From the Pastor…
The month of April was wonderful in many ways! We have experienced baptisms and growth, a return of Senior Adult outings, awesome Wednesday night fellowship and Bible Study, great Sunday School lessons, spirit-filled worship services, an uplifting Easter celebration, and the return of our chapel services for Preschool and Kindergarten. The only thing we’ve been missing is the participation of some of our previously loyal members and attendees. And yes, we have truly missed you!
I know that there are still cases of flu and Covid – and some folks are still recovering from serious long-term effects of these and other illnesses. It is clear that we will most likely be living with these threats, and others, for the rest of our lives. I am committed to continue monitoring local conditions and maintaining our safety precautions here at RBC. We still provide masks for anyone who chooses to wear them. Sanitizer stations continue to be provided. Our air purifier continues to be run for at least 24 hours prior to our worship services. These precautions do not guarantee that people will not get sick, but I am convinced that Roberdel Baptist Church is the safest place that I can be… and I NEED to be here!
The fact is that we all need to be here. It is true that going to church does not save us or help us earn any special status as Christians, but Scripture reminds us that we were not intended to live the Christian life in isolation. Consider the words of the New Testament author in Hebrews 10:23-25: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. This is a serious reminder to you and me today that we NEED one another. The only way we can grow into the church God has called us to be is for us to do it together – as we assemble. That does not imply that we should disregard healthy practices, but it reminds us of the importance of gathering. Be assured that we will continue to monitor community health and we will take necessary precautions to keep everyone safe. However, please understand that we at RBC are concerned most of all for everyone’s spiritual welfare, and we are not going to cavalierly pursue anything that will endanger the health and safety of any of God’s precious children.
If you haven’t been back to church in awhile, I believe that you will be pleasantly surprised by the renewed spirit of those who have returned, and excited to meet many new brothers and sisters in Christ – those who have joined our family of faith or who are getting to know us in view of joining us as we serve Christ together. You will also be blessed to get to know them and to become involved in one of our awesome Sunday School Bible studies or ministries like feeding our neighbors at the Richmond County Soup Kitchen and volunteering in our Preschool. I wish that I could convey to you the love we are experiencing and the good things that are taking place at RBC, but you need to experience them for yourself.
Finally, thank you all who remembered us with kind words, gifts, and cards this month on the 5th anniversary of our coming to Roberdel. It has been a challenging couple of years for everyone in ministry, but I can say that some of the finest folks in the world are right here in this fellowship. Thank you for your love and encouragement! Let’s see what God wants to do in May and the months ahead!
In Christian Love,
Pastor Billy
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