The Approach to God
Pre-Service Music Holy Ground -Hammerly
Songs Open up the Heavens -Andrews
Old Church Choir -Williams
Pastor’s Greeting
Prayer of Confession
Words of Assurance and Law of God
The Word of God
Songs I Will Rise -Tomlin
Love Lifted Me - Rowe/Smith
Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23
Message “Hearts of Stone”
Pastor Tom Grabill
Prayer for Blessing
The Response to the Word
(Since we are separated, offerings can be sent through our website or USPS)
*Song All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name -Perronet
with O Praise Him Chorus -Crowder
Benediction
Postlude
Immanuel: Social Distancing Requirements
In light of recent government regulations and CDC recommendations to cancel gatherings of 50 or more and discouraging groups of 10 or more, Immanuel is committed to honoring the intent of these measures by canceling all church gatherings and closing the church building until at least April 6, 2020. This moratorium may be extended, based on government regulations.
However, our mission remains our focus and our ministry will still happen in new and creative ways. Here are ways for us to stay connected while physically apart:
Sunday Worship: Services will be recorded and streamed on our public Facebook page. You can get to our page by clicking on the link provided: https://www.facebook.com/ICRCLansing/
The service will start streaming at 10am Sunday mornings. Casual attire is encouraged and singing along is applauded. A sermon outline is included as an attachment if you still want to take notes as you follow along. It is recommended to gather some stones that you can use as a response to the message, as we have been doing during our series, A Journey of Stones. You will be given a chance to respond as you have been previously.
The live video remains on our page after the service so no worries if you need to sign on later. You can watch it at any time. To help spread the word about our worship at Immanuel, “like” or “share” the link and FB viewers will be able to see the service.
Audio recordings of the sermon are available on the website. This is accessible beginning on Mondays.
Pastoral Care and Connection: To substitute for our regular face-to-face contact and fellowship, we are working on developing a team of Care Callers who will check up on the members and friends of ICRC weekly. The purpose of the call will be to check-in, offer support and encouragement and respond to needs. If you are comfortable on the phone and would like to serve as a Care Caller, please contact us at the church office: office@icrclansing.org and we will get you started.
In addition to the Care Callers, we would like to develop a Care Response Team, prepared and ready to respond to needs that come up in our congregation and community, especially among the elderly and disabled. If you would be available and willing to provide a ride or gather items of need for drop off, you also can let us know your willingness and availability by contacting the church office: office@icrclansing.org.
If you aren’t comfortable calling or can’t provide services but would be willing to coordinate care efforts, we would love to hear from you. Please contact the church office: office@icrclansing.org.
Next Generation opportunities: We have passionate and creative staff and leaders who are working diligently to dream and develop innovative strategies to keep faith development progressing from a distance. Technology is our friend in times like this and we will be taking full advantage of email, Facebook, Facetime, Zoom and other electronic platforms to connect with children and youth until the church doors are able to open again. Keep checking your emails and our Facebook page to keep up with these developing activities. We encourage families to participate together and have fun! Don’t be surprised if we even utilized USPS as a means of creative programming!
Have fun and keep growing!
Your Leaders covet your fervent Prayer especially in these uncertain times. The staff and Consistory continue to keep up with the most recent developments and are making decisions continually to make sure we stay connected and on pace to accomplish our seven year vision.
Staff: Pastor Tom Grabill, Joey South, Darla Lucero, Stacia Wojnaroski
Consistory: Dave South, Marcia Jackson, Rick Harrison, Tod VanWieren, Brian Williams, Julie Lewis, Carrie Blanck and Jennifer Blanck, and our ministry teams
Friends with Health Concerns
Gary Atkins, Mark and June Black, John Blanck, Joe Chahine,
Howard J. Church, Sandy Farnum, Carol Geer,
Ronda Holleman, Roland Hubbert and other Parkinson’s sufferers,
Marian Peterson, James Shepard, Sandi Shults,
and Joy Vander Kolk for continued healing.
Please keep praying for the world’s medical people and first responders in the midst of treating others, those in research who are working tirelessly to find a vaccine and the governmental leaders for wisdom as they make decisions.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
March Calling Team: Please call Rick Harrison (503-290-9779) or Julie Lewis (881-1665) with any special concerns or requests.
March Mission of the Month: “The Gideons International”. Their needs are still very real, so you can send this month’s Mission gift to the office.
Sunday Services: Until further notice, our weekly Sunday services will be streamed live on our ICRC Facebook page at 10 am. You do not need a Facebook account to watch because it is a public page. You can get to our page by clicking on the link provided: https://www.facebook.com/ICRCLansing/. The live video remains on our page after the service as well, so no worries if you have to sign on later, you can watch it at any time.
Summer Camp Grants: Like many things in our life right now, summer camps are currently in question. Both Camp Geneva and Cranhill Ranch are actively monitoring the evolving situation, while accepting applications for summer camp. Assuming the camps can be held, Immanuel will be offering camp grants again this year to children and youth in the congregation who go to one of these camps. Please reach out to Kelly Johnson if you have a child who will be attending camp and are interested in a camp grant.
Attention Parents: Because kids love to get mail, we will be sending a Children’s Bulletin to your address weekly addressed directly to your child/children for them to work on and enhance their spiritual growth during this time that we are unable to meet with them at church for either Sunday School or CONNECT. We will also be including a self-addressed, stamped envelope with these bulletins so that after the kids have completed them, they can send them back to us here at the church. We will then keep track of how the kids are doing and after we have received 3 back from each individual child, they will earn an award! Please be watching for these to come in the mail, and if for some reason your child has not received one, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can get them on the mailing list.
Thank You for Your Continued Tithes and Offerings: The ongoing ministry of the church relies on the generous giving of its members. Even though we won’t be gathering at the church building you may submit your tithes and offerings online via our website at, www.icrclansing.org, and then click on “Giving” at the top of the page, or you may mail them directly to our office at 3200 Delta River Dr., Lansing MI, 48906. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the church office at (517) 321-2495.
If You Need to Speak with Pastor Tom: He can be contacted either by phone call or text at (616) 610-7454. You may also reach him via email at tom.grabill@gmail.com.
Siloam Christian Church Please pray for our partner church as they too adjust to remote ministry and that their ministry to the local Nepali community will continue growing!