So, what’s the next step in BSBC’s worship journey?
Dear Church Family,
I appreciate the many who are praying for BSBC leadership as we seek to discern the safest ways, the right time and the level of “opening” for our congregation in these days. I can assure you that your pastors and deacons are not taking these discussions lightly. At this point, I can tell you that we have strenuously reviewed the documents from the provincial government developed specifically for religious groups.
Written reopening plan
Key elements of a written reopening plan, required by the province, include detailing how we will screen congregants (those who come for group events), provide hand sanitization/encourage mask wearing and the all-important social distancing at all points: line ups for entrance, screening process, sanitizing process, seating process, during services and while leaving. At this point, we have these protocols written and have been learning about their implementation from the funeral and two weddings that have been conducted at BSBC in these last weeks.
We recognize that this will be a worship service experience that is vastly different than the one we left. Even without focus on how you get in and how you get out, the service itself will have a different ‘feel’ given the amount of distance between worshippers, likely the absence of congregational singing and nothing that requires touching items (i.e., no bulletins, no passing an offering plate or basket).
Test service & prayer request
Yet, as leadership, we recognize the need for prayerful consideration of God’s leading on this question. One way we have determined to seek His will is to hold a ‘test’ service for pastors, deacons early in the month of July. This will allow us to ‘test drive’ the protocols with a smaller group and to experience what a service in this new iteration will be like. Please pray for us as we engage in this event and use it to discern, through further discussion, sharing and prayer, what we should do going forward.
In short, I can discourage any thought that our usual service format will be up and running before the fall — at the earliest. This test service will help us consider how, and if any, in-person services should take place during the summer of 2020.
Worship online
Yet again, I ask that you pray for your leadership as we consider the worship life of BSBC. I can confirm that at our recent Board of Deacons meeting it was agreed that at this point, our online services are a vital part of our witness and will continue through the fall no matter what in-person options may be made available.
At any time, no matter what is offered in terms of in-person services, each member of our church family should seriously and prayerfully consider their own vulnerabilities when making a decision about attending. No one should feel pressured. Just because the church doors may be open it will not be wise for everyone to attend. We will discuss this more fully when the possibility is discerned to be timely. Until then, please continue to engage in our virtual worship experience, with encouragement to invite family and friends to join us and pray that these services will point people to Christ and the joy and peace that come from relationship with him.
Every blessing,
Pastor Greg
