COVID-19 Update

 August 11, 2020

Dear New Hebron Family,

We pray this letter finds you at peace in the sovereign hands of our gracious Lord. These past five months have been a particularly trying time for many. We have all faced crisis in some form, whether that be a health crisis, an emotional crisis, or a spiritual crisis. Yet, as Jesus reminds us in John 15, God graciously uses our trials to prune us to “bear much fruit.” If we abide in Christ, then we can be confident that God works all things for our good and His glory (John 15:5; Rom 8:28). God doesn’t command us to fix our situations only to trust in Him and remain faithful to His will above our own (Isa. 26:3-4). That requires us to be quick to hear and slow to speak (James 1:19). We must be in humble prayer and supplication as we seek God’s wisdom above our own. After much prayer and discussion, we would like to update you on the future gatherings of our church body. 

What has God called us to as His church? That is an important and relevant question. We believe that God has called us to gather together for worship and fellowship (Heb. 10:25). We believe God has called us to love our neighbor (Mk. 12:31). We believe that God has also called us to submit to the governing authorities insofar as they seek our good (1 Peter 2:13-17; Rom. 13:1). It has been said that wisdom is the need to reconcile competing principles. During this difficult season, many times these truths appear to be in tension with one another. This is why we must not rely on our own knowledge but the Lord’s wisdom to honor the entirety of His Word. Based on these guiding scriptural truths we have decided to continue meeting in a way that both loves our neighbor and honors our governing authorities, insomuch as they seek our well-being. 

While as much as we might yearn for church life to go back to normal. We believe that God has given us a unique opportunity to reassess the way we gather as His church. For this, we look to our mission statement that reads, “We exist to bring glory to God by making disciples. By His grace we seek to accomplish this through treasuring Christ, teaching Christ, and taking the message of Christ to our community, to our nation, and to the ends of the earth.” Our greatest desire is that everything we do would be to glorify God through making disciples. That happens through knowing Christ, teaching Christ, and sharing Christ with others. 

In order to know Christ, we as a church will encourage you to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). May we continue in prayer and fasting as we study God’s Word. In order to teach Christ, we will continue to have our two Sunday School classes on Sunday morning. Beginning in September, we will also be adding Bible studies throughout the week. What was previously on one night a week, we believe we can better serve our members and visitors by dividing those times up throughout the week. Each mid-week class will be able to meet on a different night. In order to share Christ, we encourage you to continually look for ways to share the Gospel with your neighbor and those with whom you come in contact. We also have found that our Wednesday night take-out meals have given us a new opportunity to serve many in our community who do not normally attend our services. We will continue to provide take-out meals on Wednesdays in order to share and show the love of Jesus to our neighbors. Below you will find a detailed schedule of our weekly Bible studies. 

Additionally, in order to provide a safe environment for worship, we ask for you to please stay home if you are sick and notify us should you receive a positive COVID diagnosis. 

Church family, we genuinely thank you for your patience with us as we seek to honor Christ as Lord and serve his people well. God is working, and we fully believe he will bring good from this as he already has! To God be the glory!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” -Proverbs 3:5-6

In Christ,

Your Pastors and Deacons (Peter Allen, Pat Richardson, Ronnie Simmons, Larry Goswick, Terry Stephens, and Johnnie Stewart)

 

Prayer Requests: 

  • We ask you to pray for godly wisdom for our church leadership as we humbly attempt to make decisions that are in the best spiritual and physical interest of our church family (1 Peter 5:1-3).
  • We ask you to pray for our local, state, and federal government officials as they seek to preserve our religious liberty and physical safety (1 Tim 2:1-3).
  • We ask you to pray that our community would see, hear, and receive the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 1:15; 2 Tim. 2:3-4).
  • We ask you to pray for fellowship among our church body, that we would be united in the Holy Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3-6).

