Friendship Family Updates

UPDATE: May 6, 2020

Along with the rest of you, we were excited to learn this past week that in-person worship services will be permitted by state leaders toward the end of May. Our staff and deacons have developed a comprehensive plan to safely “re-start” our campus ministries. It appears, however, that state leaders will remain heavily involved as to what will be required of churches who choose to gather for services. We are anticipating further guidance on these measures this week or next and will share with you what we learn.

For now, our phased re-start will begin with limited-capacity worship at 6:00 pm on Saturday, May 23, and 9:00 am, 10:30 am and 6:00 pm on Sunday, May 24. The four worship services will be identical and for those who are not ready for in-person worship, we will continue to live-stream the 10:30 am Sunday worship service so that everyone can stay connected. We are doing our very best to accommodate every member of the Friendship Family. The limited-capacity approach to worship allows us to maintain the social-distancing requirements recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Our staff and volunteers are committed to multiple services so that every individual and family will have the opportunity to worship with others at Friendship. Due to the requirement of limiting our capacity in worship, we will be asking you to attend a particular worship service based on the Sunday School class you regularly attend. This approach will also make an easier transition when we are able to add Sunday School groups to our weekly schedule in the near future. For those who do not currently attend Sunday School, you will be contacted next week and encouraged to attend a particular worship time that will help us remain under our capacity threshold.

Saturday, 6:00 PM Starts May 23 [Age 55 + only]

King’s Messengers | Grace Ladies | Abundant Life

Sunday, 9:00 AM Starts May 24

Young Adult | Adult 1 [Last Names I-Z]

Sunday, 10:30 AM Starts May 24

Adult 1 [Last Names A-H]

Sunday, 6:00 PM Starts May 24

College | Adult 2

We realize this structure is not perfect and might be difficult for some, but believe it is the best available option. Should you have questions, please contact the church office.

Here are some “short-term” changes we feel reasonably certain will be different when we resume in-person services:

• We will be seated further from each other. A certain number of chairs will be removed from the worship center to ensure we are maintaining social-distancing.
• Many of our traditional practices will be suspended. There will not be any choirs, the passing of offering plates, Sunday School, or child-care in this early re-entry phase. We also know that the traditional meet and greet, handshakes and hugs, will also be on hold.
• We will ask our most vulnerable church members to stay home. While we want as many people as possible to attend, we are at a time where we must encourage those in weakened physical conditions to remain home for a little while longer and view the services online.
• We will see more hand sanitizer and cleaner buildings than we have ever seen. We have a plan that will ensure our facility is sanitized before re-entry and also between services.
• We will likely need more help from greeters and ushers. Services such as holding doors, pointing people to the seating plan, even possibly asking church attenders to abide with agreed upon safe social-distancing, could be functions that greeters and ushers will help with for the early weeks of in-person services.
• We may need an overflow room. If we have more people present for a worship service than we are allowed, we will need an overflow space that provides streaming of the services as well as seating that honors social-distancing.

Friendship will have a drive-in worship service at 10:15 am on Sunday, May 17. We had announced last week that the drive-in service would be held on May 24, but now that we can meet in-person that weekend, we will move the drive-in worship service to May 17. The drive-in service will be held in the parking lot at Southfork Lighting/Cape Electrical Supply (the old Gore’s Grocery Store) which is located at 2860 Lone Oak Road in Paducah. Although we will be required to remain in our vehicles, this still provides a great opportunity for us to worship together. We will live-stream the drive-in worship for those who are unable to be physically present.

We are also excited to add a component to our online activities. Starting this weekend, we will provide Sunday School through Zoom, which allows participants to video-conference with others while discussing the lesson.

Frank Queen will lead SS through Zoom on Sundays at 9:00 AM [starts May 10]

Anthony Copeland will lead SS through Zoom on Sundays at 6:00 PM [starts May 10]

Traci Lawrence will lead SS through Zoom on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM [starts May 13]

The rest of the weekly schedule for online activities at Friendship remains the same: Sunday morning worship at 10:15; Sunday evening Bible study at 6:00; kid’s worship on Tuesday’s at 3:00; Wednesday evening Bible study at 6:30; and Friendship youth live on Wednesday at 7:00.

Like all of you, we have experienced the challenge of replenishing cleaning supplies that are required as we meet on campus. We were able to purchase much of what we need, but would still greatly benefit from your help. If you find hand sanitizer in the small pump bottles, disinfectant wipes, or Lysol spray, please consider purchasing these items for the church as we commit to sanitizing our facility between services.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the church office if you need anything at all. Our staff and deacons are here to serve you.

