Community - March 21st Update

In the face of this pandemic, what is your hope? Is your hope for healing? Is your hope for safety? Is your hope that no one lose their job and the economy recovers quickly? I have been asking myself what I hope comes out of all of this. All these things are great to hope for and I genuinely desire that God covers the world with healing, safety, and financial security. I want us to think big and pray in hopes of how God is going to move in this crisis. However, if all those things come to pass, is restoration back to the way things were before really the best outcome to hope and pray for?

Elder Mike Delay, who has been amazing by the way. He and his family have opened their home to us for the livestreams, he did his first communion teaching last weekend, and he has stepped up in so many ways with a generous heart. Give him a big thank you next time you see him, he deserves it! Elder Mike sent me 1 Corinthians 15:16-28 and I want you to spend some time reading through that passage this week.

You see, my hope in this whole thing is not just for healing, safety, or financial security, my prayer is for the outpouring of God's Grace in the salvation of lost souls all around the world! My hope is that people begin to see the fading nature of life and put their trust in what lasts, in what's eternal. My hope is that more people would put their hope in Jesus in the aftermath of this virus! That to me is so much greater than hoping for anything else that it can't even be put on the same scale!

I want to look closely at 1 Corinthians 15:16-19 and let this passage pour into your heart. Pray on it, meditate on it, and invite the Holy Spirit to plant this verse in your heart. It says: "For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men to be most pitied."

Here is the truth I want you to grasp from this, no matter what outcome you are hoping for in all of this, you must first put your hope in the resurrection of Jesus. As we approach Easter, I want this thought to permeate your life. As Christians, our first and foremost hope is that Jesus will return someday, that He will make all things new, that He will reign over heaven and earth for all eternity, and that He will raise us from the dead to join Him in that new creation!

For if our faith only amounts to good things in this life, our faith is worthless! It will fade with everything else. Do not put your hope in things that fade. Put your hope in our eternal savior, Jesus. "For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it" -Romans 8:24-25.

COVID-19 UPDATES:

1. We started a Facebook group called Surprise Christian Prayer and Support Page. I encourage all of you to join this group. It is a private group so you will have to request to join and we be sure to add you. We will use it for prayer requests, praise reports, and asking for assistance. We want to break down as many walls as possible while we are separate for us to communicate with one another, support one another, pray for one another, and meet one another's needs. Use this page! We will have ways for you to reach out and support your neighbors as well in the coming weeks, currently putting the final touches on an idea that we have! I will let you know ASAP.
2. I encourage you to sign up for small groups. You can sign up at my.surprise.church/smallgroups. We will be utilizing zoom to get together and continue to have community.
3. We are going to try something new! I am not sure how well this will work but I miss you guys. So, we are going to try to do a big Zoom meeting with all of us next Saturday, March 28 at 1pm. If you have never used Zoom before, it is super easy! It's a video meeting service that is totally free. On Saturday, all you have to do is click this link https://zoom.us/j/232902514 and it should walk you through any necessary downloads. Come join us as we hang out and talk! I would love to hear how you are doing, to talk about what creative things you have been doing to pass the time, to talk about things I can pray for you, and whatever else you feel like talking about!
4. I want to remind you of the Easter baskets we are doing with Sunshine homes. We help put together baskets for the foster kids every year and I am excited to do it again this year. Here are some instructions:

Suggested Items for Boy's Basket

• Matchbox cars, pokemon cards
• Candy, Legos, $10 gift cards, chocolate
• Something that represents the reason for Easter
• Playing Cards
• Small balls, sports items
• Sidewalk chalk
• Markers, small books, balls, markers
• Crayons/coloring books
• Small games
• Colored pencils

Suggested Items for Girl's Basket

• Something that represents the reason for Easter
• Playing Cards, perfume, chocolate, candy, crayons, coloring books
• Small books, markers, body lotion
• Small games, $10 gift cards, stuffed animals
• Colored pencils
• Make-up (over 13 yrs.)
• Hair supplies
• Nail items
• Jewelry

Items will need to be brought to 17513 W. Aster Drive, Surprise by Wednesday, April 8th. Please call or text Dawn Merritt at 623-297-4079 or outreach@surprise.church to coordinate drop off.

5. Our children's and youth services are going digital! You should have already received an email from Brandy detailing out the changes for children's services as well as getting your resources to go through the Scripture with your kids during the week. You can check out those resources at my.surprise.church/kidsresources. Our Youth Intern Bryan Brown will be sending an email out today detailing out the changes for Jr. High and high school students as well. They will be utilizing Zoom this Sunday to have youth group and the intern is also going to provide resources for you to utilize as a family during the week.

6. I hope you come join us this week at http://live.surprise.church for services at 9:30 and 11:00. We are going to continue to look at how Jesus is our Hope. I have decided that we are going to work through Philippians start to finish over the coming weeks. I really believe that this letter has a lot to say to us in this time of trial. I am excited to get started and I hope you join us! Be sure to share the stream with your friends and family. This is a great opportunity for people who don't normally go to church to get a peek inside the doors.

We will get through this together! Let's continue to build the amazing community we have at Surprise Christian Church. I love you guys.

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word"

-2 Thessalonians 2:16-17.

Sincerely, 

Drew Carroll 

Lead Pastor