John Fischer The Catch

Opening Day

Posted on March 26, 2020 by jwfisch

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Today is Opening Day of the 2020 baseball season. The Commissioner of Baseball, Rob Manfred, published a letter this morning to all baseball fans that reads: “Opening Day holds an important place in our hearts. It signifies the arrival of spring, the promise of new beginnings, the return of following your favorite team on a long journey filled with twists and turns, and the hope that your team will put together a magical season you will remember forever.” Then he calls on us all to channel that optimism and determination into facing the challenges presented to us by the current pandemic.

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Posted in Baseball, pandemic | Tagged Baseball, pandemic | 10 Comments

How to wash your hands in a pandemic

Posted on March 25, 2020 by jwfisch

This just in … Catch member comes up with the perfect hand-washing technique for these coronavirus-sensitive days.

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Frequent hand washing has been recommended as one of the simple practices we can perform to reduce our chances of contracting the virus. Experts say at least 20 seconds of scrubbing with soap and hot water will do the job. But how long is 20 seconds? Someone said it takes 20 seconds to sing Happy Birthday, but I’m getting real tired of that, besides, who do I sing it to? Whoever pops into my mind? I sang it to Donald for a while (as in “Trump.”) That was actually not a bad idea because I said a little prayer for him at the same time.

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Posted in body life, church, pandemic | Tagged body life, body of Christ, church, pandemic | 15 Comments

Just outside my door

Posted on March 24, 2020 by jwfisch

I didn’t even plant these. They just came up.

I went for a short walk this morning just a little ways outside my house. I breathed in the crisp fresh air. No coronavirus there. I felt the warm sun radiate on my face contrasting with the cold air all around me, making me feel like I was standing in front of a radiator 93 million miles away. No virus there. I noticed the trees growing into each other, and the early spring flowers bunched together trying to beat each other in reaching for the sun. No social distancing there. I took in the clouds, billowing white and gray far above everything, uninfected. Out there on my street, in just a few things I could see of God’s creation, everything’s okay.

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Posted in Art and Life, Beauty, Natural beauty, pandemic | Tagged art, Natural beauty, pandemic | 11 Comments

How to safely gather together a group of over 10 people

Posted on March 23, 2020 by jwfisch

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Sunday night’s Church at the Catch witnessed even more interaction — the most interaction we’ve had involving many who otherwise would have attended a local church but couldn’t because services were canceled due to self-imposed quarantines as an aid to prevention against the spread of the coronavirus. There may be a silver lining on this pandemic (indeed, I bet there will be many good things that will come out of this one truly bad thing) and that is that the Catch Ministries have already “bought our place in cyberspace” and we have a place for you that is “social” and safe.

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Posted in church, community, discipleship, pandemic | Tagged body life, body of Christ, expanding the Catch, pandemic | 8 Comments

When can I get a hug?

Posted on March 20, 2020 by jwfisch

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Stay-at-home Mom. Stay-at-home Dad. Stay-at-home schoolchildren. Stay-at-home non-essential workers. I guess just about everybody is staying at home. And all you need to confirm this is to drive on the L.A. freeways during rush hour and find out there is no rush.

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Posted in church, community, pandemic | Tagged church, community, family, pandemic | 14 Comments

Good out of bad

Posted on March 19, 2020 by jwfisch

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Last night we had our first International Online Video Conferencing Bible Study and it was a huge success. Fifteen people took part with representatives from the U.S. and Canada. It was a meeting that would have been “illegal” — or at least not recommended in a home, church or workplace due to restrictions related to the coronavirus outbreak — but was perfectly safe and enjoyable online. And except for touching and hugging, it had all the elements of an in-person meeting.

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Posted in church, community, discipleship | Tagged church, Dealing with tragedy, studying the Bible | 5 Comments

The end of all things is near

Posted on March 18, 2020 by jwfisch

Make no mistake, it feels a little like the end of the world out there, if you do get out. I was out driving at 1:30 am Sunday night and during a twenty-minute stretch on the most traveled road around here, Pacific Coast Highway, better known as PCH, or Hwy 1, I saw a total of three cars out driving. And I’m sure many of you have encountered the scene in the picture above which is the paper towel and toilet paper aisle in the local supermarket just last night. “Closed” signs are everywhere. Twenty-four-hour stores are now only twelve-hour-stores, and whatever restaurants are still open have taken out half their tables. It’s the Grand Canyon between you and the next table.

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Posted in discipleship, Tragedy | Tagged end times, pandemic | 1 Comment

Heck with social distancing, we’re going ‘face-to-face!’

Posted on March 17, 2020 by jwfisch

Marti pointed out that my title yesterday might have been a bit misleading. “Germ-free community” sounds so sterile and so perfect. “Look at us; we’re all germ-free!” I can see that title might have given that impression. That, of course, was not my intent. All I meant was that since our community is online and not in person, we are safe from spreading or catching any bugs around us. In truth, in relation to our sinfulness and our need for Jesus, we are actually a lot closer to being considered germ-ridden, pathogenic scum bags whom God loves somehow!

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Posted in discipleship, gospel of welcome | Tagged discipleship, gospel of welcome | 2 Comments

‘Germ-free community’

Posted on March 16, 2020 by jwfisch

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Last night at Church at the Catch, we experienced what could be called a positive outcome of the current coronavirus pandemic. We had the strongest attendance we’ve had since we started holding church live on Facebook, and we had the most lively interaction. It’s almost as if we suddenly realized, “Hey, we’re a germ-free community, and everyone can take part in the discussion.”

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Posted in community, discipleship, relationships | Tagged community, discipleship, mutual aid fellowship, uncertainty | 3 Comments

Getting creative

Posted on March 13, 2020 by jwfisch

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What an interesting time we live in. Just a few weeks ago, Corona was a bottle of beer with a slice of lime peeking out of it, and I would have guessed COVID-19 was a distant planet just discovered that might support life. Now it’s a virus that is threatening life for some, and totally altering life for everybody else.

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