UPDATE: April 27, 2020

We are grateful for the opportunity to stay connected digitally with our church family while we are unable to gather in one location. It is a blessing to see many of you “check-in” in the comment section during the live-stream on Facebook to let us know you are worshiping with us. Preaching to an empty worship center is something that will never become “normal” at Friendship. This Sunday we will conclude the series: Fear Has No Hold On Me by studying the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. Elijah was worried because he thought he knew what the future held. He didn’t. Some of us are worried because we think we know the future, we don’t. We pray these timely messages have been life-changing as we learn how to navigate uncertainty and overcome fear.

We have some BIG NEWS to share! Friendship will have a drive-in worship service on Sunday, May 24. More details will be provided in the coming weeks, but we wanted to announce this special day so you can make plans to worship with us. We will also live-stream the drive-in worship for those who are unable to be physically present.

Our staff and deacons are finalizing a plan for when and how we safely “re-start” Friendship’s on-campus ministries. We all miss meeting together and cannot wait to begin gathering again. However, we should anticipate some “short-term changes” in our methods that will promote safety for all who attend. Your patience and flexibility will be necessary as we re-launch. Our plan will involve a phased approach to re-opening campus ministries at Friendship. Our phased approach will correspond with the phased-plan being integrated across the commonwealth. For now, Friendship will continue worship gatherings online only until community leaders announce that McCracken County is entering phase 1 of the re-start. All other activities on campus at Friendship are suspended until we proceed to the phase 1 level. The only exceptions to this are for staff and/or volunteers whose assistance requires them to be at the building.

The weekly schedule for online activities at Friendship are: Sunday morning worship at 10:15; Sunday evening Bible study at 6:00; kid’s worship on Tuesday’s at 3:00; mid-week Bible study on Wednesday at 6:30; and Friendship youth live on Wednesday at 7:00. All of these opportunities are available through our Facebook page and church website, with the exception of the youth Bible study which is on Zoom. Students should contact Shane if they are interested in participating.

Like all of you, we have experienced the challenge of replenishing cleaning supplies that will be required once we are able to resume on campus ministries. We would greatly benefit from your help. If you find hand sanitizer in the small pump bottles, disinfectant wipes, or Lysol spray, please consider purchasing these items for the church. These supplies will be necessary in large quantities as we commit to sanitizing our facility between services and we cannot purchase the quantity needed. So if you see any of these items listed, please purchase what you can for the church.

If you are interested in making some cloth masks for the church, please contact the office. Also, if you need a cloth mask, contact the office. Please don’t hesitate to contact the church office if you need anything at all. Our staff and deacons are here to serve you.

UPDATE: April 20, 2020

We hope you were able to participate in Friendship’s online worship this past weekend as we launched our new series: Fear Has No Hold On Me. Over the next few Sunday mornings, we will explore God’s Word and learn how to navigate uncertainty and overcome fear. Friendship will continue worship gatherings online through April 30. All other activities on campus at Friendship are suspended through April 30. The only exceptions to this are for staff and/or volunteers whose assistance requires them to be at the building.

The weekly schedule for online activities at Friendship are: Sunday morning worship at 10:15; Sunday evening Bible study at 6:00; kid’s worship on Tuesday’s at 3:00; mid-week Bible study on Wednesday at 6:30; and Friendship youth live on Wednesday at 7:00. All of these opportunities are available through our Facebook page and church website, with the exception of the youth Bible study which is on Zoom. Students should contact Shane if they are interested in participating.

Through this crisis, we are being forced to build our endurance, but it’s hard to have joy in the midst of a trial like this. Obviously, we don’t rejoice in the trial itself, but we recognize that God is at work and that He has not abandoned us. We know God is working within us. Would you take the time to email [email protected] and share how you have witnessed God at work during this difficult season? How has God proven Himself faithful and present with you during these unprecedented days? Your testimony doesn’t have to be long, but we do want to hear how God is working through His people at Friendship.

Over the next few days, our staff and deacons will consider when and how we “re-start” Friendship’s on-campus ministries. Please pray for us as we develop a comprehensive plan that will allow us to gather together safely. We all miss meeting together and we cannot wait to begin gathering again. However, we all should anticipate some “short-term changes” in our methods that will promote safety for all who attend. Your patience and flexibility will be necessary as we re-launch our campus ministries.

We received a few calls last week from church members trying to locate masks. We didn’t have any at the time, but we do now. If you need a cloth mask, please contact the church office. In fact, if you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to contact the church office. Our staff and deacons are here to serve you.

You are loved!

UPDATE: April 8, 2020

The unexpected impact of the coronavirus has caused countless changes for all of us. As we adjust to life in the midst of the pandemic, we pray you will keep your focus on Jesus.

