Cultivate Formation Plan

This past Sunday we kicked off a new sermon series called Cultivate. The purpose of the series is to introduce the Cultivate formation plan, which we have designed as a tool to strengthen Christian formation in our church family. Cultivate helps you respond to Jesus’ “What do you want?” question in John 1:38 by imagining what it might look like to cultivate shalom in all of life. Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, conveys wholeness and harmony—the fullness of life that God intends—particularly within four primary relationships:

Relationship with God
Relationship with Self
Relationship with People
Relationship with Places and Things

The formation plan invites you to slow down and reflect on how you want to move toward God’s vision of flourishing in these relationships. It provides an opportunity to identify your desires (longings/goals) for shalom as well as actions (habits/practices) that enable you to fulfill those desires. Cultivate should not be thought of as a checklist for spiritual growth, but rather as a guide for becoming more like Jesus.

The primary place where we envision the formation plan being used for now is in community groups. This isn’t to say it can’t or won’t be used in other contexts, but the ideal context in this season will be community groups. Our prayer is that the use of this tool in the life of our congregation will bear fruit as we follow Jesus together in his work of cultivating shalom in all of life.

If you are not currently connected to a community group, we would love for you to connect with one! Click here for more information.

Pastor Jason's Sabbatical

The word “sabbatical” comes from a Hebrew word which means to “cease” or “rest.” It is an extended period of time for physical rest, spiritual renewal, and overall refreshment. As was announced a couple of weeks ago, I will be on sabbatical from March through August, during which time I will be disengaged from life and ministry at City Church. Pastor Israel will oversee preaching and pastoral care. We have a great staff in place and I have no doubt that they will provide excellent leadership in my absence.

Here are a few ways that you can pray for my sabbatical:

1. Pray for rest and renewal. Over the past few months I have detected signs of burnout. An extended break from the pressures of ministry will be healing for my mind, body, and soul. I look forward to coming back renewed in September. 

2. Pray for us as a family. I am thankful for the opportunity that I will have to be present with and attentive to Katie and my daughters without the demands of pastoral ministry before me.

3. Pray for spiritual renewal. I feel the need to withdraw, reflect, draw near to God, and seek vision for the next few years of ministry.

I am confident that this sabbatical will bear fruit for me, my family, and our congregation for years to come. Thank you for your prayers!

Pastor Jason

Christmas Special Music

In addition to our Candlelight Christmas Service, a couple of musicians chose to record their special music. Please enjoy these songs from David Grote & Heather Tansley!

City Church Kids Ministry Team

I am excited to announce that we have a new City Church Kids ministry team in place to provide spiritual, relational, and logistical leadership for our children’s ministry! The team includes Liz Chen (team leader), Lahtesha Antonio (music & design organizer), and Marietta Ruiz (volunteer organizer). You will have an opportunity in the worship service this Sunday to hear from Liz Chen, the ministry leader.

A survey related to children’s ministry will also be made available to parents this week via email as well as in the newsletter and worship guide. Please take the time to complete the survey as this will help leadership prepare for the upcoming fall season.

Join me in praising God for raising up this team for the next season of City Church Kids ministry!

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jason

Mask Policy Update

Our leadership has been monitoring the rise in COVID cases in recent weeks and has decided to adjust our mask policy as a result. Beginning August 22, we will require everyone to wear a mask at Sunday worship, regardless of vaccination status. Infections and hospitalizations have increased dramatically over the past couple of weeks to the point that our area now has “substantial” virus transmission, a situation in which the CDC recommends an indoor mask mandate.

We are uncertain at this time how long our new mask policy will be in effect. Please remain flexible as we do our part to help limit the spread of the virus. From the beginning of the pandemic, our desire has been to love and care for others by prioritizing safety. We believe requiring masks is the best way to keep everyone safe during Sunday worship at this time.

Covid Guideline Changes

City Church Family:

In light of the Governor lifting the Covid-19 State of Emergency Order, we are making changes to our Sunday worship guidelines. As was announced in last week’s worship service, beginning Sunday, July 18, masks will be optional for those who are fully vaccinated, and recommended for children ages 2-12. This will be our new policy for the remainder of the summer.

