Dear Temple Baptist Church,

I have been thinking of each of you during these anxious times.  Being in this crisis reminds me of God's word.  The Bible says, "God is our refuse and strength, a very present help in trouble."  (Psalm 46:1)  As the world practices social distancing in an effort to flatten the curve, and we as the church cannot meet as normal to worship, we need to seek new ways to be faithful.  The situation we are in is fluid.  It changes by the hour.  But there is one thing that never changes and is always relevent.  It is Jesus and His word.

Jesus once said that the most important thing in the world is to love God and to love others.  What I realize is that the threat of the coronavirus does not keep us from loving God or loving others.  If anything it should make us more loving in practive.  We also have more time on our hands now.  More time to read God's word.  More time to pray.  More time to love God and to share His love.  It is more time for us to totally DEPEND ON GOD.

And listen, when it comes to loving others, we might have to show it differently.  Right now, we can't hug each other or shake each others hand.  But we can reach out to those who are home alone.  We can make phone calls or write cards or letters to others.

Remember THE CHURCH IS NOT THE BUILDING.  It is the faithful followers of Jesus Christ.  As the Holy Spirit works in us and through us, let us love the way Christ loves us.  That kind of love is "Virus Proof"

So Church, may we not be fearful and let us love the Lord and others.  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present in trouble."

In Christ,

Pastor:  Rev. Mack C. Scott, Jr.