 

Schedule beginning August 31st

Sunday Corporate Worship

      9am   – Adult Sunday School only

      10am – Worship Service (infant care available; 3 years old & under)

      11am – Adult Sunday School & Children’s Sunday School 

                        (infant care available; 3 years old & under)

Weekly Bible Studies (6:30-7:30pm)

      Monday      – Women’s Bible Study (Christine Crisp)

      Tuesday      – Walking Through the Word Bible Study (Ronnie Simmons)

      Wednesday – Culture & Theology Bible Study (Peter Allen) 

                          – Children in Action (1st-6th grade)

                          – Mission Friends (PreK & Kindergarten) (Leanne Blackmore)

                                    (infant care available; 3 years old & under)

 COVID-19 Update
June 15, 2020

Church family,
 
We are happy to announce progress on our regathering process. Beginning this Sunday, June 21, we will follow the below
schedule for the duration of the summer:
The pews closest to the side foyer will be marked for our at-risk congregation members. The side foyer door will be open for
these members to enter and exit.
Note: children up to age 4 may stay in the nursery during morning worship service, and children under 2 years may stay in the
nursery during the 11:00 Sunday School hour, as children ages 2yr – 5th grade may attend children’s Sunday school.
 
REGATHERING SUMMER SCHEDULE
9:00 am Adult Sunday School in the sanctuary for adults NOT needing childcare
10:00 am Morning Worship Service
11:00 am Children ages 2 year – 5th grade Sunday School in the Fellowship Hall
Adult Sunday School in the sanctuary for adults needing childcare (children will be in their Sunday School class)
Youth Sunday School will meet in the youth room. 
 
Note: No Sunday school on July 5, just morning worship service
Wednesday Meals to Go: This ministry will be postponed until mid-August.
 
As a reminder, the following guidelines will remain in place during our new Summer Schedule:
  • Personal Responsibility:
      • We believe the risk of contracting COVID-19 by gathering with fellow church members in the sanctuary with
        appropriate social distancing on the Lord’s Day is low. However, we know that some of our members are at
        higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and more apt to suffer severe symptoms if infected. Please assess your
        own risks and make a wise decision should you choose to participate.
  • Social Distance:
      • Individuals and families are strongly encouraged to fellowship with one another, but social distancing is
        recommended.
      • Please avoid handshakes or hugs
  • Seating:
      • Family units are encouraged to sit at least 6 feet away from other family units, spreading out across the
        auditorium.
 
Please feel free to contact the church office at 903-633-2645 with any questions or concerns about this new schedule.
Thank you for your patience and understanding through these ever-changing processes. Our church is committed to keeping our
congregation’s health and safety a priority. Let us all remember that as followers of Christ, our hope is grounded firmly in our
sovereign Lord.
COVID-19 Update

April 29, 2020

Dear New Hebron family & friends,

It is hard to believe that it has been nearly seven weeks since the last time we gathered as a church. This time apart has presented us with many challenges, yet out of obedience to God and love for our neighbor we have willingly complied with every recommendation handed down by our federal, state, and local governments to stop the spread of COVID-19. Now we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This past week, the federal government started their three-phase plan for “Opening up America.” On Monday, April 27th, Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order that Texas will begin Phase 1 of “Reopening” on May 1. Along with this executive order, the governor and attorney general outlined specific guidelines for Houses of Worship. Some of those recommendations are:

  • Encourage all attendees who are 65 and above to stay home
  • Ask all who have an underlying at-risk health condition to stay home
  • Ensure attendees sit with their family unit and use social distancing between each family unit

In closing, the governor and attorney general state, “these guidelines provide that houses of worship may remain open.” We are thankful that our state government is working hard to protect our freedom to gather as the church.

Now, what does this mean for New Hebron Baptist church moving forward? After much prayer and discussion, we have decided to move forward with our three-phase plan of reopening our church for services. Please understand that these plans are tentative, and your health and safety remain a top priority for us.

Phase 1: Small Group Gatherings – May 1

  • Small groups of no more than 10 (such as committees, teams, Bible studies, Sunday school leaders, etc.) may meet inside the building at separate times while wearing masks.
    • Groups may schedule a meeting time through the church office.
  • Wednesday suppers will be available for pick up outside the church offices (starting May 6, 2020).
  • Sunday and Wednesday services continue to be online.

 

Phase 2: Sunday Gatherings – May 17 (Tentative)

  • Sunday morning services resume with 2 service times.
    • 9:00AM “At Risk Service”
      • (For those 65 & older or who have compromised immune systems)
    • 10:45AM “General Service”
  • Small groups (including Sunday School) follow the same precautions as previously mentioned in Phase 1
  • Wednesday night gatherings will continue to be cancelled until phase 3

 

Phase 3: All Services Resume – July 12 (Tentative)

  • All regular church activities resume at the original times.
  • Continued social distancing measures will stay in place.

