Coming Together: A pastoral note on our worship services
From October, we will be merging our worship services and gathering as one assembly for corporate worship on Sundays at 9am. The final Saturday service will be held on September 24.
The elders are grateful for the many who have sacrificially served in the Saturday services. Your labour has enabled more of God’s people to gather during the pandemic. For some, the merging of the services may mean bearing some inconvenience as we adjust our routines again. May God grant us grace, wisdom and patience through the transition.
Coming together has been challenging over the past two years. But thanks to God’s good providence, we have been able to resume more in-person meetings and activities over time. Scripture exhorts Christians to meet every week for corporate worship and to build one another up. Being physically present with one another matters. It is a vital expression of our discipleship and life together as God’s people.
Therefore, it is timely for us to come together again as one assembly. Gathering as a church for corporate worship at the same time and place will enable us to praise God together with one voice. We will be able to celebrate baptism and the Lord’s Supper together. This is especially significant, for these ordinances point to our unity as one people in Christ.
Gathering as one assembly will enable us to better know our fellow church members. By reconnecting with the whole body of Christ, we will have greater opportunity to love and serve one another. In the same vein, the elders will be better able to exercise pastoral care for the entire flock.
Coming together will help us grow deeper and stronger as one church, as we build a sense of being on gospel mission together. This is a key step towards our goal of growing the gospel beyond us, through church planting or strengthening other churches. We come together that we might send and go for the gospel’s sake.
Your servants in Christ,
The Elders of Grace Baptist Church
2 September, 2022
FAQs
The pandemic isn’t over, why are we gathering?
The government has allowed us to gather without capacity restrictions. This enables us to heed Scripture’s call for us to gather as one.
Is there enough room for everyone?
Yes, we have more than sufficient space for everyone. Our main hall can comfortably seat more than the combined attendance of the two services.
Will there be a livestream on Sunday?
The livestream of the Sunday service will continue to be available for those who are unable to gather for corporate worship. But for those who can be present in-person, we strongly encourage all members to gather with the rest of the body of believers for worship and mutual edification.