Dear ARBC Family,
During a time of global health crisis like the one we are currently facing, our congregation seeks to be as responsive as possible to the health and wellbeing of our members and neighbors. Our staff, Administrative Team, and Coordinating Council have been in continuous discussion over the last few days seeking to develop plans that will ensure we are able to offer our ministries to the best of our ability, while taking appropriate measures to ensure that no one is put in harm’s way. As in all things, we are seeking the most loving actions we can take for each other, and for our community.
Nonessential Gatherings Suspended:
In consideration of all the information at our disposal, and in a desire to ensure the wellbeing of everyone associated with our church, especially those populations most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus, we are suspending all nonessential congregational activities and gatherings EXCEPT for Sunday morning worship at 11:00 a.m. This is effective immediately, and will remain in effect until we determine these activities can resume without our congregation being threatened by the virus. All teams with ministry and administrative functions will continue to find the safest ways to meet to ensure the church operates without undue interruption.
Worship:
We will continue to gather for worship at 11:00 a.m. until we feel that is no longer safe. Worship is at the heart of all that we do, and will continue to provide a time for us to find God’s Spirit among the gathered community, and to offer our concerns to the source of our faith and all true hope. We will, however, be making some changes to our worship experiences to ensure that everyone remains healthy and limits unnecessary physical contact.
- Hand sanitizing stations are going to be available at both Jones Avenue entrances to the Sanctuary. Automatic hand sanitizing stations, as well as sanitary wipes will be available for you to use. Trash cans will also be available at these stations to dispose of used wipes, tissues, and other trash.
- We will encourage families to spread out throughout the sanctuary. The CDC suggests 6 ft of distance between individuals, and the World Health Organization suggests 3 ft. We believe there will be plenty of room in our sanctuary for you and your family to comfortably worship without the risk of unnecessary exposure.
- Starting this Sunday, March 15, we will be printing the texts of the hymns in the order of worship so that those who wish to avoid using the hymnals are still able to fully participate.
- During our greeting time, we will encourage worship participants to simply turn and greet those around them with a wave, or in a way that limits physical contact. We suggest that you refrain from shaking hands and hugging. Knowing our congregation, we will continue to maintain our welcoming atmosphere even as we make these adjustments.
- We will not pass the offering plate as the offertory is played during this season. Instead, stations will be available at each door for you to give your offering before or after worship. Please remember that online giving is always available through our website (arbc.com), as well as through our church app. You may also contribute to our ministries by mailing a check, or by having a check sent through your bank’s online bill pay mechanism.
- Finally, we will not be offering worship care for our children during this time. Everyone will remain with their families in the sanctuary during worship.
Children:
During this time, our worship may look and sound a bit different, and that is okay! It has been decided by our Administrative Team that the best way to keep our volunteers and children safe is to temporarily suspend Worship Care. For sanitary reasons, the Worship Cart, Worship Bags, and all other items for children have been removed from the sanctuary. We encourage you to bring a bag of items such as snacks, coloring sheets, books, and fidgets for your children to engage with during the service. As long as you feel comfortable coming to church and are healthy, we want you to know that your family is encouraged to be present with us.
In the coming days, we will work on emailing out resources for you to use to help continue to foster the spiritual education of all ages. This is a good time to find ways to reach out to those most vulnerable in our congregation as families. A simple note or card can go a long way in sharing the love and care of Christ to our church family.
Worship Online:
We are always delighted to see you in worship, but we ask you to use your best judgment in determining if it is safe for you to gather with us. Our sermons are made available on our website and through our YouTube page each week. We will be working to have these videos online as early in the week as possible for those who are unable to attend worship during this season. In the coming weeks we will also be working on a live streaming possibility for those who desire to worship with us online because they cannot be with us in person. Recordings of entire services are also available through the church office. Please contact Laura Walker if you would like to receive these CDs.
Pastoral Care Needs:
Our ministerial staff will continue to operate as normal until we feel we are unable to do so. Please contact us with any pastoral care need you have. We will be working with our deacons, Bible study leaders, prayer team, and homebound team, to make sure we are able to keep in contact with the congregation, and ensure that needs are met as we have the ability. We will be praying for all of you, and we hope you will let us know how we can serve you in this time.
Missional Response:
A crisis like this reveals opportunities to serve the community with the radical love of Christ. We will continue to pay attention to the needs of our neighbors by listening to community leaders, ministry and service agencies, and our denominational organizations. If there are ways we can respond as a congregation we will make you aware of them and invite you to join us in serving those in need.
We are always grateful for the opportunity to be church with you. During times of crisis we will rely on God and each other. We will remain strengthened and uplifted by the Holy Spirit at work among us. We will seek to live and act as Christ would for each other and for our world. We pray you are all safe and healthy during this time, and we will continue to be the Body of Christ for one another.
Peace,
Matt