Covid 19 and a Preacher’s Love Letters

By Reverend Dr. Serenus T. Churn Sr.

*The information about the author is not yet available at this time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664169579

Reverend Dr. Serenus T. Churn Sr.

Dr. Serenus T. Churn, Sr. was born in Camden, N.J. and was licensed to preach at the age of 15. His formal education preparations include a Bachelor of Arts from Morgan State College, Baltimore MD; Master of Divinity Degree from Howard University, Washington D.c.; Pastoral Certificate from Foundation for Religion and Mental Health at Grasslands Hospital, Westchester County, N.Y.; and Doctor of Ministry Degree from Drew University, Madison, N.J. He also has been elected to membership in the Phi Sigma Tau National Honor Society in Philosophy. Dr. Churn's academic preparation coupled with the anointing has afforded him the opportunity to preach the Word of God across the United States, Great Britain, India, Guyana, Kenya, Jamaica, and South Africa. He has authored "And I'll See You In The Morning"; and anthology of funeral messages, "Baptist Born, Baptist Bred" a study for church members, and "Thorns and Grace -a book of God's promises of hope and healing for Our Hurts. Dr. Churn is the Founder and Chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Fund that has awarded more than $120,000 to students for college. He is also the Found and Chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Breakfast and Rally March for the purposes of celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the evoking the spirit of Civil Rights. Dr. Churn is married to the former Shirly Brown of Washington, D.C. and has two sons, Reverend Serenus T. Churn Jr. and Reverend Starling T. Churn. Dr. Churn has led and continues to lead.the Mount Zion Baptist Church Congregation for 36 years.

Book preview

COVID 19

and

A Preacher’s

Love Letters

Reverend Dr. Serenus T. Churn, Sr.

Copyright © 2021 by Reverend Dr. Serenus T. Churn, Sr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 04/21/2021

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Scriptures marked as (CEV) are taken from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Copyright © 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Website

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Contemporary English Version®

Copyright © 1995 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Bible text from the Contemporary English Version (CEV) is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by American Bible Society, 101 North Independence Mall East, FL 8, Philadelphia, PA 19106 -2155 (www.americanbible.org).

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®). Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Contents

A Note to The Reader

A Prayer for Deliverance from COVID-19

Acknowledgement

Combating COVID 19 With the Word

April 16, 2021

April 21 2020

May 5, 2020

May 12, 2020

May 19, 2020

May 26, 2020

June 2, 2020

June 9, 2020

June 15, 2020

June 23, 2020

July 1, 2020

July 6, 2020

July 14, 2020

July 21, 2020

July 27, 2020

August 4, 2020

August 11, 2020

August 18, 2020

August 20, 2020

September 1, 2020

September 8, 2020

September 14, 2020

September 22, 2020

September 29, 2020

October 6, 2020

October 13, 2020

October 20, 2020

October 26, 2020

November 4, 2020

November 10, 2020

November 16, 2020

November 21, 2020

December 1, 2020

December 8, 2020

December 15, 2020

December 17, 2020

December 29, 2020

January 5, 2021

January 13, 2021

January 19,2021

January 26, 2021

February 2,2021

February 10, 2021

February 17, 2021

February 20, 2021

March 3, 2021

March 8, 2021

March 15, 2021

March 30, 2021

April 10, 2021

April 14, 2021

A Note to The Reader

Dear Reader let me share with you how this volume came to be written. I had no plan to write this little book at all, but the Holy Spirit inspired, fate conspired, and providence demanded that this work be created for this time. The Second Sunday in March 2020 was the last Sunday we had our regular worship service in the sanctuary of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, NC. The service was beautiful, well attended, and spirit filled and there was no warning that the very next Sunday we would be forced to shut our doors to members of our congregation, stream our services, and limit the number of Sunday worshippers just when they needed the hope and promises of faith the most.

Even today we are faced with an invisible enemy who threatens our very lives. All that we have known and hold dear is at stake. Indeed, our jobs, food, income, our families, indeed our very lives are in serious jeopardy. Therefore, I felt the need to reach out to my lover and tell her just how much I loved her, missed her, needed her, and wanted to comfort her and hold her in my heart.

For those of you who have not heard or do not know that the people of God or The Church is the preacher’s spiritual lover. And, for the preacher the Church is the preacher’s paramount job, and he views it as absolutely essential to the health and the survival of society. Jesus himself loved the Church, died for the Church, and charged the preacher to love, care for and defend her at all cost.

So, when the pandemic struck, I was faced with the complex problem of how I could feed, support, comfort, and nourish The Church in this age of COVID. It was out of my need to communicate God’s love to my church in this dyer time of need that I was led to write this series of love letters to the Church of God. These letters were written out of passion, concern and love in the hope that in some way we may point to the light and fire in this dark hour of history that nothing can possibly extinguish.

This volume contains heartfelt real letters to our congregation and is the earnest reflections of faith in a moment of existential extremity. The message is simply this, cheer up God is still in charge and we shall overcome even this crisis. We remain convinced that only a strong faith in God can bring us out of this crisis of COVID 19 victoriously. We exclaim with The Apostle Paul, But thanks be to God who gives us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my friend, stay strong and by all means stay under the blood of the lamb!

Your Brother in tribulation,

Dr, Serenus T. Churn, DMin

A Prayer for Deliverance from COVID-19

Infinate and Almighty God our kind heavenly Father. We rejoice in the fact that you have all power to achieve your holy and divine purpose; and that there is nothing that can resist your will and might. We earnestly pray that you will defeat the power of COVID 19 in us, our loved ones, the nation and the world. We fervently ask that you hold us and our loved ones in your loving hands; and that all of the evil side effects of this evil pandemic will be vanquished and we be kept safe in your arms. May this tragic disease be overcome by your mercy and grace. Grant that the world may come to know that you are the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that your heart is a heart of love and mercy to humankind.

Please forgive us of our many sins against you and our fellow humans. Grant that we will learn to say in our hearts, Thy will be done. Hold us so close to you that we may feel and respond to your heartbeat and know your Holy Spirit moving in our lives. Grant that we will know without a doubt that the Lord of Host is with us. And that we are forever safe in your care. In the name of your Son our Savior, Christ Jesus. Amen.

Acknowledgement

The debt I owe to…

My parents, the late Dr. Charles H. (Violet) Churn, Sr.

My muse and wife of 56 years, Shirley and our sons, Serenus (Karen) Churn, Jr. and Starling (Hayneslynn) Churn; and our granddaughter, Serena.

My office clerk, Verdell Hayes, Church Clerk Kaye Henighan Assistant, Alice McLaughlin, Church Secretary

The Mount Zion Baptist Church, Winston-Salem Inc. Family (The Joy), which has supported my ministry for 36 years

To God Be the Glory for the things He has done…

Combating COVID 19 With the Word

We as believers in God know that COVID is powerful, but it is not omnipotent. Only God has all power. Therefore we are confident that COVID will be defeated by the power of Almighty God. The Bible is clear that the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. Consequently, we have every right to look to the scripture for help in this age of COVID19. To look for healing and deliverance to the word of God does not mean that you do not value science. We know that science is a gift from our loving God to his children. No right-thinking person can downplay the role of science in dealing with this tragic pandemic. We acknowledge that God is at work in and through science and his Holy Word. He is absolutely able to bless and heal his people in this and every situation. Therefore I share with you those passages of scripture I believe will bless you as you combat and win against COVID 19.

Combat the fear of COVID 19 by reading PS.27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait I say, on the Lord Ps.