COMPASS AND THE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19

Our New Normal

Some people are really good with change.  However, some of us are not.  We are definitely in a season of change in our society and around our world.  At Compass, I thought that I should provide us with some direction that will help us live out life in this season.
 
First of all, here are some things that we will be doing as leaders at Compass:

• We will lean into God.

1. We are taking on the scriptures Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.

• We will pray.  We feel it is important for God's people to create the time and space to spend time with Him.

1. We will be scheduling 2- 1 hour times a week where we will lead the church into a time of solitude with God. One of our leaders will begin the prayer experience and provide you with guidelines to create a successful prayer experience in your own space.  We will encourage each person to find a quiet place in their home without distractions.  We will also encourage each person to prepare quiet music that would last for the entire 1 hour period.
   1. Tuesdays at 7pm-8pm
   2. Thursdays at 7pm-8pm

 

• We will do Sunday Services well.  We will strive to keep the quality of the Sunday service on a high level for all of the groups we serve.

1. Our Adult Service-  Will be broadcast on Youtube Live and posted on Facebook
2. Our Children Service-  Will be posted on the Compass Website
3. Our Student Service- Will be posted on the Compass Website

 

• We will care for our members

1. We will be in weekly communication with our attendees through text and emails.
2. We will keep the website updated.
3. We will make phone calls to check in on the elderly, the hurting and the weak.
4. We will send Facebook post out throughout the week with encouraging messages and updates as we get them.
5. Food bags have been put together for any Compass Attendee to receive in the event of job loss or kids being at home. 
   1. Simply call Compass at 513-549-6713 or email us at info@cincycompass.com.

 

• We will serve those in need at Compass and the communities surrounding the Compass site.

1. We are providing nonperishable foods and supplies for families in need in 3 communities surrounding the Compass building.  They are Springdale, Forest Park and Lincoln Heights.  
   
2. We are asking Compass Attendees to consider purchasing extra items while at the food store and drop them off at the church in the bins located in the front of the building.

 

• We will effectively steward the finances of the church.

1. We need for you to keep up with your financial giving.  
2. We are cutting areas of our budget line items to assist with the decrease that we are experiencing in our projected giving.
3. We are encouraging our Compass Attendees to continue to give their tithe and offering.  There are three ways that you can do this:
   1. Give on line at the Compass website www.cincycompass.com.
   2. Mail in your giving at 161 Northland Blvd. Cincinnati, OH 45246.
   3. Drop off your tithe and offering at the church at door #1 in the black box.

 

• ​We are going to GROW Spiritually!  You are going to be challenged in this season to be proactive in your spiritual growth and disciplines.  YOU HAVE TO DRIVE THE BUS ON HERE!  We will guide you with some great resources that you can use to help you grow as a believer.  We will also provide weekly devotionals and teachings that will help us through this season.  
  1. As a church we will be journeying together with a RightNow Media resource called “The Book of James by Francis Chan.”  You are going to love this series.  This is a 12-week teaching series on The Power of Faith.  We believe that this teaching will help us push through this season and stay encouraged and faithful.  YOU CAN FIND THIS VIRTUAL BIBLE STUDY ON THE FRONT OF OUR WEBSITE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.  If you are not a member of Right Now Media, go to the Compass website and sign up for free.  You will find the sign ups at the bottom of the front webpage titled “Right Now Media.”
  2. We will begin a weekly teaching that we will send out to you through Flocknote that will help guide us as a church through this season.  We are working on posting this weekly teaching on our website.

 

• COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION: Lastly, we will be sending out weekly video messages to our Compass Attendees:

1. Dorrien and/or Bob will be sending a weekly video message at the beginning of the week updating our attendees on Compass and the Coronavirus.

