May 15, 2021
Dear Christ Community Friends & Family,
This has been a hard season for all of us. This pandemic has brought much trauma and loss than one could have ever imagined. Throughout this pandemic we have witnessed much brokenness in our world. But thanks be to God for His redeeming power of the gospel. Praise God for technology because as a church family, we have not lost a beat and have continued ministry through Zoom, YouTube, Facebook Live, and in-person gatherings with COVID-19 Protocols. I thank God for our church leadership in being ahead of the curve, in being prayerful, and in discerning well what's best for our congregation.
As many of you know this past week, the CDC shared a recent announcement that vaccinated people can go without wearing masks in most indoor and outdoor environments. This is big news! So in light of this update, I'd like to share some immediate thoughts for our church family and a couple requests:
First, the next two Sundays, May 16 and 23, we will continue our standard COVID-19 Protocols that we had already put in place with our in-house medical professionals. As much as I want to return to a sense of normalcy, it is important for the Council to be thoughtful and diligent in processing and assessing all the research, studies and reports through much prayer and wisdom. Council is scheduled to meet Wednesday, June 2. Please pray for us as Council decides the pathway forward as a church family!
Second, on Sunday, May 30, we will be having Outdoor Church on our front lawn. COVID-19 Protocols are different with indoor and outdoor settings. We hope that having an outdoor worship service with less stringent COVID-19 Protocols will also be a step in the direction of the new normalcy that many of us seek.
Third, COVID-19 Protocols and Updates have been heavily politicized. Mask wearing has also been a source of heated debates in numerous circles. My hope for our church family is that we can continue to have a spirit of graciousness. There will be some that are more comfortable than others with and without masks. I ask that we continue to work to ensure that these spaces with our church family are not places of contention.
Last but not least, let us be patient. The light is at the end of the tunnel! The world will want us to rush and become divided. But if you look back throughout the pandemic, God has worked no matter what! From Professions of Faith, to Baptisms, Elder Installation, launching of new life groups, and more! God has been on the move! Let us not forget that! Let us lean into that faith, trust in God's timing, and continue to push forward as a church family. As always, if you'd like to bring up any concerns or suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out to one of our Council members. The Council will share updates immediately after our meeting in a couple weeks.
May the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding be with you all!
God's Blessings,
Pastor James