Month: March 2020

UPDATE: 03/12/2020 2pm

We’ve had several questions about plans for this coming Sunday, March 15. At this time all regular Sunday programming is on, Sunday School/Small Groups at 9:30am and 11am, Worship services at 9:30am and 11am.

We have decided to make the following postponements:

  • Caregivers Conference scheduled for March 14
  • Car Show and Spring Fest scheduled for April 4
  • Spring Break Mission Trips to London, Puerto Rico and Jersey City

UPDATED: What About Missions Trips

3/12/20

In conversations with the International Mission Board and our church planting partners on the ground in London we have decided to postpone the HS Senior mission trip to London. This was a hard decision to make but we feel it is the right decision. You can read the full IMB statement here https://www.imb.org/2020/03/09/imb-recommends-volunteers-postpone-travel/.

We have also decided to postpone the 10th and 11th Grade Mission Trip to Jersey City as well as the MSM Family Mission Trip to Puerto Rico. We will be working with airlines, hotels and car rental companies in the next few days to determine what costs can be recouped or transferred to a future mission trip, so if you were one of the team members impacted by this decision please bear with us as we seek to gather that information. Once we have enough information to share we will do that with the Mission Team Leaders and participants.

At this time the Miami Family Mission Trip is still on. We feel good about this in that families are responsible for getting themselves to South Florida via personal vehicles and our participants will not be crossing state lines. We continue to monitor the situation and will make any updates as needed.

These decisions have been hard but at the end of the day necessary. In closing I wanted to share one of the messages we’ve received from field partners as we’ve relayed our postponement news to them:

Thanks for being willing to send these guys. Even though they’re not coming, it’s not been a waste. They stimulated us into thinking how we can keep on reaching our neighbourhood. We’ve accelerated some plans for questionnaires. We’d be delighted to host them again at some point in the future. – Richard Perkins, London

All is not lost. Fruit Cove will continue to mobilize people to the ends of the earth for the sake of the gospel. But for now, our mission efforts in Jersey City, Puerto Rico and London will be concentrated on praying for those churches and their leaders. Would you join me this week in praying for:

  • Harvest City Bible Church in Jersey City, Pastor Ed Ramos
  • Iglesia Bautista La Gracia in Yauco Puerto Rico, Pastor Junior Martinez
  • Bridge Church Peckham London, Pastor Richard Perkins
  • Chiswick Baptist Church London, Pastor Steve Messersmith

 

Jonathan Wilson
Pastor to Families and Missions
Fruit Cove Baptist Church

 

 

A word from Pastor Tim regarding the Coronavirus

Fruit Cove family, we are aware of and up to date with the precautions and measures we should take to be a clean, healthy, and safe campus in light of the Coronavirus. We care deeply about our guests and our church family. We have an opportunity to show our neighbors and the world what it means to live our lives trusting God and not in fear. To our knowledge no member or attender of Fruit Cove has been diagnosed with the Coronavirus, and our prayers are with the 14 Florida residents that have. Our plan is to gather every Sunday and Wednesday (per our schedule), unless there are extraordinary circumstances. Here are a couple of simple notes about the Coronavirus in regard to what we are doing and what we are asking of you:

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
  • Stay home if you are sick. Watch Fruit Cove online at fruitcove.com or Facebook!
  • If you have been exposed to anyone with the coronavirus, the flu, or any other contagious condition please stay home for 14 days (per the CDC).
  • If you have recently traveled to China, Iran, Italy, or South Korea please stay home to watch your symptoms 14 days (per the CDC).
WHAT ARE WE DOING?
  • We are instituting the “fist bump” as the official greeting on campus. No more “right hand of fellowship” handshakes until this situation clears. For reference and a lesson in proper technique see the Sunday morning message from March 8 at fruitcove.com/sermons.
  • Our Facilities Team will continue to make sure our campus is clean and ready for use. This includes a plan for regular sanitization.
  • Beginning this Sunday we will be sanitizing highly touched surfaces before and after every service such as doors, handles, tables, water fountains, check-in stations, and sinks. This includes a heavy focus on our preschool and kids ministry areas.
  • Offering time will be moved to the very end of the worship service where congregants will be able to give their tithes and offerings as they exit.
  • Our staff and volunteer teams will wash their hands frequently and will stay home if they are sick.
  • We will be providing additional hand sanitizer stations around campus for everyone to use. These will be located in ministry area welcome centers and The Pavilion.
WHAT IS OUR SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITY?
  • We need to remember that followers of Jesus do not need to live in fear. He has power over all things, and we are eternally secure.
  • Our calling is to love our neighbor, whether they are sick or healthy.
  • Pray for God’s mercy and wisdom for US and global leaders as they deal with the crisis.
WHAT ABOUT MISSION TRIPS?

 In conversations with the International Mission Board and our church planting partners on the ground in London we have decided to postpone the HS Senior mission trip to London. This was a hard decision to make but we feel it is the right decision. You can read the full IMB statement here https://www.imb.org/2020/03/09/imb-recommends-volunteers-postpone-travel/.

At this time we are evaluating that status of planned trips to Jersey City, Miami and Puerto Rico over Spring Break. We will continue to maintain contact with our partners on the ground and unless our partners think it is not safe for us to come, the state of Florida recommends no travel, or the US State Department issues a travel warning we will proceed with all trips as planned. Participants of these trips do have the option of cancelling by contacting the Missions Office at 904-287-0996.

A SIMPLE TO-DO LIST TO PREPARE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS

  1. Don’t panic. Wash your hands. 20 seconds at least. A lot.
  2. Don’t watch/listen to the media. You might want to really limit your intake of Fox News and your favorite ABC or CNN news shows. You are keeping your mind and body on high alert because this stuff doesn’t stop 24/7. Use the time instead to pray for people around you. The time you would spend chewing your nails in front of the TV might better be used in a family Bible study!
  3. Adults…parents…your kids are watching you. If you panic, they’ll panic.  Answer questions they have if you can. Help them learn to access the Bible so they can calm themselves when everybody else is running around like Chicken Little. The truth really will set you… and them… free!
  4. Deal with your fears and anxiety head on. Don’t walk blindly into the devil’s den. He is the author of fear and a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour…and he’s already been snacking on some of you. Don’t give fear a foothold in your life. Ever. The enemy will exploit it every time.
  5. There is nothing contradictory to your faith or testimony in simple, wise preparation as that is needed. Just as you would do during a hurricane season, prepare for the possibility that the early stages of the virus may lead to short supplies and shutdowns. But don’t panic purchase. Think through what your household needs for an emergency. (Proverbs 27:12)
  6. Bear witness well to your faith. Be distinctive in your response to this. You have a God Who is real… a God Who is Sovereign… a God Who is watching over you. Sleep well tonight knowing that He’s got this!
  7. Trust the Lord with all your heart… and you’ll overcome the enemy’s assault… every time.
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