Elders’ Update

May 1, 2020

We welcome Gov. Abbott’s announcement on Monday of this week (April 27), opening up our economy and also allowing for churches to begin assembling again, among other things.  However, we had very little warning that things would be opening up this quickly and therefore the Elders have decided that to be properly prepared, Sunday, May 10th at 10:30 am will be our first general assembly for Worship.  While we are all disappointed to wait another week to be back together, we appreciate your patience and your gracious acceptance of that decision.

 

We want to stress that all those who are in the State’s defined “High Risk Categories” (see insert) should continue to stay home and enjoy our wonderful Live Stream Worship.  In addition, there will be some of you who want to wait a little longer before gathering.  We affirm your decision and appreciate your caution.  While we will do our best to meet the State’s guidelines for safe church assembly, there will still be some risk of exposure.  
 
 

These efforts will mean that those of us who attend need to be prepared for some different ways of conducting ourselves as we assemble.  

 

First, while no one will be required to do so, you are welcome to wear a mask to our Worship Assembly. 

 

Second, we ask that everyone, no matter where you park to come through the Main Entrance and the Welcome Center.  Before you come in please disable the wi-fi feature on your cell phone or any portable device.  Next, we ask that you NOT assemble in the Welcome Center but head on into the Auditorium and find your seats, once in your seats feel free to converse with those around you.  This process will help us maintain state guidelines for physical distancing.  

 

While most of the hallways and classrooms WILL NOT be accessible, our regular bathrooms will be available for use.  NOTE: the doors to enter/exit the hall  will be propped open to avoid the need to touch. 

 

Third, as you enter the Welcome Center, we ask that everyone use the hand sanitizer that will be available near the entrance.  Then, as you come through the Welcome Center there will be Greeters and Ushers wearing masks who will welcome you and hand you a copy of the Caring and Sharing.  They will also direct you to self-contained communion sets to pick up and hold until the proper time in the service.  

 

We want you to know that everyone who is volunteering to either be a greeter or an usher will have their temperature taken and recorded as well as being required to sanitize their hands as they enter the building.

 

Fourth, families with children of any age will need to remain together before, during and after the service.  You will be asked to keep your children with you until you exit the building.  If you need to leave with a child during the service, the classrooms along the main hall will be available for a single use (no one else with you and no room will be re-used until it is cleaned during the week).

 

Fifth, there will be several changes to our normal worship routine:

  • As mentioned earlier you will pick up a self-contained communion sets so there will be no passing of plates during the service. If for whatever reason your conscience is concerned about this method, you can pick up packs of traditional communion supplies and partake at home.
  • Along this same line there will be no passing of the plate for a collection. Instead there will be a box labeled “Giving Back to God” in the Foyer into which you can drop your donations.  Please place cash in the envelopes provided at your seats before depositing it in the box.  The Kids Gift Bucket will also be in the Foyer for those donations.  OF COURSE, you are welcome to continue either your mailed checks or digital donations.  We cannot express enough our gratitude for your support during this challenging time. 
  • The state has asked that we only use every other row of seating and we have removed the excess chairs. Also, the state has asked that family groups (or those who came together) be separated by 2 seats, basically six feet.
  • As the Live Stream will continue to be a heavily used way for many to worship, we will continue to do a couple of things that were specifically designed to improve the quality and effectiveness of the stream. One of these will be the use of videos for various elements of the service.  The other will be the way some singers will be near the front (but not facing the congregation) singing directly into microphones to best pick up the sound for the Live Stream.

 

Sixth, you are welcome to bring your own bottled water with you but at this point we will not be serving coffee.  The drinking fountains will NOT be available. 

 

Seventh, at this point there will not be Stage Two, Praise Kids or Limitless Kids, but we hope to have a safe and sanitary way to begin those Kids for Christ programs as soon as possible.  Each week there will be a recorded Kids Talk and we will have a Children’s Worship Handout available each week with your Caring and Sharing.  We will also provide a small set of crayons for this, but we ask that families keep them and bring them back each week. 

 

Eighth, when the service concludes we will quickly dismiss by rows to exit.  When you are dismissed, head directly out any of the accessible doors around the Welcome Center.  We are doing this to help us respect the states suggested physical distancing guidelines for church gatherings.  However, once outside with more space to spread out feel free to fellowship and visit as you wish while still practicing safe physical distancing.  In case of rain, we will still need to move out relatively quickly to avoid excessive close contact. 
 

SPECIAL GUIDANCE FOR TEXANS OVER 65

(excerpted from Open Texas Report, dated April 27, 2020)

People 65 years or older, especially people 65 years or older with medical issues like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or a weakened immune system, are at a higher risk for getting very sick or dying from COVID‐19.

 
If you have any questions you can
 
 
 
Live Streaming of Sunday morning services at 10:30AM is available from the following link.
 
 
Also please remember your donations. You can send it by US mail or donate using this link.
 
 
This link takes you directly to the Church Website Home page.
 
 
This is the link to view the State of Texas guidelines for opening churches.
 
 
The following links will provide some information on the COVID-19 Virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
and
Texas Department of State Health Services: