COVID-19 Update: April 3

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How terrified and deeply traumatized the disciples must have felt when, as recorded in the Gospel of John, Jesus cryptically told them He would be going away to a place they could not come. They didn’t see this news coming nor could they understand it. After years of being in the physical presence of their Lord, suddenly they would have to adapt to doing life apart from the One they loved so much and who they leaned on for guidance every day. 

Jesus, knowing their fears and the vulnerability of their souls, went on to say that He “would never leave them as orphans,” but that He would be sending a helper who would indwell them and through whom they would do even greater things than he had done! 

All of this would take time to be unfold, of course, but on the other side of the cross, what God the Father had in mind was that through His son’s death, resurrection, and gift of His spirit we would become His offspring – the church, the body of Jesus Christ on earth. Despite persecution, pandemic, and all the powers of darkness over the years, The Church now saturates the world as we know it. 

Today, over 2000 years later, we are facing our own crisis – one unprecedented in our lifetime. Out of nowhere, we have been placed on pause, separated from one another with hardly any notice, and forced to adapt to a life marked by isolation. Yet despite the reality of our own physical containment, God is not under quarantine! The Holy Spirit is restriction-free; and despite the clouds that temporarily blur our vision, Jesus remains high upon His throne, unthreatened and completely committed to those He died to save. 

Like author and preacher, AW Tozer, said over 60 years ago, “keep a Christian from entering the church sanctuary, and you have not in the least bit hindered his worship. We carry our sanctuary with us. We never leave it”. 

Metro, we may be separated physically but we are connected spiritually and host the living presence of a God who cannot be contained or bullied into submission. Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” That includes all opposition, including the nemesis we call, “Covid-19”. 

Even more than waiting out the storm, The Church is on the advance and opportunity exists within the shadows of this dark time. For starters, hearts are more open to the Gospel of God’s grace. People are longing for connection and reaching out for answers. In addition to the receptivity of people, the age of technology in which we live provides us a unique opportunity to connect more widely with those on the margins of faith who are raising their hand to be seen; and because we are not limited by space or distance, we can choose to seize the moment to become less cliquey and more inclusive. 

The Church is also experiencing hyper-focus, rallying behind our common struggle and looking to the One who is “an ever present help in times of trouble.” Crisis tends to not only unify but clarify what truly matters. We become less petty and more inclined to reconciliation. We become more empathetic toward those in need because we feel the pain too. We are cherishing the gift of family like never before in this modern age. May that only grow. 

Beyond even all of this lies the opportunity to even go deeper with God and deeper with one another in relationship. We have regained something very precious in the midst of all our losses and that is our time. With schedules reduced and nowhere to go, we have the chance to sit at the feet of Jesus less hurried and the unique opportunity get to spend time getting to know one another beyond the surface of what we each do. I have participated in several video chat and prayer groups and, while new to me, they have been surprisingly useful for getting to know people in a deeper way. Who says you can’t teach an old dog a new trick?!

Metro, as Pastors who journey with you, we want you to not only survive this time but thrive in it too – to go deeper with God, with one another, and even wider in your reach to those around you. To this end we have adapted to create many different ways for you to plug in, to experience community and encounter the living God via cyberspace. Take a look and join in the fun!

All Ages


Everyday

  • The Daily Pause: live prayer & scripture with Pastor Doug Cho every day from 12-12:15pm on Facebook and YouTube.

  • Holy Week At Home with Dr. David Ho Sang: starting Monday, April 6 through Good Friday, April 10 @ 8pm on Facebook and YouTube.

  • Small Groups: over 20 smalls groups currently meet via video conference weekly. If you are not presently a part of a small group but would like to join one (we are creating new groups to meet the demand) email Doug Cho: doug.cho@emetro.org.

Tuesdays

  • Growing Healthily: Emotionally, Spiritually & Relationally: stay connected to the Word and growing in your walk with Christ via Zoom every Tuesday, starting April 14 from 7-7:30pm: https: zoom.us/j/303028202. For more info, email Agnes: Agnes.Hyun@gmail.com.

Wednesdays

  • Mid-week Prayer & Worship: via Zoom every Wednesday at 7:30pm. To join this group or for more info, contact Mike Yi: michael.yi@emetro.org.

Thursdays

Fridays

  • Friday Morning Prayer Group: via Zoom at 6am (for the early birds). To join this group or for more info, contact Pastor David: david.hosang@emetro.org.

Sundays

Youth (6th-12th grade)

Contact IJ Hur for details and log on info:

Thursdays

  • Thankful Thursdays:  4:30-6pm. We share what we are thankful for this past week and have a time of gratitude and affirmations.

Fridays

  • Virtual Friday Night Fellowship: 7:30-9pm. We are currently going through the "Alpha Series" where we talk about basic questions of the faith.

Saturdays

  • Netflix Party Saturdays: 8-9:45pm. We all watch Netflix movies together and have fun with each other through chat.

Children

Sundays

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