COVID-19 UPDATE
Now’s the time to stay on mission…
Encourage
Handwrite letters of encouragement to medical personnel in your community
give
Continue to give at Northland. Your generosity fuels all that we do, including being able to serve the specific needs of our community in times of uncertainty.
SAFER AT HOME UPDATE,
It was amazing to see just how great Northland Online went this week. We saw more people engage with our online service last week than Easter last year! During this unique time, I believe we will pull together and continue to be the church. We are so grateful for you and all that you bring to our church home.
We now have a “Safer At Home Order” issued by our local authorities and which includes all “non-essential” people. This is unprecedented and in order to respect our leaders and follow their direction, will include all of us. This means we will not have on-site church until at least May.
What does this mean for Northland?
- We will continue being the church, focusing on God, His Word and people; connecting with our church family, providing online worship experiences, encouraging with specific content for people as they navigate this challenge, and meeting needs in our church family and community. The mission stays the same! (Matthew 28:19-20)
- We will be discontinuing office hours and working from home if at all possible during the dates of this order. We will be checking voicemail messages regularly responding when we can.
- Northland Devotions will continue to be available. To subscribe, go to northland.cc/devotions and subscribe. You will receive an email daily, Monday through Friday.
- We will have church online weekly during this time. You can join us by going to northland.cc/live or like us at Facebook at Northland Christian Church. Live streaming will happen Sunday mornings at 9:30 and 11:00 each week.
How can you help right now?
- Consider moving from in-person giving to online giving. Our current percent of online giving is 43% of our total giving. Our goal is 80%. In order to continue to fuel the mission of the church as we attend to the needs of our church and our greater community, we are asking that you make the shift towards online giving. Online giving is available at northland.cc/giving to set up either a one-time tithe or an ongoing tithe. If you have questions about this, please contact lynnette@northland.cc or call the church office at 785-286-1204 x 101 and leave a message, she will set up a time for you to connect with someone to walk you through the process.
- If you would like to volunteer to help others with needs or make contact with those in our church family, please contact Kathy at kathy@northland.cc or Lynnette at lynnette@northland.cc, to be added to a list of volunteers.
- Partnering with Logan Elementary as they give out meals through the summer lunch program. Christine Saunders, the Logan Principal just messaged us to say, “You and your congregation are amazing! We are so thankful for you!”
- Partnering with Diner 24, as they give kids affected by the school closings a hot meal.
- Opening our building for TNO to help families picking up meals.
- Deploying a plan for staff and volunteers to reach out to shut-ins and those who are more affected, and hoping to be able to call most everyone in our church in the following weeks.
Thank you for helping us make these things possible!
Whether we are meeting in-person or online, we are still called to be the Church. While I’m saddened that we are walking through such a difficult time, I am encouraged that this is when the Church shines its brightest.
I was reminded of the verse in James 1:2 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, since you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
May we be the light together.
Dave Rizer
Monday, March 30, 2020, 9:05 AM.
NORTHLAND FAMILY,
What a week! So much can happen in a week! COVID-19 has reorganized, rescheduled, and ransacked so much in all of our lives. Yet, as we shared Sunday, what you believe determines how you respond. That means we respond with faith, with sacrifice, and with prayer. Let’s all celebrate that TWO people responded in baptism this weekend!
With the ongoing recommendations from the CDC and civic leaders, Northland’s leadership team has chosen to make a difficult decision to meet in an alternative way on the weekends. We don’t want to be fearful, but we do want to be responsible.
We have chosen not to have in-person services or weekly programming at Northland the next two weeks, including the next two Sundays, March 22 and March 29. This includes Sunday School classes, Northland Student and Children’s ministries, Awana, re|engage, Rooted, on-campus small groups, and so on.
We held out as long as we could on canceling our on-campus, in-person gatherings – and we will pursue reestablishing them as soon as we can. We invite you to join with your small group, family, and friends to worship, learn, serve, and grow together during this time.
We will provide Sunday worship services online and invite you to join us Sunday at 9:30 and 11:00 AM on our Facebook page.
We will continue to evaluate and communicate as decisions are made. Serving opportunities and ongoing updates will be available at northland.cc/updates and our Facebook page.
See you (ONLINE) Sunday!
Dave
P.S. Let’s continue to spend time praying for our leaders, first-responders, medical personnel, researchers, and all affected during this time.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”- 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Monday, March 16, 2020, 5:29 PM.