The worship gatherings at Friendship will remain online only through April 30. Please plan to worship online with us at www.friendshiponthenet.org. You can click here for a complete schedule of online worship, Bible study, and student activities on our website. This is a great time to invite a friend or family member to join us online as well. All other activities on campus at Friendship are suspended through April 30. The only exceptions to this are for staff and/or volunteers whose assistance requires them to be at the building. If our circumstances radically change and we are able to worship safely on campus before April 30, this transition can be made very quickly.

WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING RIGHT NOW AS CHRISTIANS?

 First, we need to remember that God has a plan. Even when we don’t have the big picture, God does. He knows everything and has a plan for both good times and bad. In Isaiah 46:10, the Lord announces, “I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago, what is not yet done; saying, ‘My plan will take place and I will do My will.” When Israel faced captivity, a terrible national disaster, God reminded them that it was all part of His plan, saying, “I know the plans I have for you …  plans for your welfare and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). God has a plan in this circumstance as well and it’s for our good. We may not know what His purpose is but we can trust that He has one.

This leads to a second perspective: we must trust in God’s faithfulness. In light of the Babylonian conquest over Israel which destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 BC, Jeremiah the prophet reminded the people of Judah, “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Not only does God have a plan that is good, but we need to trust Him and put our hope in a God who cares for all of us. We need to stay steady in our walk with the Lord, not quitting the race, but keeping on in obedience to Him. We need to keep talking with Him in prayer, listening to Him through His Word, and obeying Him with our lives, no matter what difficulty we face.  The Coronavirus has made people fearful of the future. It’s at times like this that people are most open to the message of the Gospel. Let’s give our friends and neighbors hope in Christ who promised this: “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful” (John 14:27). This is a message that will surely resonate in a dark world.

If you have a need, please contact the church office and we would be happy to assist.

You are loved!

UPDATE: March 26, 2020

We are excited that many of you were able to connect with the Friendship Family through online worship this past weekend. These are certainly challenging times, but they have presented some wonderful opportunities as we proclaim the Gospel. Although the message is the same, we continue to find new ways to do ministry at Friendship. 

Due to the recommendation of the Center for Disease Control and the guidelines set forth by local and state leaders, worship gatherings at Friendship will remain online only through April 12. Please plan to worship online with us at www.friendshiponthenet.org at 10:15 each Sunday. This is a great time to invite a friend or family member to join us online as well. All other activities on campus at Friendship are suspended through April 12. The only exceptions to this are for staff and/or volunteers whose assistance requires them to be at the building. If our circumstances radically change and we are able to worship safely on campus before April 12, this transition can be made very quickly. But for planning purposes, we wanted to share with you the latest information.

During these days when many things are changing so rapidly around us, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  May we continue to be the Church like never before!

If you have a need, please don’t hesitate to contact our staff in the church office. We are here to serve.

You are loved!

UPDATE: March 19, 2020

Coronavirus. It’s amazing how much fear and panic have been caused by that one word. The world is afraid. This is a great opportunity for us to show others how believers face fear. “Fear not” is the most repeated command in the Bible. So in fearful times, let’s ask the Spirit of God to help us live out this determination from His Word: “When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I trust; I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:3-4). I pray the world will see us bearing one another’s burdens as we commit to love more than we fear.

With a desire to love our neighbors as ourselves and an abundance of caution for the members of our church and community, March 22 and March 29 worship gatherings at Friendship are moved online. Please plan to worship online this Sunday at www.friendshiponthenet.org at 10:15 am and invite others to join us, as well. We will sing together, pray together, and hear what God’s Word says about freedom from fear, peace over anxiety, and life that conquers death. Needless to say, you don’t want to miss these Sunday gatherings online!

In addition, all activities on campus at Friendship are suspended through the end of March. The only exceptions to this are for staff and/or volunteers whose assistance requires them to be at the building. All other groups which normally meet on Sundays and during the week are encouraged to explore alternate means of staying closely connected with one another.

WHY ARE WE MOVING WORSHIP GATHERINGS ONLINE AND CLOSING OUR CAMPUS?

Our goal in these decisions, as in everything we do, is to glorify God as biblically and wisely as possible. By God’s design according to God’s Word, the church thrives on gathering together face-to-face as we love one another, care for one another, and encourage one another. As much as we are thankful for technology that allows for us to do many of these things online, a biblical picture of a church prioritizes being together in person. This is why Christians around the world gather together every single Sunday at the risk of their lives. If they are caught, they will be persecuted, potentially imprisoned, and possibly even killed. But it’s worth it to them because this is what it means to be the church. These brothers and sisters in Christ have much to teach us about the value of physically being together as a church family.

