Welcome to the Pastor’s Post, an update for life at Southern Cross.
Today is a special Easter Pastors’ Post, to keep the church family informed about life at Southern Cross over the Easter weekend.
As you would have heard restrictions have come into effect for the Tweed, Byron, Ballina and Lismore Shire areas from 5pm yesterday March the 31st. These restrictions were understandable and expected following the COVID cases in Byron Bay last weekend.
Before these restrictions were released, I spoke to the Presbyterian Church in QLD on Tuesday to see what recommendations they would be sending to their churches over the Easter period. I was pondering if we could find ourselves in an unusual context where restrictions that have usually come out of Sydney due to COVID clusters in that area would have an effect on how we express our life together. And so we did wonder whether we would even receive guidance from Sydney on how to responsibly meet over the Easter weekend.
Thus we are thankful for the announcement that was released by the NSW government on March 31. Indoor venues will need to enact the 4m2 rule in our shire. Our numbers will be capped at the allocated density of the hall at LHS. As a contingency, we will have Park Ave hall available for adults to watch a pre-recorded message both of the Good Friday Bible Talk and Easter Sunday Bible Talk. The children’s program however will be run onsite at the LHS MPU. Any parents and carers attending the overflow gathering at Park Ave will be in a position to return to LHS at the end of the gathering. They may be interested in using the vehicle access and car park on Dalley St to collect children from the program being conducted in the Multi-Purpose-Unit.
Therefore at our Good Friday gathering tomorrow, we will enact the 4sqm social distancing rule, we will be recording the number of people present to ensure we meet that restriction.
For those without an exemption, we will provide masks for those joining us Good Friday and on Easter Sunday, or you may wear one from home that matches the specifications outlined by health authorities.
There will be no congregational singing.
We will not be providing any morning tea or supper and if you have people to your residence, a reminder that the number is capped at 30 persons, with a list of those who attended your home.
The other standard COVID safe measures will be in place; the service NSW QR code for sign in and hand sanitizers and cleaning.
Finally please pray for the Easter weekend across these four local government areas that we will deal wisely and prudently and sensibly with these restrictions.
Please pray for Tim and I as we bring the Acts series to a close over the Easter weekend that we would share the same obvious passion that Paul had to declare the great hope of the Easter message.
On Easter Sunday we will look at the final verses of chapter 28 of Acts but also take a brief look at Paul and unpack the great hope of Easter from 1 Corinthians 15.
For he knew that if the resurrection of Jesus didn’t happen then it is no April fool’s joke because our preaching over Easter would be useless & we are of all people most to be pitied.
Have a listen from 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Thanks for tuning into the Pastors Post.
Stew Playsted
Leave a Reply