Thank you for your ongoing cooperation as we work together to maintain a safe environment for Sunday worship. Some who are fully vaccinated will choose to no longer wear a mask, while others will continue to wear one. Please avoid casting judgment on others as we make this transition as a church family.

We encourage you to join us in-person for worship, but we will also continue to provide a livestream of the service. 

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jason

Covid Guidelines

City Church Family:

This week the Governor announced that he intends to lift the Covid-19 State of Emergency Order on July 13. We will keep our current Sunday worship guidelines in place (see below) until the State of Emergency is lifted, at which time we will implement changes.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jason

Below is a reminder of our guidelines for Sunday worship:

• Individuals age thirteen (13) and up are required to wear a mask (recommended but not required for children ages 2-12). Masks will be available for those who do not have one.

• Social distancing of at least 6ft will be required. Seating in the sanctuary will be arranged accordingly. Family members of the same household may remain together.

• Those leading in the service will remove face coverings only when singing or speaking from the stage.

If you still feel unsafe about returning to in-person worship at this time, or if you are uncomfortable with the above guidelines, please do not hesitate to stay home and join the livestream of the service. 

Update: Covid Guidelines

City Church Family:

I want to share an update on how we plan to proceed with Sunday worship given the recent changes to Covid guidelines announced by the CDC and State of Delaware. As you have likely heard, the Governor has lifted the mask mandate for vaccinated individuals effective today (May 21). There are some settings in which masks are still required, one of which is congregant settings. While houses of worship are not listed, our elder team agrees that it is best in our congregant setting on Sunday mornings to keep our current guidelines in place for another month. We plan to consider changes and provide an update in mid-June.

There are at least two reasons for our thinking:

1) After months of requiring masks as an important safety measure in Sunday worship, we do not think it is in the best interest of the congregation to make an abrupt change.

2) While a large percentage of our membership has been vaccinated, waiting a few more weeks to consider changes allows those who are awaiting their second dose to become fully vaccinated (including a number of youth in our congregation ages 12-15).

Finally, be encouraged. There is light at the end of the tunnel. May God’s Spirit help us to remain patient and flexible so that we can soon return to more normal rhythms of life.

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jason

Below is a reminder of our guidelines for Sunday worship:

• Individuals age thirteen (13) and up are required to wear a mask (recommended but not required for children ages 2-12). Masks will be available for those who do not have one.

• Social distancing of at least 6ft will be required. Seating in the sanctuary will be arranged accordingly. Family members of the same household may remain together.

• Those leading in the service will remove face coverings only when singing or speaking from the stage.

If you still feel unsafe about returning to in-person worship at this time, or if you are uncomfortable with the above guidelines, please do not hesitate to stay home and join the livestream of the service. 

Jason Sica Reflection

Kristina Pansa Reflection

Waiting

This year I waited:

• To see if we would make it on our vacation before the pandemic swept away our plans.

• To see how hard it would hit the US. 

• To see how quickly it moved from California to Delaware.

• With bated breath for my first COVID patient.

• For someone to come watch me enter and exit my isolation rooms to ensure I didn’t contaminate anything on my way out.

• To see if my patient would get emergency (last resort) approval for medications that may or may not help.

• To see if any of the medications worked.

• To see if my patients woke up after I put them in an induced coma.

• To see if their lungs could work again if they did wake up.

• For family meetings, where we explained nothing was getting better.

• And watched my patients slowly, painfully decline over weeks, while I got to know them, their hobbies, and the families they would be leaving behind. 

• With forced optimism, letting people have ‘a good day.’

• In silence, crying with them, alone in the room, when I tell them things are getting worse and that’s not a good sign. 

• To see if it was inevitable whether or not I got infected and passed it along to Wayne.

• And wondered if any of my coworkers would die.

• And wondered if I would have enough PPE.

• To find out if my mother’s cancer was metastatic. To see if the surgeon was able to remove everything.

• And cried as patient after patient died. 

