Hello Neighbors!
“We’re all in this together!!” You have probably heard this phrase spoken or seen it in some form of media. I like it. It’s true. We’ve seen people in the midst of a very difficult battle with the coronavirus acting this way - helping one another carry the physical and emotional load of this pandemic. But, as comforting as these words are, there is a much more comforting phrase for all of us, “Jesus is in this mess with us!” God so loved us he sent his one and only Son to come down into our broken and disease-infested world. He came to take our sin and all sin’s related curse upon himself - even our death. On the cross, he swallowed an eternity’s worth of sin’s lethal poison for me, and you, and all mankind - for all time. He swallowed THE WORLD’S WORST PANDEMIC - and defeated it on the cross. On the first Easter morning the Angel declared, “He is RISEN!” The darkness of sin was displaced by the Light of life FOREVER. When Jesus rose from the dead we saw New Creation sprout. Just as the crocus gives the first sign of spring - Jesus’ body raised from the coldness of death was the first sign of New Creation bursting forth. Jesus took up our infirmities. He healed our diseases … and soon … very soon the ripple effect of this will overwhelm each and everyone of us who have repented of sin and believed in HIM. All creation will soon experience NEW CREATION - not just by faith - but in reality. New Creation will burst forth all around. If God so loved us … HE WILL SEE US THROUGH. Jesus didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves after he rose from the dead. He said to His baptized and believing people, “I will be with you always.” He is with us in good times and bad times, when we are rich and when we are poor, when we are sick and when we are healthy … and he will NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US.
The Vine Church is working hard to provide you with resources to help you grow in your faith while you are practicing “social distancing” due to Covid-19. Our Facebook page is the easiest way for you to pick up the latest resources. Type @onthevinechurch into your Facebook search window and you will find our page. On our Facebook page there are pre-recorded weekly worship services to play when it works for you or your household, and there are children’s activities for parents to teach the faith to their children. We invite you to contact pastorjim@onthevinechurch.com to join a Vine Group. Vine Groups are neighborhood Bible studies on Zoom. It’s one way to get to know your neighbors and sit at Jesus feet and learn from Him together. The Vine also offers a regularly scheduled worship service online at 10AM. Go to https://www.onthevinechurch.com. You can participate in the weekly worship, email any questions you may have, or request private prayer. Invite your friends and family, wherever they are, to use any of these resources that may be helpful. If you have elderly family members, friends, or neighbors that are not as savvy finding these resources, consider coaching them so they can be encouraged and grow in their faith as well.
The Vine Church hopes to assemble again when the “stay at home” order is lifted and it’s safe. Our regular worship kick-off is scheduled for September 20, 2020 @ 10 AM. When it is safe to gather Vine Connect will begin again as well. We plan gathering on Wednesday nights @ 3950 Leonard St. NW, Walker, MI. Our Wednesday schedule for Vine Connect will be 7:30-8:30 PM for visiting/song/teaching. If you are reading this we hope you will join us and explore this gathering of your neighbors in Walker. We want you to know that by joining us you are in no way committing yourself to anything other than enjoying the company of your neighbors. We will be done before 8:30 PM and if you need to leave earlier - that’s no problem. We understand. If you are unable to gather with us at Vine Connect on Wednesdays we have other groups meeting at various time. Get in touch with us and we will help you connect to your neighbors in Walker.
Though we give you as much space as you need to explore The Vine community … we are looking for friends and neighbors who are willing to join us in this mission. We are praying that the Holy Spirit moves you to help The Vine Church serve the community of Walker with Jesus love and the GOOD NEWS!
Children are welcome! Helping you raise your child to know and love Jesus is a huge part of our church’s DNA. After eating and singing a few songs together with the entire family … a team of adults co-op together to care for our children and teach them about Jesus while the other adults gather around the Word.
Come meet Pastor Jim & Sara Richter, and a growing number of folks already invested in The Vine Church - as well as your neighbors in Walker. Most of all - come and spend some time with us in the presence of our Living Lord, Jesus! He alone is the one leading and guiding and using us to do this miracle work! Ephesians 3:20-21.
Please email pastorjim@onthevinechurch.com with any questions!