June 9, 2020 Update
Dear Graeber Road Family,
As Graeber Road makes progress toward holding physical assemblies, the elders are pleased that we were able to hold our first mid-week assembly on June 3rd. It was wonderful to see everyone at the building and hear the first lesson in our Wednesday Night Summer Series. Now that Graeber has safely started physically meeting, we are excited to announce the reopening of additional assemblies and special events that are so important to the congregation.
On Wednesday, June 17th, (after 13 weeks) Graeber Road will start Bible classes for the children. Please note that the entire mid-week assembly will still last approximately one hour, but the format will be different from what we are used to. In-order-to maintain a healthy environment and social distancing, the new format will start with everyone in the auditorium for a short devotional. So, please enter the building through the main doors. Following the devotional, the adults will remain in the auditorium, and the children will break-out to their classes. Below are the locations of the classrooms.
- Ages 0-2 will remain with their parents (no nursery class),
- Ages 3-5 will meet in Adult Classroom 3 (near the Annex kitchen),
- Grades K-5 will meet in the Fellowship Hall, and
- Grades 6-12 will meet in the Annex.
At the end of class, everyone will be dismissed to depart from the building. Parents with younger children (ages 3 to grade 5) will meet your children at their classroom. If your children are able (grades 6-12), please plan to meet them outside the building; otherwise, meet them at their classroom. In all cases, parents please communicate your plans with your children prior to the assembly.
We hope you will plan for your children to attend these classes because the teachers have worked hard to prepare scripturally engaging material and activities (Psalm 34:11*).
Even though we have said this before, please don’t forget that the shepherds at Graeber Road love each of you and are extremely concerned for your soul. Thank you for your support and prayers during these extraordinary times.
Love in Christ,
The Elders
Cary Dwyer, David Laman, Steve Laman, Roy Ross, Doug Thompson, Doug Young
* Psalm 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
May 29, 2020 Update
Dear Graeber Road Family,
As you are aware, the congregation at Graeber Road achieved a milestone on May 17th by reopening the building for the Sunday morning worship assembly. This was achieved after:
- many prayers to God for wisdom (James 1:5) during these unprecedented times,
- extensive study of Government guidelines,
- several meetings to determine a healthy and scriptural assembly format, and
- eight weeks of virtual worship assemblies.
Moving along a path to fully reopen Graeber Road’s assemblies, the elders are ready to implement three more changes that we want to communicate to you.
The next change will occur on Wednesday, June 3rd, when Graeber Road will open the building for the mid-week assembly. That assembly will also kick-off Graeber Road’s annual Wednesday Night Summer Series: “What’s so Amazing About Grace”. You can expect the format of that assembly to be like the Sunday morning format where the:
- movements and seating are restricted to maintain social distancing,
- service is limited to approximately one-hour in the auditorium,
- elders and preachers conduct all the activities, and
- assembly is streamed live on YouTube (for those who are not able to attend).
The two other changes will occur on Sunday, June 7th, and Wednesday, June 10th, where there will be a single change to each of the established assembly formats. On these dates (and going forward), the men of the congregation will conduct the activities during the assembly. If you have served during the worship assembly in the past, please be prepared to accept a similar assignment from Roger or Clay.
As the Government issues additional guidelines for assemblies during this COVID-19 pandemic, the elders will consider more changes to return Graeber Road to those assemblies and activities that we all remember and loved.
Until that time, please know that the shepherds at Graeber Road love each of you and are extremely concerned about pleasing God (Acts 5:29), protecting your wellbeing (Acts 20:28) and obeying our Government (Romans 13:1-2). We deeply appreciate your support and respectfully ask you to continue to pray for God to guide us and the congregation.
Love in Christ,
The Elders
Graeber Road Church of Christ
1910 Graeber Rd
Rosenberg, TX 77471
Cary Dwyer, David Laman, Steve Laman, Roy Ross, Doug Thompson, Doug Young
Scripture References:
Acts 5:29
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.
Acts 20:28
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Romans 13:1–2
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
May 12, 2020 Update
Dear Graeber Road Family,
As brother Doug Thompson mentioned in his remarks this past Sunday, we are planning to physically meet together this upcoming Sunday morning (May 17, 2020) at 10:00 AM. In order to meet together, we will have to take a number of precautions and follow certain guidelines to keep our congregation safe. The elders have carefully reviewed “CDC Guidelines for Community and Faith-Based Organizations”, “State of Texas Guidance for Houses of Worship During the Covid-19 Crisis”, and Family Research Council “Guidelines for Reopening Your Church” for guidance in addressing the logistics of meeting together physically. We have continuously searched God’s Word for spiritual guidance in this difficult time as well.
We will begin worship service Sunday, May 17, 2020, at 10:00 AM. We will not resume Bible class, Sunday PM worship, or Wednesday PM worship at this time. As time goes by and we are able to realize positive progress, we will add these activities as circumstances permit.