• Inside my silent isolation rooms with unconscious, intubated patients, for someone to carefully pass more medications in to me.

• For the discharge of the successful recoveries.

• For regular patients to come back, sicker than before.

• With an iPad in one hand for family members unable to visit, cheering good days and sobbing as they say goodbye.

• For the sun to shine. 

• For short vacations outside and good clean air.

• To see my family.

• For months as we attempted to recoup our vacation costs.

• For any sense of common sense prevailing.

• And held my tongue, instead of arguing about different perspectives on the pandemic.

• To see if people would follow basic rules.

• For election results. 

• For new medications and vaccines. 

• For the next wave.

• For this to all be over. 

This Christmas, I am waiting to feel a thrill of hope, because I am part of the weary world trying to rejoice. I am waiting for the new and glorious morn. Come again, Lord Jesus.

Joel Comanda Reflection

When I read that the theme of Advent this year was “Waiting”, I thought I would have a perfect opportunity to respond. After all, I am waiting for my leg to get better. On October 11th, I was playing basketball with my son Jesse and as I jumped to clumsily toss up a shot, I felt a hard kick in the back of my right leg. As I fell to the ground, asking Jesse if he had kicked me I was sure that I had ruptured my achilles tendon. And sure enough, I was launched on an ongoing months-long odyssey of surgery, my leg in a cast, my leg in another cast, my leg in a boot, and ultimately physical therapy, all to regain my mobility. 

I figured that a few weeks into that process, I would have all sorts of insight into waiting to be able to share. The truth though, is that I’m not good at waiting; or at least not good at allowing myself space to reflect on the waiting. I may be waiting to get better, but my mind is full of the things that I can still do and the things I distract myself with to keep from thinking about the things that I can’t do. 

So now that the deadline is upon me, I have no wise insight to share. I have moved through six plus weeks of convalescence barely pausing to reflect on what this means for me, and how it impacts me spiritually. Finally, the act of forcing myself to write this has made me stop and reflect some. The sermons and readings that have been a part of this time of Advent have echoed the same themes. I think that in spite of myself, I am being forced into realizing that there is value in waiting. That it is in the awareness that things are not yet what I want them to be (whether that is a physical thing like my leg, or my own ability to stop and reflect), that I most clearly see my need for God. I am in a permanent state of “Not Yet”. When I can acknowledge that, I can stop living as if I am fully capable under my own power. 

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Lyn Myers Reflection

Wayne Pansa Reflection

Psalm 130:5-6
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
  my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

During a recent discussion about this passage I was struck by the idea of watchmen waiting for the morning.  When I hear that description I imagine soldiers waiting in towers above a city through the night, straining their eyes to watch for any sign of danger. I imagine staring off into the deepest darkness of the night, hoping that all is safe, and longing for the first glimpse of daylight to know that the long night of uncertainty, unknown danger, and exhaustion has passed. I imagine waiting for a security that seems so distant and unfamiliar in the moment, but is guaranteed just beyond the horizon.

I then turned to reflect on how I tend to wait for the Lord.  Do I wait in expectancy and longing? Do I wait as if my life and the lives of those around me depend on the future hope that I cling to? If I’m being honest I often don’t find myself waiting more than watchmen for the morning. Sometimes I wait as a child, waiting for the end of the school day, annoyed by the inconvenience of having to continue to try to stay focused when there are more interesting things to be done. At other times I find myself waiting as a marathon runner (I assume), exhausted, pushing toward a finish line, and anticipating the rest and relaxation that will follow. At times I even wait as someone waiting for an exciting trip, looking forward to fun new sights and experiences. And then there are the times when I find I’m really not waiting at all and living as if the tasks of the day ahead are all there is to life. But admittedly I rarely find myself waiting with the longing desperation of a watchman waiting for the morning.

And yet, this year as I have seen the suffering around me of those whom I know and care deeply about, of those I’ve only met briefly or heard of, and of those whom I’ll never have the chance to meet I have found myself learning to wait in desperation. I have found myself looking at my city, my country, and our world, and longing for the return of our Good King who has promised to return to make all things new. So as we enter this season of Advent, while I pray and hope for an end of this present suffering and for the emergence of the peace and wholeness that we’ve been promised, I also pray that I will continue to learn to wait in desperation, more than watchmen for the morning, longing for the return of the Light of the World and His Kingdom of Peace.

