Church Update and Encouragement

Encouragement

Dear Church Family,

Are you counting how many days since the government’s shelter-at-home order? When our activity is limited mostly at home, we no longer feel that we are free and relaxed. Suddenly we find that we lost the freedom of traveling, visiting others, gathering for worship, or being with friends. As days go by, many may experience distress. We in the world are dealing with the reality of fiery pandemic, and at the same time we wonder when it will end. Could the situation get worse or improve?

Just as we need a vaccine to prevent against the coronavirus, we also need an antidote against despair, loneliness, and fear. As Christians, we are in Christ, so we all have hope. This hope in Jesus is greater than any circumstance that our world may bring to us. This hope is for our family, our neighbors, our co-workers, and all of us are desperate for it. It is found only in our risen Savior.

In Psalm 56:1-4 (ESV), King David wrote:

“Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”

Maybe you feel like King David did in Psalm 56: attacked, oppressed, and trampled. Whether it is people or circumstances, the sensations are the same. There is fear. There is loneliness. What is David’s solution? “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

When thinking about this passage, I naturally remember a favorite hymn, “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.” The lyrics of this great hymn are fitting for our current circumstances:

O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free!

When we keep our gaze upon Jesus, when we choose to worship our risen Lord and embrace the power of his resurrection, then just like King David, we overcome our fear and loneliness. Better still, we are then equipped to be the hope people need.

We continue to pray for all essential workers’ safety in medical fields, and childcare, among others. We pray for those who caught the virus to be healed completely. Pray for those families who lost a loved one because of the pandemic. Pray that the development of vaccine is completed soon. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Pastor Jonathan

Please feel free to contact the church for any questions or prayer requests through info@bacbc.org.

Church Member Update

We want to provide all church members the opportunity to participate in our Annual Business Meeting. If you did not receive the Business Meeting Packet and Town Hall invitation sent from BACBC (info@bacbc.org) on July 31, we may not have your correct email address. Please email info@bacbc.org with your email address so that we can send you the invite for the Zoom business meeting on August 16. To vote at the Business Meeting, each person must register individually to get voting access via SurveyMonkey for the various items that need your approval. An updated email address is needed to receive the invitation and voting instructions.