We will need to follow some specific guidelines when meeting together so that we can stay safe and comply with current recommended practices. They are as follows:
- Upon arrival at the building, we will enter through the auditorium foyer doors only. All other entrances will be locked and unavailable for building access. There will be elders and ushers at these entrances to help you enter the building, apply hand sanitizer, pick up communion supplies, and find a seat. Please follow their directions, and do your best to help things go smoothly.
- There will be areas “roped off” so that we can sit every other pew and help maintain “social distancing”. We will need to sit in our family units and maintain an appropriate distance from others. This will include children. It will be absolutely necessary that children remain with their parents at all times while we are at the building.
- We will need to remain in the auditorium while at the building as much as possible. We will not be able to go to any other areas of the building.
- At the conclusion of worship, we will be dismissed and will have to follow certain directions to leave the building and get back to our vehicles. You will not be able to loiter in the foyer or parking lot after services in order to comply with current guidelines. The elders and ushers will be gathered in the back to assist and guide you in this process.
Some additional guidelines should be considered as we prepare to meet together:
- If you are in an identified high-risk group or do not feel comfortable publically gathering for reasons of health and safety, please continue to participate in the online/YouTube worship platform. We will continue to offer online content so that individuals that need to worship from home can do so. We will also be live streaming our Sunday morning worship beginning May 17, 2020 at 10:00 am.
- If you or someone in your family are ill in any way, please stay at home. If you are running a temperature, coughing, have a runny nose, etc., please stay home. Please be exceedingly cognizant of your general health, and if you are not feeling well, stay home.
- Please continue to follow good hygiene by frequent hand washing, using hand sanitizer, using your elbow or tissues to cover coughs, and not touching your face.
- Masks will not be required, but if you are more comfortable wearing one, then do so.
We realize this is not an ideal or perfect situation, yet it represents movement toward a more “normal” worship environment. For the time being, we will need to exercise considerable restraint when we gather. For some of us nearly two months will have passed since we last saw one another. First instincts may be to run to another person or family and wrap them in a tight hug. Please resist that urge. It has the potential to endanger the health of someone else and provides the opportunity to set us back in our forward progress. For the time being, our standard greeting should be a warm smile accompanied by a friendly wave.
All of us have struggled with being physically separate from the church family and we share your joy and excitement in this first phase toward a normal gathering; however, our youngest children will not understand why things look so different, why I can’t play with my best friends, and why after nine weeks I still can’t have Bible class with my favorite teacher. We can see this as a temporary condition while they may not. Please parents, have several discussions in advance with your kids to explain the temporary nature and that this is one step of many.
The elders and preachers are looking forward to meeting together with eagerness and joyful anticipation. Please consider one another in love and kindness as we begin to meet again publically. Words cannot adequately express our love for you, or how we long to see each one of you. We have included the following scriptures for reference as we come back together.
Love in Christ,
The Elders
Graeber Road Church of Christ
1910 Graeber Rd
Rosenberg, TX 77471
Cary Dwyer, David Laman, Steve Laman, Roy Ross, Doug Thompson, Doug Young
Rom 13:1-7
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. NKJV
Phil 2:1-4
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. NKJV
Eph 4:1-6
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. NKJV
Ps 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! NKJV
May 1, 2020 Update
Dear Graeber Road Family,
The elders expect you are aware of Governor Abbott’s communication issued on Monday afternoon, April 27, 2020 in which he provided guidelines and directives regarding a relaxation of the current COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. We want to inform and assure you that we are working on plans to resume meeting together for worship and other congregational activities.
There are specific guidelines and recommendations given in Governor Abbott’s Executive Order G-18 regarding churches/places of worship. We are in the process of interpreting the issued guidelines and then creating a plan to meet together and follow these directions as best we can. At this time, we hope to have the things we need to publicly meet together in place by mid-May. We are somewhat flexible on this timetable as we need to ensure we are fully ready to physically meet together again.
Please understand that there is still a great concern and potential to transmit and spread Coronavirus between those we come in contact with. Due to these factors, we will not return completely, all at once, to our pre-quarantine level of activity but will initiate a gradual phase-in by beginning with Sunday AM worship first. As things progress and we feel comfortable with the results we are seeing and the infection rate continues to decline we will be able to add activities and relax some of the stringent requirements we have endured like “social distancing.”
Please continue to pray for each other, our congregation, our leaders and our world. Please also continue to participate in the online content that Andy and Troy are providing to us by watching on our YouTube channel.
Please know that your elders are committed to the teaching in Hebrews chapter 10:24-25 where we read: 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV
As we attempt to honor God’s commandments in this unusual time know that the elders also want to provide an environment for all of our church family that is safe and minimizes risk of illness and physical harm. We realize there is frustration on the part of each one of us as we have been separated for some time now. No one is happy that we have had this time of physical separation but it would also be imprudent to disregard the direction and advice we have been given by our governmental and medical experts. We implore your patience and we solicit your prayers for God’s wisdom, continued blessings and guidance as we plan our future activities. Please consider these scriptures as you think about these matters.