Barb Duszak Reflection

For this moment: 

Even if the wait 
Carries on another year, 
I will not get where I am going
Without first learning 
to be here.

— Morgan Harper Nichols

I am a doer. Like most hallmark personality traits, this is a blessing and a curse. I like to be kept busy, for better or worse. At its best, it’s a way that I can communicate God’s love for others, and it brings me great joy. At worst, it’s a means by which I numb and avoid my own unmet needs and unresolved issues. 

This year of waiting has left me feeling very exposed. The pandemic has created more expansive gaps of financial, emotional, and physical needs, but I have been hesitant to serve by leaving home to fill them. I have also been too self-centered and myopic to figure out how to stay home and fill them. I am often left restless and wanting. Without the buzz of a full schedule and the associated busy thoughts, who am I? Without the busyness, where do I turn next for fulfillment of my longing heart? More importantly, what does this say about my relationship with God and who I believe Him to be? 

In early October, I went to ShopRite and noticed the usual candy displays in orange and black cardboard boxes. I had a burst of excitement! Then I realized that a 2020 Halloween would not be like the rest. As I unpacked the bags at home, I joked with my housemates that I planned to put up our Christmas tree. (Who cares!? All of the rules are out the window this year anyhow, and it will bring us joy!) Ultimately, I gave into pandemic-related malaise and didn’t. I didn’t realize it until then, but I had been longing for the Christmas season for months. As I write this, I think it’s because it reminds me that God's promise of a birth of a new, more promising, better time is coming. 

I can’t remember a time where so many are so weary. The remembrance of the birth of Christ is always a thrill of hope and a moment to rejoice in a weary world. Whether we acknowledge it or not, He is the hope, the identity, and the rest that our souls long for. My prayer for each one of us is to rest in that truth. 

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Drake Armstrong Reflection

Today’s Advent reflection is by Drake Armstrong. You can read his poem here.

Heather Tansley Reflection

I’m not very good at waiting. I have many ideas about what I think my life should look like or what I want next and I’m not very patient about it. My husband is better at waiting (sometimes too good, if you catch my drift). We are rarely on the same timeline for life – house projects, events, getting to church, etc. but somehow it comes together. For example, I have always wanted two children. After our first daughter was born, I desperately wanted another child. I felt our family, although wonderful, was incomplete. However, my husband was happy with being a one child family. After more than 6 months of “discussion,” he agreed to try for a second child on one condition - we had to have the baby during the spring or summer to avoid the majority of winter illnesses. Finally, I was getting something that my soul had longed for – what I had been waiting for – a second child. With our well laid plan to avoid illness, we had our baby in June, in the middle of a global pandemic. But here we are with two amazing daughters keeping us busy and entertained during quarantine. God has brought our lives together in an unexpected moment.

To be honest I’ve never really connected with the baby Jesus in the Christmas story. It was always Mary that held my interest. What would it be like to experience the supernatural? To be judged by those around you? To be pregnant and ride on a donkey? To give birth without modern comforts or medical professionals? To know that your baby is the savior of the world? I doubt she had planned to have her first baby fathered by the Holy Spirit, in the middle of a census, in a stable, in a strange town, but here was life unexpectedly coming together once again - all the waiting culminating in this one precious moment, in this one special child.

Did she have doubts about the fulfillment of God’s promises like I do? Was she, like me, surprised at how God fulfilled her desires? I look at her words in Luke and she appears to have much more faith in God’s goodness and a much better attitude about waiting than I do.

Luke 1:46-50, 53-54
“And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has filled the hungry with good things…
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy…’”

If 2020 has taught me anything it is that we need hope in the waiting. This advent season I hope that despite the waiting God continues to show up and bring our lives together in unexpected ways, in unexpected moments.

