We miss you: Making a plan to gather again

Office rose in 
bloom this week

Dear Grace Church Family,

Lisa and I miss you all so very much. We look forward to the day when we are all together again in a similar fashion to what we are used to. I know I miss our worship, talking before and after worship, spending time with our children and youth, communion, and so much more.

As you know Governor Northam has said that churches may resume worship this weekend in a limited way. That is not the case with the churches of the VA Conference. Bishop Lewis is not permitting in-person worship at this time.

The conference has designed a handbook that each church is to use to get ready for in-person worship. We have been instructed to form a Healthy Church Team and I have asked several people to serve as members. If you are interested please contact me.

The handbook is very extensive. As I read it yesterday I was impressed with the care and hard work that went into it. It is also very, very clear that worship will not be the same at all during the first weeks or months of opening under the provisions of this handbook.

For example, everyone will have to register to attend worship by Thursday of each week. Everyone who attends will need to wear a mask, come with their own hand sanitizer, take their temperature at home that morning, and sit six feet from another person or family. There will be no nursery, children's time during worship, fellowship time, handshakes or hugging, no choir or singing. If you are sick in any way you are to stay home. No baptisms. No passing of the plate for the offering. There is also the suggestion that the service be rather brief, no more than 30 minutes or so. The longer everyone is together the higher the risk of a possible exposure to the virus. Once the service is over everyone leaves. There will be no bulletin, hymnals, pew Bibles, or any other similar materials. No Sunday School.

So as you can see under these strict protocols things will be very, very different. Once the bishop decides a specific date we can determine if that works for us or can wait until we are ready. Classes and groups can continue to use Zoom and committees can meet with 10 or less members present and physical distancing. I will continue to put a sermon on Facebook each week with lots of help from Lisa.

The motive for these restrictions is one taken from Mr. Wesley who took it from the Hippocratic Oath: "Do No Harm." We also want to hear our Lord's call to "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Matthew 22:39 NIV).

We take all the precautions we need because we do not want this to happen at Grace:  https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/42126834/ringgold-church-cancels-services-after-3-church-members-test-positive-for-covid19

So at this time we seek wisdom from the Lord in how we may best care for one another. We pray for the day when this virus subsides and many are healed. We pray for our leaders, scientists, and those who work in healthcare and who are first responders.

Again, we miss you and look forward to being together again as church family.

Grace + peace,

Clay+

Resources:

Email Pastor Clay: clayknick@comcast.net 

Back to In Person Worship Plan
Bishop's Plan Summary
Handbook for Local Churches


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A Message from Bishop Sharma D Lewis: Work Group to recommend guidelines for opening

May 9, 2020

Dear Virginia Conference,

May the Lord be with you and keep you. It is a wonderful day to be a United Methodist. I know that Virginia United Methodists are longing for the return to in-person worship. One of our highest priorities must be loving our neighbors through ensuring the safety of those who attend our services. As we reported this week, a work group of church leaders, medical professionals, and legal professionals have been working hard to provide guidance to help us go back to in-person worship safely. On Friday morning, the Cabinet reviewed a draft of their work and we are preparing a list of frequently asked questions this weekend.

Friday afternoon, Governor Northam announced that he may loosen the restrictions related to in-person worship on May 15, 2020. Our timetable, as United Methodists, will be phased. I will allow Drive-In worship to begin on May 24, 2020 for all churches under strict guidelines that will be released by May 15, 2020. I will also authorize some test churches (we will call them “pioneer” churches) to open on May 24, 2020 with no more than 25 people in attendance under strict guidelines that will also be released by May 15, 2020. These pioneer churches will provide much needed data for the churches in our various districts on how to open safely.

Please continue to be in prayer for those who are affected by COVID-19 and those working hard to care for them. Pray as well for those who are extending themselves to serve at great risk and great cost. Whenever we return to worship, we will have stories to tell of God’s goodness and provision in this crisis.

Peace and Blessings,

Bishop Sharma D. Lewis