COVID-19 dramatically changed our lives in the past few months. The pain and anxieties it has caused around us are real. Additionally, as Christians, we grieve the inability to meet in-person with our church family.
Like Paul, we “want very much to see you . . . to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Romans 1:11-12). However, we must act in wise ways that care for the most vulnerable among us and do not fuel the spread of COVID-19.
Now, it’s important to remember the Church never actually closed, just the doors to spaces in which we gather. As Christ’s disciples, we’ve been learning to worship, pray, encourage, witness, disciple, and serve in creative ways that minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
As restrictions on in-person ministries loosen, churches face difficult decisions like when to resume in-person ministries and how to carry out these ministries safely. Churches around the country are making plans to re-open their facilities. Earlier this week Governor Jay Inslee laid out a plan and path forward as it relates to how churches in our state might do so as well.
Together, our Elder Board and Ministerial Staff are discussing plans for what it could look like for us to resume in-person ministry activities. We are in communication with various churches and trusted organizations to learn how we might safely re-open our facilities and be together once again.
We want to acknowledge that the consciences and comfort levels among people vary widely. As such, early next week, you will be asked to fill out a survey to help us discern the desire and readiness of our faith family to resume in-person ministry activities.
Rest assured that when the time seems right by taking into account as many factors as possible, we will take all the appropriate measures to provide the safest environments possible in which we can gather to worship Jesus and encourage one another again.
Please pray for wisdom as well as for faith, hope, and love to prevail in all our future endeavors.
In Love,
Your Elder Board