Dear church partners,
I would like to start right away with my desired purpose for this letter. In the midst of one of the most uncertain times in our lives, I want to instill hope, calm and peace in each of you, our cherished church partners. I wish I could sit down with each of you, and allay your concerns and fears. But in reality, I can’t instill those qualities. I can only model and point to the One Who instills those qualities in me, Jesus Christ.
I am a flawed person and leader. I can struggle with insecurities and anxieties, wondering about a very cloudy future. But I know where to take those insecurities and anxieties.
In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul writes: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
During this time, my question to all of us is this: what is guarding our hearts and our minds right now? Is it fear? Is it reputation? Our bank accounts? Or what is shared at the governor’s daily press conference? Our social media habits?
My prayer is that the peace of God is guarding our hearts and minds, today and in the future.
As circumstances unfolded the week of March 8, shortly after we made the decision to cancel the Heart for the Home celebration, I had a strong feeling that while things may get chaotic, I knew our staff would rally and courageously support the clients we serve, and help them experience their worth in Christ. And they have truly stepped up.
And churches, I know the same is true for you. You are deeply invested in your congregations and communities and are going above and beyond to meet needs with creative solutions. I encourage you to keep the faith and not give up. The church is much more than the four walls of a building. Your faith in action demonstrates that daily. Thank you for all that you are doing to help people feel loved and valued.
We are praying for you – that you would make a great impact for God’s Kingdom especially during these unprecedented times. That God would give you wisdom to navigate the challenges of caring for others and the logistical challenges of finances and technology. What a blessing to present your needs to the Father. What a blessing that we can cast our cares fully on Him (1 Peter 5:7).
CCHO operations remain open as well. Our children’s residential center staff are supporting kids who are struggling with no longer having in-person visits from family members and no longer being unable to go on off-campus outings because of COVID-19. Additionally, we have just launched telemental health counseling through Encompass in order to meet people’s mental health needs and health safety during a time of heightened anxiety. We hope you and those in your community will use this service as needed. Connection and support is more important than ever.
We are truly in this together.
Your fellow servant, Kevin Hewitt President & CEO
