Unexpected Blessings

As Pastor Adam Kuehner of Southfield RPC said, “Rather astonishingly, the Lord’s countenance has shined more radiantly upon us during this crisis than at any point in recent memory.” Another pastor said, “I would say that family worship has also been more appreciated, as people’s time and schedules have changed. We shouldn’t need a pandemic to prioritize family worship, but I think people have been more diligent lately. We have also found some of our neighbors more open to conversations in general and also to spiritual issues in particular.” The following are other examples of blessings from different congregations:

San Diego RPC. Prayer meeting has actually seen an increase in participation! I’ve been impressed and happy with the confidence and trust our people have in God’s providence and care at this time.

Elkins Park RPC. Friends at a distance have been invited into our WebEx meetings and have expressed appreciation.

Immanuel RPC. We’re seeing God bring a deeper spiritual unity to our congregation. Many have taken up the call to creative encouragement. We’ve had several visitors come to hear the gospel at each of our drive-in services.

Sterling RPC. We have connected with a wide variety of people in our community and across the country through putting so much more content online. We recently had a woman from Uganda join our live-streamed service, and she told us that her husband is a pastor of a Reformed Presbyterian church there. I’ve heard encouraging reports of members looking out for each other during this time, whether that’s picking up needed items from the store or sending cards and notes of encouragement. We’ve also appreciated connecting with people across our own denomination through the denominational prayer times. I know that the presbytery and denominational days of prayer and fasting were the first time that some in our congregation had ever fasted, so we’ve had some good discussions about the nature and purpose of fasting. The content that other churches around the denomination are putting online has been an encouragement to many in our congregation as well.

Sharon RPC. We have been blessed by a member wanting to seize this opportunity to advertise our service to the local community. Just yesterday our regional newspaper came to interview us about the congregation and their city pastor in the middle of corn and soy fields. There are people we have sought to make connections with in our local community, and focusing on online ministry has allowed us to see them log on and participate in the life of the church. There is an opportunity now to preach the gospel. Many are open to having conversations about topics the Bible clearly speaks about. There is a great opportunity now for the church to grow in our love for one another and in our love for our community.

Second RPC. We have learned to grieve together—from a distance. We have grieved the loss of bridal showers, regular wedding and funeral traditions, anticipated graduation ceremonies, church fellowship events, birthday parties, and, most of all, gathering for corporate worship. The Lord has led us in the sorrows, and He has given us a greater hunger for Him and to be in close fellowship with our brothers and sisters in the Lord. The Lord has worked new gratitude in us as well. The elders and deacons are perhaps more engaged with all of the members of the congregation than they would be regularly, and the body has rallied together in care for one another beautifully. The prayer life of the congregation has grown strong through the crisis, and emerging leaders have stepped up to serve others well. Finally, we have been blessed by new contact with people beyond our congregation who watch the livestream of worship; some are near and some are far away. One local Christian man said he joins in because he is working to learn the Psalms and is able to do that by following the services here.

Covenant Fellowship RPC (Pete Smith). Congregants are checking in on one another. Pastoral care is being offered by the members for one another. Personally I have enjoyed having my youngest daughter home from college as she finishes her final semester online. I didn’t expect to have these precious days with her. I am valuing living close to one another in community—three member households live next to each other. That fellowship from back deck to back deck has been very valuable to me.

Southfield RPC. In answer to our prayers, the Lord moved Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) to grant an exemption for religious worship in each of her executive orders, and (following a lawsuit from a local OPC evangelist) to defend our constitutional right to proclaim the gospel outside local abortion mills. (A number of pre-born lives have been saved recently, including twins!) During our morning call to worship on Sunday, Mar. 30, the Detroit Channel 4 News stopped by to interview Elder Jon Hughes regarding our plans for “Holy Week.” While his response was highly edited, they portrayed us in a positive light. God has graciously protected all three of our courageous, life-saving medical caregivers, including two respiratory therapists working for the largest health care system in the state. On Apr. 12, we administered “household baptism” to a newly converted Mormon couple and their children who only started attending with us on Mar. 8! In a remarkably brief window of time (April 11–23), we celebrated the safe, healthy births of three covenant children!

Westminster RPC. Friends and family members who aren’t members of Reformed churches have joined us in participating in the streamed worship services. Some former members who moved out of state recently have participated via Zoom in prayer meetings, fellowship, and the adult Christian education classes. We’re also having congregational prayer meetings more often during this time. The deacons have done a great job of keeping track of the needs of everyone in the congregation and organizing help for those who need it. Several families have mentioned that they’re really valuing the extra time they have with their families. Long term, I think we all realize more than ever how sweet it is to gather together with other believers, physically, on the Lord’s Day and during the week.

Cloughmills RPC (Joel Lough­ridge). We see God working in quiet ways: people under the Word who wouldn’t otherwise have been, people participating in prayer and Bible study who wouldn’t normally. Our last two midweek services involved watching a message from the 2019 UK Banner of Truth Ministers’ Conference. The periods of discussion afterwards were wonderful. Last Lord’s Day evening, while I was on holiday, we were corporately joining the livestream of another congregation. We’ve sought to encourage local churches to join us for our Wednesday afternoon prayer meeting. We’ve had a moderate uptick on this, and it’s been encouraging to pray with other brothers and sisters during this crisis. Our presbytery meets on Zoom every Monday at 1:30 to pray together. We’ve also taken the opportunity to advertise our live services through a targeted advertisement on Facebook. £25 reached 4,500 people in the vicinity. (The village population is 2,000.) Lots of people are seeing wonderful opportunities. Others might not be seeing them. But they are still there. And in a small community, people are always watching. And watching over the long haul.

Ottawa RPC. Following repeated encouragement to do so, and through the provision of the Daily Encouragement material, several individuals are expressing how their communion with God is increasing, which is a joy to hear. We are praying that when the congregation comes back together, there will be an increased sense of expectation of what God is going to do in our growing congregation.

Missions. This crisis has given some mission workers time to rest, such as those at Cush Christian School in South Sudan, who are getting projects done they don’t normally have time for, and spending more time with the rest of the team. It has given time for others working abroad who have struggled with health issues to continue to heal and be encouraged by the love and care of their families. Also many wars and conflicts have been temporarily halted.

Survey Responses

• Cloughmills, Northern Ireland

• Covenant Fellowship (Wilkinsburg, Pa.)

• Elkins Park, Pa.

• Immanuel (West Lafayette, Ind.)

• Ottawa, Ont.

• Russell, Ont.

• San Diego, Calif.

• Second (Indianapolis, Ind.)

• Sharon (Morning Sun, Iowa)

• Southfield, Mich.

• Sterling, Kan.

• Westminster, Colo.