Brothers and sisters in Christ,

I hope you were able to get online and worship together with us yesterday. I was so blessed to hear that there were old friends worshiping with us from out of state, even as far away as the East Coast! Welcome back, friends! (BTW, it's recommended that you use Google Chrome as your web browser to view the live stream)

Although it's only been four days, we miss seeing you, worshiping with you and having fellowship in Christ with you. Please know that we care and are praying for you, and we look forward to the day when these restrictions will be lifted. Meanwhile, please make the most of the time at home...getting projects done, reading those books that have been piling up, and, most importantly, spending quality and spiritually-enriching time with family.

The latest recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is for all group gatherings larger than 50 people to be canceled for eight weeks. We will be discussing what this means for us as a church, and will let you know shortly. As of now, we are still closed for all group meetings and worship services on campus for the rest of March (through 3/31).

You may have many questions and concerns: your children's education at home and who will watch them; your jobs and businesses and whether there will be layoffs; your savings--watching the stock market crash over the past two weeks has been unnerving. And then there is also your health: how can you avoid infection? What can be done medically if someone does get sick? And finally, there's this big one: When will Costco get more toilet paper and disinfecting wipes?!

We will be praying for these things and more. Please let Dian know how we can pray for one another in our prayer meetings. Speaking of prayer meetings, may be wondering about prayer meetings or Sunday Schools online. Here's what we are making available for the next two weeks (at least):

Prayer Meetings
When: We will live-stream our prayer meetings on Wednesday at 10:00 am and 7:30 pm (usual times). Plan for about one hour each.

How to join: You can watch the live stream the same way as you did yesterday, through a link on the front page of our website: fcbcfv.org. 

Language: For those who speak Chinese-only (Mandarin or Cantonese), we recommend that you join us in the morning meeting, as interpretation will be provided. For those who can understand English, feel free to join either meeting.

Open Sharing: Because it is a live-stream (not a teleconference) there is no way for us to see you or for you to see each other. It will essentially be a live broadcast with us four pastors leading all of you in prayer and thanksgiving. However, we still want to hear from you, so we will provide you with our email and phone numbers so you can send in your thanksgivings, updates or special requests, and we'll announce them over the live-stream.

Bulletin: To receive a copy of the bulletin, please email your request to Auntie Dian at the office. No need to write anything; just indicate "Please send prayer bulletin" in the subject line.



Sunday Schools and Small Groups/Fellowship Meetings:
Your teachers, leaders or sponsors will contact you with options to get together either:

1. Online via teleconferencing options like Hangouts or Zoom.
2. Or, they may provide you with pre-recorded videos..
3. Or, they may suggest small group gatherings outside somewhere.

Children's Sunday School and Worship:
Lifeway, the publishing organization of the Southern Baptist Churches, is making their DigitalPass membership for Lifeway Kids at Home curriculum free for the next two months (for grades 1-6). Every week on Thursday at midnight, they will make a new lesson available.

We checked it out and it looks like a great resource. There are interesting videos and handouts to print, along with lesson plans for parents. There's also an app (both iOS and Android) for your phone or tablet that contains Bible stories, puzzles and games. We downloaded the app a few years ago and Shane loved it.

Here's how to sign up and access the lessons.

Step 1: Go to digitalpass.lifeway.com (and bookmark this as this will be your main portal).
Step 2: Click on "Redeem your digital pass"
Step 3: Login, or if this is your first time, setup an account.
Step 4: Enter redemption code: VZMD4SSQ38
Step 5: Click "Access" (if prompted to sign in again, sign in) and then click "My Dashboard," and go to "LifeWay Kids at Home."

After setting up an account and redeeming the code, you will NOT need to redeem it again. In future weeks, just return to the portal webpage and sign in. 
 

AWANA
We don't want the kids to miss out on opportunities to continue working through their handbooks, memorizing their Bible verses and earning their awards.

So, when your children are ready to recite, they can call or Facetime with their leaders to recite their verses and get their sections virtually signed off! We will find a way to get awards to them (either in person or by mail!). And, of course, we as leaders want to stay in touch to encourage and pray with them too!

Though we are a temporarily scattered church, may each of you find comfort and peace in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at this time. And, again, thanks to modern technology, may your times of fellowship online be as genuine and encouraging as they would be face-to-face.

In the name of the One who is always and everywhere, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Pastor Godfrey

Hebrews 10:24–25  ...and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Psalm 56:3–4  When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?