I thought that title would get your attention!  Pastor Felipe shared it with me this morning: “It’s time to call 91:1.  That is, it’s time to call on Psalm 91:1

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  

And the rest of the Psalm has amazing promises for us to live into, as we engage our faith and stand on God’s Word. 

Today I’ve read some alarming messages that were passed along by e-mail and Facebook.  However, when I checked with Snopes.com, and did a little research, I found that these are bogus claims.  So, if you read that Trump is going to enact the Stafford Act and create Martial Law, calling up the National Guard, it is false.  Here’s the Snopes article on it:  https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/white-house-quarantine-text/

And as for Governor Pritzker calling for a “Shelter-in-Place” act for Illinois, yes that’s true.  However, here’s the Chicago Tribune article, and as you read it, you’ll see that it’s nothing to be alarmed about.  
Here’s the link: https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-illinois-shelter-in-place-lockdown-order-20200320-teedakbfw5gvdgmnaxlel54hau-story.html

Read the article, please!  It is not a big deal, nor much of a change to what we’re already doing.  We can still go to the pharmacy, the grocery store, the McDonald’s drive-thru.  He even encourages you to go our for walks.  The police will not arrest you!  Nor is the National Guard being called in, except to help with social services:  From the article: “Instead, 60 service members will be deployed to establish drive-up testing sites, help with food delivery to disadvantaged families impacted by school closures and possibly prepare closed hospitals to reopen.”

So please, as I’ve been saying all along, Remain fearless, and wise.

If you get any alarming e-mails or Facebook posts, check the source.  Before you forward it along, practice due diligence.  Don’t be drawn into a panic, and especially don’t draw others in, propagating a false story.  

Finally, along with Elim’s wonderful leadership, we’ve been working hard this week at getting ourselves organized for on-line ministry.  We still have work to do to expand it, but I’ll be sharing more, beginning Monday, and (hopefully) with regular updates.  

Tomorrow morning, several of us are gathering at church to video record a worship service.  Please pray for us!  God willing, we’ll send out a link tomorrow night so you can worship Sunday morning, just as usual, but on-line.  We’ll post the link to our website, so simply go there to view it: elimqc.org

Ultimately, remember that God is totally in control.  He is sovereign, and none of this is shaking Him up!  When we remain in Him, constant in prayer, and steadfast in His Word, the result will be (as is promised by God Himself!) a perfect peace (Isa. 26:3; Php. 4:7), an unshakable joy (Ps. 5:11; Jn. 15:11), and an unfailing love (Ex. 15:13; Ps. 36:7)  surrounding us like a shield (Ps. 32:10).  These are God’s promises!  All we have to do is to rest in Him, and they are ours!  So let us be true to our faith and truly live out what we believe.  Amen!

God bless you all!  May His promises be manifested in your hearts and homes.  Amen!

Dear Elim Family,

The elders just met, and we determined that, for the time being, we will cancel most all of our regular church events.  So, until further notice, assume that everything is cancelled, unless you hear differently from us.  

That said, we’ve got some very cool on-line opportunities coming for worship, Bible studies and fellowship!  So, as an initial step, please bookmark our church’s website:

elimqc.org

Beginning this Sunday morning, we’ll have a link to share where you can watch an abbreviated worship service: Our Elim worship team leading three songs, Scripture reading, sermon, pastoral prayer and benediction.  

Our various ministry teams are looking into on-line options for doing life and ministry together, using technology.  We’re looking at creative ways to stay connected, worshipful, and growing, in our relationship with the Lord and with each other.  

I’m very impressed with our leadership!  And with everyone at Elim!  As I reiterated to Katie Clarke (it’s her birthday today, by the way!), y’all are an easy group of people to love!  

I’ll get you more updates soon!  For now, may God’s grace and blessings shower down upon you and yours!  Amen!
Love in Him,

Pastor Steve

Dear Elim Family,

When I sent out my missive yesterday in the early afternoon, we were still only hearing that gatherings of greater than 250 were to be cancelled.  Then, Governor Pritzker announced that gatherings over 50 should be cancelled.  Last evening, he recommended no greater than 10.  So, many of my recommendations from yesterday are now moot!  

I am meeting with the elders today to discuss the situation, but I’m certain we will be cancelling most church activities.  We will be discussing on-line options for worship, study, fellowship and prayer.  I’ll have more to tell you tomorrow.  

