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Good Afternoon, Church Family! I trust you are having a wonderfully blessed week so far!

This past Sunday we enjoyed our second week back indoors! I know I have said this before, but it has been so joyful to be back together again! I realize that many of you are unable to join us in-person for various reasons, but it has been such a blessing to hear voices other than my own raising worship to Jesus! And it has been such a blessing to see chairs filled with people! I have loved the miracle of watching the Body of Christ come together again!

I believe I included this detail in an e-mail last week, but in order to comply with the social distancing requirements, we removed 140 chairs from the auditorium—leaving us with 180 chairs in groupings of all different sizes. The first week we had 127 people in the auditorium and another 15 watching in the cafeteria with their young children. Last week we had over 150 people in the auditorium—and another small group in the cafeteria.

Because we cannot add more chairs at this time, we are going to add an additional Sunday morning service. While two services adds an extra measure of preparation, we believe it is the best solution to provide adequate seating for our church family and the community. (Praise the Lord that we actually had five guests with us on Sunday!)So beginning this Sunday, July 19, we will have two Sunday morning services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Spacing the services out in this way will allow ample time for those who attended the 9 a.m. service to exit the building, allow a team of volunteers to clean and sanitize the auditorium and common areas, and provide time to prepare for the 11 a.m. service. We want to ensure the safety of all our members.

There will be just two important details to which I want to draw your attention today. 

First, we will still offer viewing rooms outside of the auditorium. These viewing rooms would be for those who want to be at church, see friends and loved ones, but sit outside of the auditorium for the service. Or these rooms might be accessed by those with small children who need to step out of the auditorium for a time. These rooms will be clearly marked as you enter the building.

Second, we are in need of some volunteer help on Sundays. If any of the following areas would interest you as a way to serve Jesus and His Body, would you reply to this e-mail letting me know? We could use help with greeting at both services, helping people find seats, and cleaning after the 9 a.m. service. Besides these places of services, I am also praying for God to stir up His gifts in the hearts of those who would want to share in places like the Kids’ Ministry, the youth group, the worship team, and the tech team. If God is working in your heart, just let me know.

Above all, pray that followers of Jesus will respond to His moving in their lives.I will do my best to continue to communicate with you this week. I am very grateful for all that Jesus has done—and continues to do—in my life through this amazing assembly of believers. I am praying that we are all reading our Bibles, looking for Jesus, and sharing those truths with others! Have a very blessed evening, Mt. Carmel family! I love you all!

Pastor Brian