Church Life Updates

Friday, March 27, 2020 - 5:30 pm

Today, the elders spent the day meeting together via video conferencing to talk through plans for our church in the coming weeks.

Our primary concern and our focus are to honor the Lord by continuing to care for and minister to our church body during the unfamiliar and unsettling days we are experiencing. In light of this, please make note of the below changes and opportunities to connect:

We are grateful to be able to continue many of the ministries of the church via technology, but on-site ministries and events have been suspended until further notice. After the restrictions for Southlake and Tarrant County have been lifted, the elders will determine the timeline for resuming these ministries in a manner that poses the least risk to those involved.
We are making plans for our Easter Weekend services. Our Good Friday communion service will be live streamed on April 10 at 5:00 pm. The Resurrection Sunday service will be live streamed on April 12 at 10:30 am. We’ll share more details on Sunday.
Our Sunday morning worship will continue to be live-streamed at 10:30 am. Please join us at www.countrysidebible.org/media.
Please also join us Sunday evening online for an informal time of teaching, encouragement and Bible Study. Beginning this Sunday, we will be streaming live from our website starting at 6:00 pm. You can also join on Facebook and YouTube.

At the end of the service this Sunday morning, Pastor Tom will take a few minutes to update you on the elders’ discussion and additional plans we are making to ensure our church family stays connected with the ability to care for one another.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020 - 5:30 pm

In keeping with the Tarrant County Stay at Home Order, the church campus is currently closed to the public. We will continue to:

Maintain remote office hours on Tuesday-Friday, 9:00-5:00. Please do not hesitate to contact the church staff at 817-488-5381 or cbcstaff@countrysidebible.org.
Live stream our Sunday morning worship service at 10:30.
Work to keep us all connected as we adapt our communication and ongoing ministries to these unique days through the use of the various available technologies.

Please pray for the elders as they meet on Friday to discuss these and other issues in the life of the church. May we all continue to actively and appropriately engage in the lives of others in our body and in our communities as we have opportunity.

Sunday, March 15, 2020 - 7:12 pm

In keeping with the government's request and school closures, the elders have agreed to cancel all Countryside ministries and church events through March 30. We will continue to live stream a Sunday morning worship service at 10:30.

The elders will evaluate subsequent meetings on March 27 and provide an update at that time.

We plan for the church office to remain open during our normal office hours (T-F, 9:00-5:00). Thank you for your understanding during these unique days.

Please continue to:

Pray for and encourage one another as you have opportunity, particularly those at greatest risk,
Pray for our government leadership, medical personnel, and all those in our communities affected by this pandemic,
Pray that the Lord would use this trial to refine the church and to draw many to Himself.

If you have particular prayer requests or needs, please do not hesitate to contact the church office:

817-488-5381
cbcstaff@countrysidebible.org

Friday, March 13, 2020 - 7:55 pm

Dear Countryside Family,

Please read this message carefully—our plans for this Sunday have changed.

The coronavirus pandemic is moving and evolving at a speed that is difficult for us all to keep up with. The elders and I intentionally waited until this afternoon to communicate our plans for Sunday, because we hoped that meant they would not need to be changed, since we had based our decision on the most up-to-date information.

However, this afternoon we learned that Tarrant County Public Health has issued new recommendations. They are recommending that any event over 250 people be canceled.

In light of these new guidelines, the elders and I considered several possible options. Our response was not out of the fear and panic that is so common but was carefully weighed and considered as stewards of Christ’s church. In a desire to respect our government’s request, to support our health professionals fighting this pandemic, and to protect those at highest risk in our church family, the elders have decided to take the following steps...

1. Cancel all our onsite services and ministries this Sunday, March 15

2. Livestream one service at 10:30 (https://countrysidebible.org//media)

The elders and I will meet Sunday afternoon to discuss plans for Sunday- and mid-week ministries moving forward. We will post all future updates on www.countrysidebible.org.

I hope you will join us via live stream Sunday morning at 10:30, and invite others to tune in as well. I plan to step away from Romans 12 and present a special message that I hope will encourage us all in these troubled times.

Please pray for the physical health and protection of our church family. But even more importantly, pray that none of us will miss the sanctifying influence God intends this trial to be in our lives. Pray for our rulers—at every level of government—to come to salvation and to have the wisdom to navigate this crisis. And pray that God will use this tiny virus to humble the pride of man, to bring individuals to repent and believe in His Son, and ultimately to glorify Himself.

In Christ,

Tom Pennington
Pastor-Teacher

Friday, March 13, 2020 - 5:29 pm

Update for Sunday Ministries

In a desire to respect our government’s recommendation, to support our health professionals fighting the pandemic, and to protect those at highest risk in our church family, the elders have decided...

– To cancel all our onsite services and ministries this Sunday, March 15.

– To live stream one service at 10:30 am, the normal time of our second service.

– To meet as elders Sunday afternoon to discuss plans regarding our Sunday and mid-week ministries moving forward.

More information and future updates will be posted on our website.