Greetings!
As you know, last Friday, Governor Eric Holcomb released a plan for getting
Indiana Back on Track
. This weekend, pastors, directors, and members of our ECC Council have been discussing what that might look like for us in the coming weeks. Like you, we long to be together again. And, like you, we long to be safe and wise as we consider the possibilities. The decisions we make will not be made out of fear, but out of love and concern for all.
At the forefront of our prayer and discernment is our desire to serve and love one another and our neighbors well. We believe that we do that best when we listen to the advice of medical experts and find the path that allows us to be a blessing to our congregation and our community to the best of our ability.
Furthermore, we have seen firsthand how important our online worship, connection, prayer, and learning experiences have become. Additionally, it has become overwhelmingly clear to us that
online worship
is here to stay, and we intend to continue live-streaming our worship even after we get through the current crisis.
So, out of our love for one another and our neighbors, and from our desire to have the best possible experiences for
all ages
in each of our gatherings once we come back together,
for the rest of the month of May
, we will maintain our current practices.
We
will not be reopening ECC's buildings for physical gatherings yet, but will continue to offer online worship and virtual ministry options throughout this time.
And all the while we, your ECC pastors and staff, will continue to work hard to help you stay connected and to care for you as best we can.
When the state determines that we are ready to enter Stage 3 of the governor’s plan, we will begin to phase in smaller ministry activities, as ministry leaders together discern it is wise to do so. Stage 3 is set to begin on May 24, assuming our statewide and county momentum are good. That date may change as we near the end May, however.
In the meantime, we want you to know that we will be having weekly discussions about the state and timing of future phases that will move us toward a “reopening" in a fuller sense of the word.
Thanks for your patience, your partnership, and your prayer for us already, and in the days and weeks to come.
Grace and Peace,
