•Social gatherings have been limited to 10 people or less, by executive order of Governor Abbott.

•Worship Service will continue each Sunday at 11am while the current Social distancing guidelines remain in effect.
(The Sanctuary, Chapel and gym will be opened to allowed social distancing)

•Live Stream remains at www.fbcyorktown.org/media or by using the "Live Stream & Video" link on our Home page.

Greetings Church Family-

I listened to our Governor Greg Abbott this afternoon as he read his executive order banning the gathering of 10 or more people in all areas of public life. His only exception being churches and religious gatherings. One might ask why churches would be exempted from the order. Our governor is a Christian brother who loves the Lord and has given his testimony before and it is powerful. Governor Abbott is also a very wise attorney with a good grasp of the 1st Amendment protections of religious freedom. As a pastor, I really admired his separating church and state as it should be!

Having said that, I feel that we as citizens of the great state of Texas and more importantly God's Kingdom should do all we can to love our neighbors as ourselves. The protection of human life is clearly a compelling interest of both the church and the state. In the specific circumstances of this crisis, given what we know now of the virus, a shutdown order, especially one aimed at gatherings over a certain size, is both narrowly tailored and the least restrictive means of breaking the cycle of COVID-19.

The good news is that we have resources to adjust to these challenging and unforeseen circumstances. We have been blessed with the ability to live stream our service. For thousands of years soldiers, missionaries, and humanitarian relief workers have had to improvise their worship gatherings in extraordinary times as we find ourselves in today. We have sought to make decisions based on Biblical discernment and wise counsel. We strongly feel that although we are not formally subject to shutdown orders, FBC Yorktown should err on the side of caution and choose to curtail our services. In summation, no one will be turned away Sunday morning. We do however, feel strongly that we should comply with the Executive orders and the recommendations of the CDC even though we are exempt and not required to do so.

The public health evidence makes clear that houses of worship should limit their gatherings, whether mandated or simply encouraged by government officials. And they should do so in willing partnership rather than bitter acquiescence.

We are commanded in Scripture to love our neighbor, and caring for the least of these are moral imperatives. One of the best ways to demonstrate that love now is by suspending physical gatherings, including worship services—for the sake of our neighbors.

Remember Love Never Fails

Bro Mark

Who could imagine that as we rang in the New Year just a few days ago that there was evil afoot on the other side of the world in China? This unseen microbe would turn the world on its head, even in little old Yorktown! I thinking about Locust in Africa The fires in Australia due to no rain ( We Need rain here also!) and now this pesky COVID-19! I was reading this morning in 2 Chronicles 7:12-15 and found the answer to all that afflicts us!