Advent 2020

City Church Family:

Advent is a word that means “coming” or “arrival.” It’s a four-week period leading up to Christmas in which we celebrate the first coming of Jesus and anticipate his second coming. We have chosen the theme of “Waiting” to orient our Advent reflections this year. In general, Advent is a season meant to grow us in the practice of waiting for Jesus and the fulfillment of his promises. In particular, 2020 has been a year that has forced us all into waiting amid a global pandemic, civil unrest, and political drama.

We want to use this Advent season to explore what it means to wait for Jesus as we navigate the difficulties of 2020. While our experience of Advent will be different due to the pandemic, I am hopeful that it will still be spiritually meaningful. Here is what we have planned…

Advent Sermon Series
The first Sunday of Advent is November 29. Our Advent sermon series, “Waiting,” will be rooted in the Old Testament Book of Ruth.

Nov 15 — Ruth 1, Unexpected Loss
Nov 22 — Ruth 1, Unexpected Provision 1
Nov 29 — Ruth 2, Unexpected Provision 2
Dec 6 — Ruth 3, Unexpected Faith
Dec 13 — Ruth 4, Unexpected Redemption

The sermon on December 20, the final Sunday of Advent, will focus on the theme of waiting as it relates to the Christmas story in Scripture.

Daily Scripture Readings
You can download daily Scripture readings for Advent as well as the Embody tool that we created.

Advent Reflections
We will share personal reflections written by members of the City Church family each week during Advent. These will be shared on our website and promoted on social media.

Pre-recorded Christmas Service and Special Music Videos
We plan to record a brief Christmas service that will premiere on our YouTube channel on December 20th at 6 p.m. Members of the music team will also release videos of special music in mid-December.

Congregational Sharing Event
The dark cloud that hovers over 2020 can make it hard to see the ways God has provided and revealed his presence this year. We are going to gather as a church family via Zoom on December 20 after the virtual Christmas service that evening to help each other see beyond the cloud as we share stories of God’s faithfulness. More details to come.

---

I pray that this Advent season will be a time of spiritual renewal as we close out what has been a difficult year for us all.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jason

Update: Reopening Process (October)

City Church Family:

In June we began a process of reopening for in-person worship gatherings by inviting one community group to attend the service each Sunday. We invited two community groups to attend in the month of August. And in September, we invited everyone to attend, but required registration so that we could plan accordingly.

Beginning in October, registration will no longer be required as we now have a sense of how many people to expect each week. We will continue to follow the guidelines outlined below to promote safety:

• The front doors and sanctuary doors will be propped open.

• Individuals age thirteen (13) and up are required to wear a cloth face covering to enter and remain inside (recommended but not required for children ages 2-12). Face coverings will be available for those who do not have one.

• Hand sanitizer will be available.

• Social distancing of at least 6ft will be required. Seating in the sanctuary will be arranged accordingly. Family members of the same household may remain together.

• Children must remain with their parent/guardian at all times. There will be no physical City Church Kids ministry (including nursery). Since City Church Kids ministry will not be available, the service will be kept to one hour with a 25-30 minute sermon.

• Those leading in the service will remove face coverings only when singing or speaking from the stage.

• Offering baskets will not be passed; we will continue to encourage online giving. 

• Printed worship guides will not be distributed; we will continue to provide an online version.

• The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated in a safe manner.

We ask you to stay home if:

• You are high-risk for contracting COVID-19

• You have a cough, fever, or shortness of breath, or if you are sick at all

• You have been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days

If you feel unsafe about returning to in-person worship at this time, or if you are uncomfortable with the above guidelines, please do not hesitate to stay home and join the livestream of the service. 

I know we all long for the day when we will be able to experience Sunday worship as we once did. Until that day, we must remain patient and flexible. God has sustained us as a church family during this crisis. We have every reason to trust that he will continue to do so as we enter the next phase. 

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jason

Update: Reopening Process (September)

City Church Family:

In June we began a process of reopening for in-person worship gatherings by inviting one community group to attend the livestream of our 10:30 a.m. service each Sunday. In August we advanced to the second phase of the process by inviting two groups to attend. We saw approximately 10-20 people attend each Sunday over the summer months.