Guidelines when On-Campus services resume:

  • Personal Responsibility:
    • We believe the risk of contracting COVID-19 by gathering with fellow church members in the sanctuary with appropriate social distancing on the Lord’s Day is low. However, we know that some of our members are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and more apt to suffer severe symptoms if infected. Please assess your own risks and make a wise decision should you choose to participate.
  • Social Distance:
    • Individuals and families are strongly encouraged to fellowship with one another, but social distancing is recommended.
    • Please avoid handshakes or hugs
  • Seating:
    • Family units are encouraged to sit at least 6 feet away from other family units, spreading out across the auditorium.
    • Seating will be marked with empty alternating rows.
  • Restrooms:
    • Restrooms are clean and sanitized, and individuals are responsible to wash hands thoroughly after touching any items in restrooms.

 

Brothers & sisters, as we continue to face this global pandemic and global economic recession, it is vitally important that we as followers of Christ remember that our hope is grounded firmly in our sovereign Lord. Let us remember that our God is on His throne working all things for our good and His glory. Let us continue to trust in Him as we share and show the Gospel with a world that is desperately looking for hope.

 

I have been praying and longing for the day when we can return and worship together. Now it seems like that day is quickly approaching! Praise the Lord! I look forward to worshiping with you soon! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” -Romans 15:13

 

 

Keep the Faith,

 

Peter Allen

 

COVID-19 Update

 April 1, 2020

Because of the increasing risk the COVID-19 virus poses to each and every one of us, we have decided to cancel all on-campus services until the end of April. 

All services will continue to be online through Facebook, Youtube, Website, and DVD.
  • Facebook: Facebook
  • YouTube:   YouTube
  • Online services: Online Services
  • NHBC Students is meeting Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:00 pm via the video conference app Zoom for Bible study
  • A Bible study through Philippians is being emailed out every Wednesday from the church. If interested, email newhebronbaptist@gmail.com for more information

 COVID-19 Update

March 25, 2020

 COVID-19 Update

 March 18, 2020

Church family,

In the second chapter of 1 Peter we find these words: “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” In our nation we see the President and various governmental leaders recommending that we avoid gatherings of 10, 50, 100, or 250. The question we face as we decide about gathering together is not “can we?”, but rather it is “should we?”.

Canceling any church service is a very difficult decision for me. I treasure our time together. Those times provide spiritual learning, fellowship, praise, worship, prayer, and encouragement–often at a time when we need it the most. However, the standard which God has given to me as your pastor is found in Acts 20:28, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” One of the primary responsibilities of a shepherd is to protect the flock. This verse in Acts 20 tells me that God has entrusted me with the responsibility of protecting this flock.

I have to believe to most effectively protect God’s flock we need to forego gathering together this Sunday. Our Sunday School, worship service, evening worship service, and all activities will be canceled. We will evaluate the situation each week and make decisions based on the information we can gather about the status of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In these unprecedented times we will find creative ways we can continue to be the church. I have encouraged our Sunday School and Bible Study leaders to have video and phone meetings for prayer and discipleship. Our children Bible Study leaders will be mailing the Sunday School lessons to each family to lead at home. Our worship service will be put on Facebook and our website at 10:45 am every Sunday morning. We will also have it available on DVD.

 

I recognize that having online services is an insufficient substitute to meeting in person. But it does provide an excellent opportunity for families and others to both listen to the sermon and discuss what the Holy Spirit reveals. I also pray that during our time apart the Lord would grow our yearning for the day when we can meet together again in worship.

 

I also wanted to let you know that we are setting up a COVID-19 benevolence fund. This pandemic will take a toll on many in our church and community both physically and financially. We want to be in a position to help those in need in the near future. You can give to this fund at https://www.newhebronbaptistchurch.com/tithe/

 

The NHBC staff will continue to be available for any needs within our congregation or community. If you or someone you know needs groceries or help in any way, please let me know. We have people standing by to help. Together we will walk through these times and individually and collectively as a church I know we will come out stronger.  

Grace and Peace, 
Peter

 COVID-19 Update

 March 14, 2020

 COVID-19 Update

 March 13, 2020