Gal 6:9-10 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. NKJV
Heb 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. NKJV
Your elders love you and we want the very best for the Graeber Road congregation. Please be on the lookout for further details regarding upcoming planned meetings.
Love in Christ,
The Elders
Updated March 19, 2020
Dear Graeber Road Family,
The elders are sure you are aware that Governor Abbott issued an order preventing meeting in groups greater than ten people earlier today. This information obviously changes our plan we had designed for Sunday worship. In order to comply with the Governor’s Executive Order we will be unable to physically meet together on Sunday morning. Your elders and preachers met at some length earlier this evening to consider this new information and look for alternatives. This decision was extremely difficult but we feel we must suspend public meeting in order to satisfy the Governor’s Order and keep our members and extended family safe. We will continue this only for as long as it is required by our leaders and deemed absolutely necessary.
We are reminded that early New Testament Christians had to flee persecution due to Roman and Jewish persecution (Acts 8:1-3). We know these early Christians would have preferred to continue meeting together, but in response to a matter of physical safety and wellbeing they fled Jerusalem and had to gather and worship in small groups, homes, and family units.
Andy, Troy, and the elders are working on providing worship content that we can view on Youtube together Sunday morning. It is our intention to provide electronic worship that we can view “together” at 10:00AM Sunday morning. You will be able to view this content by searching on YouTube: Graeber Road Church of Christ channel and viewing the worship service at 10:00AM. While we are physically separated and scattered, for a time, we will not be spiritually separated as we will be able to worship together by watching and participating in the worship service posted on YouTube.
If you need communion supplies you may come to the office and pick some up for you and your family, you may also purchase what you need at the store, or you may call the church office and request someone bring it to you. You may also drop off or mail your contribution to the church office.
If for some reason we are unable to master the technology and provide our digital/virtual worship please use the links we sent you and view the content provided by the Katy Church or one of the other sources we mentioned. Please be prayerful and patient as we work through these difficult situation. We look forward to seeing our entire church family reunited physically as soon as the situation permits.
The Elders
Graeber Road Church of Christ
1910 Graeber Rd
Rosenberg, TX 77471
Updated March 17, 2020
Dear Graeber Road Family,
As we continue to monitor the situation regarding the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its projected impact on our country there is an increasing concern for preventing the spread of infection to those who are age vulnerable or immune-compromised. In our best efforts to protect others, we will be canceling all activities of the Graeber Road Church of Christ except our morning worship on the Lord’s Day.
This will include Sunday Bible Class, Sunday PM Worship, Wednesday Night Bible Class and Devotional, Ladies Bible Class, Women of Faith, Teen Devotionals, and Retreats for the next three weeks continuing through April 5, 2020.
If you are not able to be physically present for worship please consider viewing the live stream feed from the Katy Church of Christ at (https://katychurchofchrist.com/live/) . Another source of sound scriptural content can be found by viewing “In Search of the Lord’s Way” (https://www.searchtv.org/) on local cable channels or programming from the Gospel Broadcasting Network (https://gbntv.org/).
SUNDAY WORSHIP
We will meet for worship on Sunday mornings at 10:00AM. Even though we will continue to assemble on the Lord’s Day, we want to do that in a way that is as safe as possible for everyone involved. We want to maintain “social distance” as has been recommended to us by medical experts. We will suspend hugging and handshaking as we are accustomed. Instead, we will “bump elbows”, salute, wave, or smile.
Communion – We will partake of communion by using prepackaged communion cups. We will provide the prepackaged communion cups at the beginning of worship so everyone will have theirs ready when time to observe the Lord’s supper.
Offering – It is important that we continue to make our offerings as we are prospered and have purposed. The Lord’s work continues in this world even if it seems as if the world is stopping. If you are not able to bring your offering personally to services, you may mail it to the church office or contact the office to make other arrangements.
In the coming days, if you feel remotely sick or are exposed to another person who may be infected, you are encouraged to serve your brethren by staying home, studying your Bible on your own, and catching some of the online content previously mentioned.
Know that your elders believe the teaching in Hebrews 10:24-25 (24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. NKJV ) We are not encouraging anyone to willfully forsake the weekly assembly , and we don’t want anyone to feel that you are unfaithful if you decide not to attend because of the current situation. Use your best judgment. We are trying to lead the Graeber Road flock with care and safety. In the midst of a very fluid situation, these changes will be in effect for the time being. It is our prayer that these measures are necessary only for a very short time. In our unsure world today we need more of God, not less. Please be intentional in your families that this time draws you closer to Him rather than farther away. Your elders love you and are praying for the wellbeing of our congregation, our nation, and our world.
The Elders
Graeber Road Church of Christ
1910 Graeber Rd
Rosenberg, TX 77471
Cary Dwyer, David Laman, Steve Laman, Roy Ross, Doug Thompson, Doug Young