Our plan for September is to advance to the third phase by inviting all community groups to attend the worship service each Sunday. Registration will be required as our goal will be to keep attendance to approximately 50 people for the month of September.

Every Tuesday in September the link to the registration form will be posted on the home page of our website and shared via social media and email. If you are not connected to a community group and desire to attend, you are welcome to register as well.

Register for the September 6th worship service HERE.

We ask you to stay home if:

• You are high-risk for contracting COVID-19

• You have a cough, fever, or shortness of breath, or if you are sick at all

• You have been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days

If you feel unsafe about returning to in-person worship at this time, or if you are uncomfortable with the guidelines that we will implement (see below), please do not hesitate to stay home and join the livestream of the service. 

Below are some of the guidelines we will implement to promote safety:

• The front doors and sanctuary doors will be propped open.

• Individuals age thirteen (13) and up are required to wear a cloth face covering to enter and remain inside (recommended but not required for children ages 2-12). Face coverings will be available for those who do not have one.

• Hand sanitizer will be available.

• Social distancing of at least 6ft will be required. Seating in the sanctuary will be arranged accordingly. Family members of the same household may remain together.

• Children must remain with their parent/guardian at all times. There will be no physical City Church Kids ministry (including nursery). Since City Church Kids ministry will not be available, the service will be kept to one hour with a 25-30 minute sermon.

• Those leading in the service will remove face coverings only when singing or speaking from the stage.

• Offering baskets will not be passed; we will continue to encourage online giving. 

• Printed worship guides will not be distributed; we will continue to provide an online version.

• The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated in a safe manner.

I know we all long for the day when we will be able to experience Sunday worship as we once did. Until that day, we must remain patient and flexible. God has sustained us as a church family during this crisis. We have every reason to trust that he will continue to do so as we enter the next phase. 

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jason

Update: Reopening Process (August)

City Church Family:

In June we began a process of reopening for in-person worship gatherings by inviting one community each Sunday to attend the livestream of our 10:30 a.m. service. We are now ready to advance to the second phase of our process. Beginning in August, two community groups will be invited to attend the livestream of the service each Sunday. The goal for the month of August is to keep attendance under 50. The rotation schedule is outlined below.

August 2 - Kennett Square & Newark
August 9 - Cool Spring & Trinity Vicinity
August 16 - Cool Spring & Kennett Square
August 23 - Newark & Trinity Vicinity
August 30 - Kennett Square & Newark

On the week your group is invited to attend, we ask that you inform your community group leaders if you plan to attend no later than Friday of that week. If you are not connected to a community group and desire to attend one of the services, please email Margie Comanda and we will be glad to make that happen.

We ask you to stay home if:

• You are high-risk for contracting COVID-19

• You have a cough, fever, or shortness of breath, or if you are sick at all

• You have been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days

If you feel unsafe about returning to in-person worship at this time, or if you are uncomfortable with the guidelines that we will implement (see below), please do not hesitate to stay home and join the livestream of the service. 

Below are some of the guidelines we will implement to promote safety:

• The front doors and sanctuary doors will be propped open.

• Individuals age thirteen (13) and up are required to wear a cloth face covering to enter and remain inside (recommended but not required for children ages 2-12). Face coverings will be available for those who do not have one.

• Hand sanitizer will be available.

• Social distancing of at least 6ft will be required. Seating in the sanctuary will be arranged accordingly. Family members of the same household may remain together.

• Children must remain with their parent/guardian at all times. There will be no physical City Church Kids ministry (including nursery).

• Those leading in the service will remove face coverings only when singing or speaking from the stage.

• Offering baskets will not be passed; we will continue to encourage online giving. 

• Printed worship guides will not be distributed; we will continue to provide an online version.

• The Lord’s Supper will be celebrated in a safe manner.

I know we all long for the day when we will be able to experience Sunday worship as we once did. Until that day, we must remain patient and flexible. God has sustained us as a church family during this crisis. We have every reason to trust that he will continue to do so as we enter the next phase. 

Grace & Peace,
Pastor Jason