayer that we’ve mentioned previously. It will not be ready to view until late tonight or very early tomorrow morning.  Once it’s uploaded you can go to our website and click on the front page smaller banner called “Current Series” just to the right of the scrolling banner. You will be taken to the wvBc YouTube page where you click on the Concert of Prayer. Once it’s starts you don’t have to do a thing. It was filmed from start to finish allowing the viewer to simply participate in worship of and prayer to our great God & King as if in person with the worship team! We have no greater need right now than to PRAY!  Please join us!

 I asked one of our Community Group leaders to let me share something he sent to the group he leads. He agreed on the condition that I send it anonymously. I couldn’t have said this any better as it relates to how we are to respond to the COVID-19 crisis:

 “Sorry, didn’t want to type all this with my thumbs, does that mean I am old, probably. Hopefully all of you received an email from the Elders this morning with the plans for this Sunday. There are some things I feel we need to still remember. The Church is not limited to the singular moment in which we gather, we are so much more, we still have roles to play as the body of Christ.

 -First, don’t forget what we have been learning in CG, the Gospel is not just for salvation, it is needed all day for all people. Colossians 1:6 (constantly bearing Fruit) and the Gospel is nothing less than the POWER of GOD Romans 1:16. So regardless of the circumstances, we are still CALLED to GO. So let’s keep that mentality, yes the how we do that (using more technology, teaching our kids, etc.) is different than it was even 7 days ago, but the call has not changed. Jesus has not changed.

 -Second, we have several Biblical mandates we need to still do.

  • James 1:27 Take care of widows and orphans
  • Too many passages to even list about taking care of homeless but I love the heart behind Luke 14 as well as the very direct Proverbs 21:13
  • ‘Least of these’, yes this could have included the 2 above but I was really thinking about the elderly (which is 1 big reason why we are not gathering in groups for now). Let’s make sure we are finding ways to help those that can’t help themselves. Matthew 25
  • MAKE DISCIPLES Matthew 28 This does not change because of circumstances
  • Train your children Deut 11 literally says to train them while you are sitting in your house, which may be all we are allowed to do if quarantine stuff gets worse, so we have no excuse.

 So many other things still to do, but you get the point, consider others as more important than yourself. So what are some practical things to do.

  • Pray, beg God to tell your specific family what different things, what more can we do.
  • Increase your giving to the Church. Yes I said INCREASE, you will notice the elders didn’t say anything about that, I love the integrity our elders have, no one can ever accuse them of being about money. They trust God completely, but I am speaking to you as one of you, in times like this we tend to save and hunker, that’s not what Jesus taught, the widow literally gave ALL she had.  Obviously this is a Spirit led thing, please don’t hear me telling you what to give. This is what God just convicted me on, I can tend to “squirrel money away” (nothing wrong with it) I also need to give freely (fyi you can give online at the church website).

 Did you know that most cities closed parks, which includes public restrooms, where are the homeless supposed to go (literally). The church, using the liberty center, currently has homeless there 24-7!! That means increased utility bills, food, people’s time, clothes, etc. etc. Church is gonna need help feeding them, paying the bills, monitors and probably more than I can think of. If you want to specifically help with food, time or even learn if there are other things, please text Cliff at 602-391-3899 (if you do let us know what needs there are and congratulate him as the just adopted another teenage boy!). Financially, our Church will take care of the least of these, so that’s why I encouraged giving more, because more needs will arrive, Bible talks about giving and trusting the Elders (Acts 4:35). I also contacted our Elders to ask about specific needs regarding our elderly.

 Please know this all comes from just what God has been convicting me personally, so lucky for you, you get to hear it :-).  A friend reminded me today, please be in God’s Word, get to know God more, pray more, Read Luke 10:27, Love God, Love our neighbors. 

 Some additional good things to read/watch:

 Article from Desiring God, about what we can do with our life: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-greatest-thing-you-can-do-with-your-life

 Great video reminder from Francis Chan, GOD IS BETTER, run (active) towards Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0XXUgNnWtc

 My wife sent this a few days ago, if you haven’t watched please do, Elders actually just sent it out as well https://radical.net/sermon/peace-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic-part-1/

 Alright, I’m done, sorry for the rant, let’s be active.”

 Very well said! Please keep clinging to our great God through His Word, Jesus!

 Grace & Peace,

wvBc Elders

 

March 20, 2020

Dear wvBc Family,

Please forgive me for not getting this out last night. I literally fell asleep on my desk and couldn’t think straight when I woke up well after 11:00pm.

As a global community we are taking steps towards learning how to function in a ‘new normal.’ As a faith community we must also do the same. We mentioned in our last email, the mandate to gather is very clear in Scripture. However, “how” and “how often” to gather is not detailed in Scripture. Some have made a case of gathering weekly based on the New Testament use of the phrase “the Lord’s day” (Rev. 1:10) and “the first day of the week” which is the day Jesus rose from the grave (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19). This phrase is also used by Luke in Acts 20:7 and Paul in 1 Cor. 16:2.

However, it can also be argued that these passages are descriptive in nature and not prescriptive; describing what they did, not prescribing how we’re to live. As an elder team we see these passages as descriptive and not prescribing how we’re to live. God wants us to gather and all the “one another’s” of  Scripture would support that along with the mandate of passages like Hebrews 10:24-25. But He doesn’t specify how often.

The elder team has been talking, texting, emailing, video conferencing, and strategizing about the “how” and “how often.” Knowing that God hears the prayers of His people (1 John 5:14-15) we are begging Him for His wisdom, guidance, and direction. What we do know for certain is that God is still on His throne and in complete control. Psalms 103:19, says, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.”  Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” Proverbs 20:24 says “Man’s steps are ordained by the Lord, how then can man understand his way?” And of course Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”