JUNE UPDATE ABOUT CHURCH PROGRAMMING
Dear Church Family and Community,
I hope and pray this finds you all doing well, and keeping safe. I am so thankful for you all. God has chosen us for each other, and I am grateful we walk this road together.
With not being able to gather in-person for worship services, meetings, and fellowship due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this has been a very trying season. We very much miss seeing one another, hugging one another, learning and praying together in person, and just being together. We continue to be challenged to keep our eyes on Jesus, while trusting and relying on God in new and creative ways. We have grown as a community, through the power of the Holy Spirit, as we continue to be knit together as a family of faith.
Over the last couple of weeks, there have been various reports calling for churches to “re-open.” Our governor has also continued the work of re-opening Pennsylvania, county by county, as each meets the state’s public health requirements. Undoubtedly, one major question on the minds of many in our church is,
“When will we be able to worship together in-person again?”
Our staff has been in conversation with other local churches and leaders, our denominational leaders, and our Church Board as part of our commitment to gather as much information as we could to help us best answer this question. I’d like to share with you a few of the important things that have been a part of our prayerful considerations:
1.
From the beginning we have adopted the stance that not meeting together is a loving act as we help to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Though meeting together is a wonderful blessing, and we are anxious to reach that sweet and wonderful day, our concerns for the health and safety of our church family, the most vulnerable among us, our extended families whom we may visit, and the local communities in which we live compel us to use great caution in this decision.
2.
Our discussions have been influenced by not being able to worship together in a way that is in keeping with our HBIC worship tradition and experience:
- Congregational singing is discouraged as it increases the spread of the virus.
- Each person present in our services will have to wear a mask.
- Each person or family will need to be socially distanced in the sanctuary, and for the entirety of time in our facility.
- No normal ministry for children and youth will be offered.
- Loud conversations and/or preaching enhances the risk of spreading the virus.
3.
We are not sure about being able to worship together on our grounds outside the facility:
- Services would be weather dependent. In addition to the possibility of inclement weather, as we enter the warmer months, summer temperatures on our asphalt would be a problem.
- The Car Wash across the street with customers coming and going, with their loud music and conversation, would greatly hinder an outside worship service, especially hosting something on our roof.
- Though outside the blue building or our gravel parking could possibly work with our portable sound system, doing so while having the restrictions outlined above (# 2) would be challenging.
So, with all of this in mind and with a very heavy heart, I write to inform you that we will continue to suspend all public gatherings and meetings throughout the month of
June
. We continue to remain hopeful about gathering together again, though we do not yet know when we will be able to come together again in person for worship services at our Derry Street home. We will continue to follow the effects of the virus on our Dauphin County community, as well as to research other possible options for in-person worship services.
We intend to continue to monitor information regarding public health in our communities regarding Covid-19. As such, if there is a marked improvement, and it becomes safe for all to once again meet in person, and to do so in a manner reflective of HBIC, we will lovingly welcome that day! Our intention is to move through this season month to month. And during this interim time, when we aren’t meeting at our building, we are working on planning for the various details that will help our people to safely come back together, whenever that time comes.
I am very grateful to God for continuing to work in and through us as a community. We miss our building and time together there, but praise God for building us into a family of sisters and brothers who are living to shine our lights together. With all that has been happening in recent days in our country, the witness of our church -- brothers and sisters of various races and ethnicities worshipping together and loving one another – seems all the more crucial for our community.
Praise God for all of our designated ministry team leaders and many others who have all lovingly carried us during this time. And praise God for our amazing staff, whose flexibility, creativity, and ingenuity has been highlighted in such unique ways – it is only surpassed by their deep love for God and for our HBIC family. We intend to continue to provide opportunities for worship, fellowship, and community, and invite you to continue to join us:
- We will make a weekly online worship experience (video) available via YouTube and through our website.
- We will provide weekly online worship resources that accompany the online worship service to be used by individuals and families.
- Once a month, beginning in June (this Sunday), in place of having a pre-recorded online worship service, we will host a live Sunday morning communion service on Zoom, and we will continue to do so one Sunday a month if our inability to meet together in person at our church location extends beyond June.
- Each Wednesday night, Pastor Hank or another of the pastoral staff will host a prayer gathering and interaction via Zoom.
- We will offer weekly opportunities for adults to connect with one another informally via Zoom.
- Pastor Patty and the children’s ministry team will offer weekly opportunities for learning and fellowship for our children.
- For both our youth and our young adults, Pastor Brie and her team of volunteers will offer weekly opportunities for learning and fellowship.
- The Food Pantry will continue its ministry serving our community.
- Life Groups and Discipleship Bible Studies will meet virtually via Zoom.
- We will prayerfully consider all ideas shared with us for ways to do ministry during this season.
- Ministry Team Leaders will be encouraged to contact and check in.
- We encourage all of you to reach out and check in on one another, and on neighbors, as you check in on family.
- We will try to connect people with one another if there are practical needs that others in the church could help to meet. Please let us know.
- We will seek to help to meet financial needs for those who have been adversely affected by Covid-19, and we invite you to share with any of the pastors or with your deacon if you have a financial need.
- Finally, all of our pastoral staff are available to you for prayer, counsel, or information. Please contact the Church Office, or contact us directly through e-mail or phone:
We may be physically apart during this season, nevertheless, the Holy Spirit unites us together as one in Christ. The love of God makes us family. We have been called to be God’s dynamic community here, as we share God’s love in our homes and from our screens, through our calls and video chats, and by blessing others with all that we have been blessed with – locally and globally. Our call remains. Our work remains. God’s love will keep carrying us through.
As Moses said to Aaron and the priests in Numbers 6, I now say to you, my sisters and brothers, God’s kingdom of priests here at HBIC:
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”’
Praise God who watches over and cares for all of us. Please remember to continue to pray for the people impacted, and for our church family. Please continue to be proactive as you share God’s love. God bless and please take care.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Hank Johnson, Sr. Pastor
