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Posted on behalf of Pastor Wesley Relf "Grow up into Him in all things." — Ephesians 4:15 Many Christians remain stunted and dwarfed in spiritual things, so as to present the same appearance year after year. No up-springing of advanced and refined feeling is manifest in them. They exist but do not "grow up into Him in all things." But should we rest content with being in the "green blade," when we might advance to "the ear," and eventually ripen into the "full corn in the ear?" Should we be satisfied to believe in Christ, and to say, "I am safe," without wishing to know in our own experience more of the fulness which is to be found in Him. It should not be so; we should, as good traders in heaven's market, covet to be enriched in the knowledge of Jesus. It is all very well to keep other men's vineyards, but we must not neglect our own spiritual growth and ripening. Why should it always be winter time in our hearts? We must have our seed time, it is true, but O for a spring time—yea, a summer season, which shall give promise of an early harvest. If we would ripen in grace, we must live near to Jesus—in His presence—ripened by the sunshine of His smiles. We must hold sweet communion with Him. We must leave the distant view of His face and come near, as John did, and pillow our head on His breast; then shall we find ourselves advancing in holiness, in love, in faith, in hope—yea, in every precious gift. As the sun rises first on mountain-tops and gilds them with his light, and presents one of the most charming sights to the eye of the traveller; so is it one of the most delightful contemplations in the world to mark the glow of the Spirit's light on the head of some saint, who has risen up in spiritual stature, like Saul, above his fellows, till, like a mighty Alp, snow-capped, he reflects first among the chosen, the beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and bears the sheen of His effulgence high aloft for all to see, and seeing it, to glorify His Father which is in heaven. Ephesians 4:15

A note from Banner Health:   Make no mistake. The coronavirus (COVID-19) is serious. It is deadly. It is highly contagious. And, it is still prevalent throughout the United States. To date, over 200,000 Americans have lost their lives to this novel virus—far more than most other contagious illnesses and diseases. There is no vaccine for COVID-19 at this time, nor is there a cure, which is why all of us must do our part to protect ourselves and others by preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Behaviors to slow the spread of COVID-19 remain necessary, and they do make an impact. Putting distance between you and others is key. This virus is mainly spread through droplets when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes, which means if you are more than six feet away from others, the likelihood of those droplets reaching you is much lower. In addition, wearing a mask  when you are within six feet of others is extremely important. You should do this even if others are not. Masks can help protect you from contracting the virus as well as help to prevent you from spreading the virus if you have COVID-19, even if you don’t know you are infected. If you have symptoms that would suggest an illness of any kind, you should also stay at home (except to seek medical care) until those symptoms have resolved. It is still recommended that you do not attend large gatherings. Gatherings of more than 10 can put you and other attendees at risk. Large gatherings can become “super spreader” events, which means that many who attend are at risk of contracting COVID-19 if an infected person is present. The infected person could be asymptomatic and still spread the virus to others. Quarantine and isolation practices are also very important to protect your family, friends and the community. If you are exposed to someone with COVID-19, you should begin the quarantine process. You can also schedule an appointment  for COVID-19 testing to find out if you have been infected. If you have COVID-19, you must isolate immediately. This means that you should not be near anyone else, except to seek medical care. Isolation can be difficult if you live in a home with others, but it is important to protect the individuals who also reside in your home. It is recommended that you designate a “sick room” and use a separate bathroom, if possible. It is safe to be around others once 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared, you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours and your symptoms of COVID-19 are improving. Those who experience severe symptoms of COVID-19, including shortness of breath, will likely need to be hospitalized and closely monitored by a team of experienced medical professionals. Hospitalization is not a trivial event. The onset of critical symptoms can happen quickly, at which time COVID-19 patients are moved to an ICU, many of them put on a ventilator. Most ventilated COVID-19 patients remain in the ICU and on a ventilator for two weeks or more. Winter is just around the corner—a time of the year when we see a much higher prevalence of respiratory illness. That is why it is also strongly advised that you get a flu shot. The sooner, the better. Your behaviors to reduce the spread of COVID-19 will also help to reduce the spread of the flu. Please stay well, protect your loved ones and help us reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 and the flu. You can make a difference. Dr. Marjorie Bessel Chief Clinical Officer Banner Health

We are studying the Foundations of Honor Study Guide: Building A Powerful Community ~ by: Danny Silk RSC Media is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting at 7:00 pm weekly. Topic: RSC's Friday Night Bible Study Zoom Meeting Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9048984064 Meeting ID: 904 898 4064 One tap mobile +16699006833,,9048984064# US (San Jose) +12532158782,,9048984064# US (Tacoma) Dial by your location +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) Meeting ID: 904 898 4064 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc6PnTxKIx