SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

Here we go. Starting tomorrow—Sunday, May 31st—we will resume our in-person worship at CCO. Can’t wait!

Here’s what you need to know:

• new service times: 9:00 & 11:00am

• social distancing: we’ve removed +/-30% of our seats in the sanctuary so that we can spread out a bit and allow some measure of social distancing; I’d like us to attempt to practice this

• tithes, gifts, offering: we will not be passing the offering bags for the time being (there are plenty of other giving options in place [and, thanks, once again for being so generous!])

• masks:
  • you will not be turned away if you do not wear one,
  • you will not be turned away if you do wear one;
  • we have masks available in a station in our entryway—you’re welcome to grab one if you’d like to do so
• kitchen:
  • our kitchen is CLOSED for the time being
  • we will not have coffee or tea available and we will not be providing snacks before or after service(s)
  • we’re going to restrict access to the kitchen to authorized personnel only
• greetings: outside before and/or after service(s)
  • handshakes / hugs / fist bumps / etc: as I mentioned before—and this should definitely go without saying during a pandemic or otherwise—be courteous, read body language; not everyone wants you to hug them
• hand sanitizer:
  • we have this available and we strongly encourage you to use it—wash your hands, keep your hands away from your face, etc.
  • Let’s allow as much common sense to rule as possible.
• dismissal: especially for the 9:00am service—we will need to re-clean / prep for 11:00am service so when the service is dismissed, we will need everyone to be on their way

• live-streaming: 9:00am (available to view on Facebook anytime after that)

• older? stay home and don’t feel bad about it. 

• health not great? stay home and don’t feel bad about it.

• not yet quite ready to come? stay home and don’t feel bad about it.

• someone in your household likely more susceptible to disease / illness? stay home and don’t feel bad about it.

Let’s see how this goes. I’ll be teaching from Mark 4:35-41 once again tomorrow. Read the passage again. Allow the reality that GOD IS IN CONTROL to settle your heart. 

I do want to mention one thing about all of this and it’s based on an assumption. My assumption is this: you’re probably not an expert on COVID-19. Which is to say, what, exactly? Since we’re collectively not experts—and since THE EXPERTS (the W.H.O., C.D.C.) can’t seem to agree, let’s allow HUMILITY to be our rule of conduct. As the pastor of this beautiful little fellowship, I will be sorely disappointed to see people in our fellowship upset with one another about the “masks / no masks” argument. Maybe I can say it this way: in no uncertain terms, since the experts can’t seem to agree, the terms are uncertain. Since you’re not an expert (again, please humor me with my assumption) and since the experts aren’t clear, leave the discussion at the door…as in, the door of your home. I’ve had those conversations with people, too, but I do not want to see something like this be a dividing issue in our church family. Christi and I have a daughter with a compromised immune system so this issue really does hit home for us.

If you have noticed, our world—our NATION—is not in tip-top shape right now. We have the answer, and His Name is Jesus. The world needs HIM—it does NOT need a community of churches at odds with one another over a certain set of uncertain opinions. Let’s be about the business in which we’re certainly meant to be occupied: worshiping Him and declaring Him. That should keep us busy for the foreseeable future.

9:00 & 11:00am - see you then!

Tons of blessing,

Pastor Jeremy