At the same time, the reasons concerning why we normally gather in person are the same reasons why we are choosing not to gather in person right now. Because the Bible calls us to care for one another and love one another, we believe the best way we can do that in light of the current situation is by not gathering in person. This does not mean, however, that we are closing the ministries of the church. Quite the opposite is true. This is a time for us to be the church like never before! Continue reading below for more information about how we are working together to glorify God as His church and to minister to our neighbors.

HOW ARE WE GLORIFYING GOD THROUGH GROUPS, MINISTRY TO FAMILIES AND CHILDREN, AND OTHER MINISTRIES DURING THIS TIME?

We are encouraging groups across our church to consider alternate means for staying as biblically and closely connected to one another as possible during this time. In addition to the Sunday morning worship livestream, we will provide online Biblical teaching on Sunday evenings at 6:00. Shane will meet digitally with youth on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 for Bible study and to remain engaged with our students. A children’s SS teaching video will be posted to our website each week for children and their parents. All SS teachers are encouraged to make contact with class members and prospects in an effort to stay connected.

HOW WILL WE SPREAD GOD’S LOVE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS TIME?

In these unprecedented days, we want to be a clear picture of God’s love across our community. We certainly don’t want to isolate people who are in need all around us. Therefore, we are coordinating an effort to provide help to neighbors in need.

We are encouraging church members to reach out individually to people in your neighborhoods who might need help during this time. You can download and print this flyer [Love In Action] from our website to connect individually with your neighbors in order to care for them. Keep in mind that as you distribute these flyers to your neighbors, you are personally assuming responsibility for helping them as much as you can. If you learn of a need that requires church assistance, please contact the church office.

HOW SHOULD I RESPOND PHYSICALLY TO THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?

If you are sick with a cough or running a fever, or you have a compromised immune system, we encourage you to remain at home and/or seek proper medical attention. Please also alert your church family so that we can best help and support you. If you are elderly or have existing medical conditions that might place you at higher risk, we strongly encourage you to limit your interactions with others during these days. At the same time, we ask you to let us as your church family know how we can best help and support you.

Regardless of age or medical condition, we encourage everyone to take certain steps to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus, flu, and other illnesses, including: washing your hands with soap and water; using hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available; not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands; avoiding close contact with people who are sick; staying home if you are sick; covering your cough or sneeze; and disinfecting objects and surfaces regularly.

HOW SHOULD I RESPOND SPIRITUALLY TO THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is yet one more reminder that we live in a fallen world of sickness, sin, suffering, and death. Ultimately, none of us are immune to any of these things. But that’s why the Gospel is such good news. God has not left us alone in this world of sickness, sin, suffering, and death. He has come to us in the person of Jesus. The greatest news in all the world is that Jesus lived a life with no sin, died on a cross to pay the price for our sin, and rose from the grave in victory over sin and death. Now anyone anywhere who turns from their sin and trusts in Jesus will be forgiven of all their sin and restored to relationship with God forever. That means that through Jesus, we never have to fear sickness or death because we know we have eternal life with God. Times like these remind us all of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death. So let’s spread the greatest news that death has been defeated and eternal life is available to all who trust in Jesus.

In addition to trusting in Jesus and sharing about Jesus with others, here’s some other ways you can respond: trust in God as the Creator and Sustainer of life upon whom we all depend. Pray for mercy for the sick, strength for doctors, insight for researchers, and wisdom for officials. Look for opportunities to love and care for others. Even though we are unable to gather at certain times, stay closely connected to the church family. Participate in worship gatherings online when that is the only option. Faithfully give financial offerings online at www.friendshiponthenet.org or mail them to the church at 146 South Friendship Road, Paducah, KY 42003. Our continued giving to the ministry here will allow us to thrive all the more in the midst of difficult days.

HOW CAN I KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION AT FRIENDSHIP?

Our website will be the primary location for finding the latest information. If you don’t have access to the internet, you can always call the church office and we will be happy to share with you the latest news.

HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE WITH WORSHIP THROUGH THE LIVESTREAM?

Our live stream will begin this Sunday morning at 10:10 with worship beginning at 10:15. If you have a Facebook account, go to Friendship’s Facebook page and you can join the livestream. If you do not have a Facebook account, please go to our church website and click on the Friendship Live slider at the top of the page. This will take you to our virtual worship page so you can worship with us.

We love you and want to know how you are doing. If we can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our ministerial staff or deacons. Church, this will pass and with God’s help, we will get through these unprecedented days together!