April 9^th, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life for everybody. There is much uncertainty in the world and many are shaken by it. In a time of uncertainty, something certain is that God is sovereign, in control, and Jesus is with us. Psalm 46:1-2 reminds us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way.” We have nothing to fear in Christ because the gospel cannot be quarantined, God’s power cannot be restricted, nothing can separate us from Jesus’ love, and the Holy Spirit’s work cannot be stopped!

I am compelled to keep everybody up to date and informed at the state of our church. I want to give routine updates of the health of The Lakes. The Lord has been incredibly gracious and kind to us in this season. We truly have a special community that is bonded together by the Holy Spirit. I love our church deeply and want to keep you cognizant on where we stand. I have divided up different sections for ease of use and clarity. We are all in this together as the family of God and I could not be more joyful to be part of such an awesome church that loves God deeply! If you have any questions, please email me at Mark.pospisil@thelakescc.org. Grace and peace – Pastor Mark

Spiritual State – The Lord has grown us in our spiritual lives and in our impact in the community.

• We are experiencing record numbers through our live stream services. Many visitors from the community are engaging in our services and prayer times and the gospel is spreading.
• We have a list of people ready to get baptized when our quarantine is lifted.
• High small group attendance through the pandemic and plugging new people into groups.
• We are praying and fasting together as a church like never before. Every Monday-Saturday we pray together at noon on our Facebook page. Every Thursday, until this pandemic ceases, we are fasting as a church.
• We are engaged in our community to meet spiritual and physical needs. We are working with Open Door and some of the schools to deliver food to families in need and show the love of Christ.
• There is a spirit of unity and harmony in our church during this time.

Financial State – Through the Lord’s provision and the planning of our elders we are in a healthy financial state.

• Tithing is holding steady and done mostly through our website and being mailed in. Thank you for your generosity to the Lord. Our financial situation is very good.
• We are applying for the loan available to us through the CARES Act. There are many advantages and it will not hinder us from preaching the full counsel of God’s Word and the gospel.
• The elders have plans for the long haul and various scenarios to make sure we stay in a healthy financial state.

New Building State – Many of the projects for the new building are put on hold in this season.

• COVID-19 has brought most construction and major projects to a halt.
• We are not having any volunteer nights until the Governor’s Executive Order is lifted. We want to be good citizens to our community and honor God with our decisions.
• This pushes our building opening further back and we are not sure when the date will be. There are many things at play and we want to abide by our government’s recommendations. We will keep everybody updated as things progress and we get more clarity.
• Giving to the building project has dropped during this time.