• First Things – July 1

    • Willy Rice
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    • July 1, 2020
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    First Things from Pastor Willy – July 1

     

    This month we are making some changes to our on campus re-gatherings at Calvary. We are continuing to monitor the changing situation and encourage you to follow all government advisories to keep you and your family as safe as possible. At Calvary, we are doing everything within our power to keep you safe if you choose to gather on one of our campuses this Summer. 

    Beginning this weekend, our Summer at Calvary begins with the following changes:

    Our Schedule: We will not be having the Saturday night service any longer, but we will still be providing the Thursday night service at our Clearwater campus. This is a great opportunity for those who want an evening or mid-week service or are looking for a service with plenty of extra space for social distancing. Thursday night is a great option and it will continue in this phase as the very first service of the weekend. 

    Our service times on Sunday are also adjusting. We are moving to 9:00AM and 11:00AM for our two services at each campus. So to summarize, here is a weekend schedule effective this weekend and continuing indefinitely:

    Thursdays, 6:00PM Clearwater Campus Only

    Sundays, 9:00AM & 11:00AM Clearwater, East Lake, Seminole, and Online Campuses 

    Our online broadcast will stream live every Sunday at the new times of 9:00AM and 11:00AM and this remains a great option to safely stay connected with us at Calvary during this difficult time. 

    While we had originally hoped to add additional ministry programming in July, the current rise in Coronavirus COVID-19 cases in our area makes that unwise at the present time. We will continue urging all groups to adhere to social distancing guidelines by using online formats instead of meeting in-person on our campuses.  We will also delay our children and preschool ministry options indefinitely. We will continue keeping our Café areas closed and we are still practicing a “no touch” environment with safe social distancing.

    Of course, as you know by now, if you are sick if you have recently been exposed to COVID-19, or have extra reason to be cautious due to underlying health concerns, please join us from the comfort of your home online.

    Our local governments are asking people to use masks in public gathering where social distancing is not possible. While there are some exemptions for religious practices, we encourage everyone to follow the health guidelines in place. We will continue to do everything within our power to make sure our in person worship gatherings are safe places where you can follow all social distancing guidelines.

    July 4th: This has been a difficult time for our nation with concerns about justice and racial tensions. As we prepare to commemorate the founding of our nation this July 4th, it is a strategic time to host “Prayer for America” prayer gatherings on each of our campuses tonight, July 1st at 6:00PM . If you are able, please join us at the campus of your choice tonight for an hour of prayer for healing in our nation. As with all of our services we will take the necessary steps for those gathering to practice social distancing guidelines. 

    As part of this special weekend, I will be interrupting our message series from Philippians to address the current cultural challenges. The title of my message will be “With Liberty and Justice for All”. This may be one of the most important messages I have ever shared as your pastor and I pray that you will plan now to gather with us this weekend, either in-person or online. The weekend begins with our Thursday night service, July 2nd at our Clearwater campus. Will you pray with me and for me and for our nation as we gather for a very special weekend of worship?

    Happy 4th,