 

​
Here are things that we are asking and encouraging you to do during this season:

• Lean into God during this season 

1. During this season you will be creating a new rhythm for your daily living. 
2. Ensure that you begin your day with a daily devotion.  Select a book from the bible to focus on.  Read the book of James, the Proverbs, the Psalm.  Sign up on the bible app and begin a devotion.  There are lots of them on there.
3. Consider a quiet time to lean into God.  Seek to hear God’s voice as it pertains to your life and the life of your family.  What is it that God may be wanting you to hear and do during this season?
4. Let Psalm 121 be a guide to you during this season.

 

• Do Worship well

1. Embrace the new way we are doing Sunday worship service.  Don’t hang out at Bedside Baptist J.  I just had to say that.  We are working hard to make sure that we are providing the best online Sunday experience.  Here are some guides to help you on Sunday morning:​
   1. Consider closing out your service time with a family prayer.
   2. Get your bible and a note pad to take notes
   3. Prepare your communion items for worship.  Communion will take place after the second song.
      1. Grape juice and bread or crackers
   4. Wake up with your family in time to have a good family breakfast and get prepared to worship together.

 

• Stay committed to giving your financial tithe and offering to Compass

1. The only way that Compass Community Church is able to exist is by the financial gifts that are given by those who attend Compass.  I wish that we had big donors that gave to our church to help us keep our church running but we don’t.  It takes the tithes and offering from every person who attends our church to keep everything up and running.  This is why we need for you to try your best to stay consistent in your giving.  In fact, Pray about increasing your giving during this period.  Our weekly projected giving number that we look at every week is $5,100.  As of today, our weekly giving for this week is $2,300.  We are taking a hit in our giving.  This is why we are encouraging us all to strive to give.  Again, there are three ways that we can give:
   1. Give on line at the Compass website www.cincycompass.com.
   2. Mail in your giving at 161 Northland blvd. Cincinnati, OH 45246.
   3. Drop off your tithe and offering at the church at door #1 in the black box.

 

• In need of assistance

1. Food bags have been put together for any Compass Attendee to receive in the event of job loss, kids being at home or just in need of food. 
   1. Simply call Compass at 513-549-6713 or email us at info@cincycompass.com.

 

• Serve Others Well

1. We have a few ways that we are serving the folks around our church.  You can find those ways above.  We will also keep you in the loop as we continue to work on these initiatives.
2. We want to also encourage you to be BOLD and DO SOMETHING in the spaces that you are in.  I am having so many opportunities to encourage people with Jesus and share a sense of hope to people who are feeling hopeless.  Simply think about bible verses that you can share with others during this season.  You may want to print out Psalm 121 and consider passing it out to people while you are out.  
3. BE GENEROUS.  I am so happy about what I have learned about generosity.  “You cannot shake hands with another person with your hands in a fist.”  I didn’t make that up.  Not sure who did.  The bible does say however, that a generous man will prosper.  BE GENEROUS!  Be willing to give to others during this season.  I promise you that God will bring them to you and I promise you that as you put out that God will fill your cup up even more.

 

• GROW, GROW, GROW.  Take the time to GROW as a believer.

1. We are really going to work hard to provide as many resources out to you to help you grow in your maturity in Christ.  Here are some ways that you can GROW:
   1. We will begin a weekly teaching that we will send out to you through Flocknote that will help guide us as a church through this season.  We are working on posting this weekly teaching on our website.
   2. As a church we will be journeying together with a RightNow Media resource called “The Book of James by Francis Chan.”  You are going to love this series.  This is a 12-week teaching series on The Power of Faith.  We believe that this teaching will help us push through this season and stay encouraged and faithful.  YOU CAN FIND THIS VIRTUAL BIBLE STUDY ON THE FRONT OF OUR WEBSITE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.  If you are not a member of Right Now Media, go to the Compass website and sign up for free.  You will find the sign ups at the bottom of the front webpage titled “Right Now Media.”

 
Let’s do well in this season.  Remember, a season doesn’t last forever.  It will come to an end.  When it is over though, we want to be able to say that we made it through that tough season and we made it through well.  God is on our side and He will be with us.
 
With you,
Dorrien