SERVICES LIVESTREAM
This Sunday, March 15th, we will be having all three of our services at Northland at 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00am. We also understand, that some of you may not be able to make it in-person due to your own health and the concern that you may have. To accommodate for that we’ll be Livestreaming our entire 9:30 service Live on Facebook. Be sure to like us on Facebook and join us with your whole family live from your livingroom.
Saturday, March 14, 2020, 10:55 PM.
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CANCELLATION
In order to honor the recommendations of our community leaders by heeding their guidance to avoid having any large group gatherings over 250 people at a time in one location, we have chosen not to have Adult Sunday School classes at Northland for at least the next 2 weekends, starting March 15. By not having adult classes this will prevent our campus from exceeding the recommended number of people on campus at one-time. Children’s programing will continue as scheduled on March 15.
This decision was not made lightly or out of fear, but faith that is prudent, practical, and filled with love-in-action. We believe we should, in honor and respect, follow the guidelines of Romans chapter 13, and heed the guidance from our state leaders and medical professionals to limit large gatherings. We want to show love and leadership by utilizing wisdom and helping do our best during this trying time.
For any that are comfortable, we encourage smaller groups of people to gather together in homes and workplaces to pray, read the scriptures, and coordinate opportunities to Go and Be the church by caring and showing compassion for neighbors and co-workers.
We will continue to send updates and communications details as they become available. Continue to follow us at northland.cc/updates and on Facebook.
Thanks for helping us be the church and the hands and feet of Jesus to North Topeka and beyond.
Northland Leadership Team
Saturday, March 14, 2020, 5:28 PM.
NORTHLAND FAMILY,
Let us be reminded that Jesus is firmly on the throne! We live by faith and not fear. The fear of this virus has spread far beyond the reach of it. So let’s breathe a bit, pray, and then respond.
Our leadership is carefully and continuously monitoring the situation. We want to be wise and lead and walk in faith and trust, not fear. Currently, we have decided to have all three services and regular programming at Northland Christian Church. This might be just the opportunity for someone to hear a message of hope, love, and peace that comes from knowing Jesus. We would love for you to join us and bring a friend! Have you taken that breath? Prayed yet? Now let’s talk about our response.
WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A CHURCH
We consistently strive to provide a safe and clean environment for all our guests each week with the following strategies:
CLEANING AND SANITATION
- We will continue to supply hand sanitizer throughout our building at doors and at check-in stations, pending supplies.
- All surfaces typically used during services on the weekend will be cleaned in between each service (e.g. door handles, railings, counters, etc.)
- Volunteers will be encouraged to use a different greeting rather than shaking hands.
- We will continue to utilize appropriate cleaning as well as wiping down surfaces with disinfectant, and our early childhood department will be disinfecting toys after each service.
COMMUNION AND OFFERING
- To attempt to prevent the spread of germs when passing items from hand to hand, we are adjusting our strategies for the weekends.
- We will be taking communion during each of our three services at stations set up on the perimeter of our Worship Center utilizing a 2-cup method of communion. Each cup will have a juice cup sitting on top of another cup with the wafer inside of it. (Gluten-free wafers will still be available as before.) For those with any concerns, communion is optional and can be taken at home.
- The offering will be taken at the doors on your way out of service. You may also take this time to consider giving online at northland.cc/giving.
WHAT YOU CAN BE DOING
PRAYER – HOW YOU CAN BE PRAYING
- In our last sermon series, Joshua reminds us to have courage in all circumstances. As people of faith, we know that we only ever move forward with prayer. To that end, let’s pray together for our community and world as we deal with this virus and also remember where our hope is placed.
- Please be in prayer for our leaders; locally, nationally, and internationally. Pray for medical personnel and leaders as well. We have the calling and blessing to know that we “Do not have to be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
- May God use our fears to draw us to Himself and respond with courage. One way to do that is to pray that God would open doors for the Gospel to go forth in power and love. (Ephesians 6:18-20)
TAKE PRECAUTIONS
We invite you to join in helping us keep everyone healthy and caution you to practice the standard, flu-season safety precautions we are already familiar with:
- Washing your hands often and thoroughly using hot water and soap for at least 20 seconds (this continues to be the most helpful, effective, and important measure everyone can take). This is particularly important after touching your face and surfaces.
- Limiting your physical contact with others.
- Greeting with a wave and a smile as often as you can.
STAY UPDATED
Should the COVID-19 virus continue to spread and hit the Topeka area we will respond accordingly and will consider how to continue to best play a role in our community for good in a time of need. You will be able to see future communications on our website at northland.cc/updates. We will continue to post on our Facebook page.
For general coronavirus information, the best source of information is the CDC’s website.