I finally read an article today that helped me understand the mathematics of the situation.  It’s written by a successful CEO of a tech company who is a math genius.  He explained the numbers and why we’re looking at an exponential growth rate that could be devastating, if the virus is left unchecked.  I’m attaching the full article below, but as it’s a large article, here’s a quick summary:

• The exponential rate of spread really could be catastrophic if extreme measures of social distancing are not put in place. 
• While only 15% of those who contract the virus may need medical attention, if the cases reach only into the tens of thousands, it could overload our hospital system.  If it reached into the millions (and w/out any checks, it could do that in a month’s time), it would be absolutely overwhelming.  
• It’s not simply a lack of hospital beds, but more critically, the lack of ventilators.  Therefore, they would have to select who gets a ventilator, and who doesn’t (and so will die).  And if your kid has an accident, needs a surgery with a ventilator, but there isn’t one available, then he cannot get the help he needs.  In other words, many people who are seeking medical care for something other than the virus, could lose their lives, also.
• This mathematician showed that with no restraints put in place, we could likely have 10 million cases within the next 30 days.  At 15% hospitalization rate, that’s 1.5 million– but we only have about 150,000 ventilators in the country (and many of them already being used for surgeries, and cases and conditions outside of the coronavirus).  
• So, with adequate medical care, 98% of people recover.  But if the majority of people infected couldn’t get adequate care, because the system is overwhelmed, then the death rate would increase significantly.  
• With severe social distancing practiced, in the next 30 days we would only see 160,000 cases, and so only 24,000  (15%) needing medical care.  With extreme social distancing practiced, and soon, he estimates only 40,000 cases developing, and so only 6,000 critical patients.  
• In summary, with extreme social distancing, we could see 6-24,000 cases needing medical care.  That is still significant, but manageable.  With no measures taken, perhaps 1.5 million could need medical care, completely overwhelming our medical system, and that would lead to catastrophic results.  

After reading the article, I believe the WISE thing to do is to encourage social distancing.  Should we shut down all church activities?  Probably.  I’ll make the final decision with the elders, and I’ll let you know tomorrow.  
Again, we’re already discussing some pretty cool ways of using technology to bring worship, study, prayer and fellowship into your living room via the internet.  And we’ll stay in touch via Facebook, e-mail, texting and phone calls.  

I’ve been very impressed.  Many who I’ve spoken to, who I thought would be more upset (like having your wedding cancelled or postponed) are taking things in stride.  Through my conversations with many of you, I judge that your faith is very strong indeed!  Strong enough to not be overcome by anxiety and fear, which was my concern from the start.  God is so good!  And you all are wonderful!  

I believe we’ll get through this just fine.  We might have to pull together and “bear one another’s burden,” and we will!  May God’s grace be upon us all, and may He help us– worldwide– to stem the tide of this virus, and weather this storm.  Amen!

Love in Him,

Pastor Steve

Dear Elim Family,

I want to continue to encourage you toward biblical living in this time of unrest.  So I reiterate my encouragement to live fearlessly and wisely.  
Nick Wagner shared a great article with me, and I want to copy the link for you.  Please read the words of C.S. Lewis and take them to heart: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/cs-lewis-coronavirus/

Added by Scott Fowler: since this was originally sent this has changed. See more recent missives.

For now, I want to encourage us, as a church, to conduct “business as usual.”  So, I am encouraging us to continue with our worship services and small group ministries.  Tomorrow’s Trivia is still a go.  So is Grief Share tomorrow morning.  And Financial Peace tomorrow evening.  Our prayer meetings, Wednesday kids’ programming, and (certainly) our worship services are still a go.  Please participate unless, 1) You’re not feeling well, or 2) You’re uncomfortable.  

With WISDOM, let us simply stay away from close physical contact, and do a lot of hand-washing.  

I want to continue to encourage you to combat anxiety by saturating your spirit with the Word of God, and communing with the Holy Spirit through God’s Word and through prayer.  Here’s the promise, directly from God, that affirms what I’m saying: 

“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).  

So keep your minds “stayed” on Christ!  And experience His “perfect peace!”  Meditate on His Word, and “pray without ceasing,” and that peace will be yours.  Amen!

If you had to miss the worship service yesterday, we were able to successfully VIDEO record it!  Our tech team is wonderful!  As soon as they get it on-line, I’ll send you the link.  We hope to be able to do this going forward.  

Also, if anyone is in need during this time, give us a call at the office.  We will do what we can to help with the needed resources, be that material, emotional and/or spiritual.  

And continue to look for people you, yourself, can help: Family, neighbors, church members, etc.  Let us be “children of light” in this time of crisis!  Like the old kids’ song asserts: “Hide it under a bushel? NO!! I’m gonna let it shine!”  Amen!  Let’s be God’s light in our communities!

God bless you all!  May His perfect peace extinguish all fear, and may you be led by His wisdom and love to shine like stars.  Amen!

Love in Him,

Pastor Steve