We are grateful to see that COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts have been declining, “the curve” is seemingly being flattened, and our state is now entering the first phase of reopening. You may be aware that the Massachusetts Governor’s Office gave an update on Monday about this, which included some guidelines for churches and restrictions for gathered worship. We have been reviewing these guidelines and seeking to understand what this means for us as a church in this stage. Our Elders and Staff have also discussed what our values are which will shape how we respond to the information we have received so far from the government. We desire to follow these guiding principles as we consider the next steps for our church:
We seek to maximize long-term, sustained efforts to build a gospel movement on the North Shore in partnership with other local churches.
We value the health of our church and our broader community and commit to the Lord’s command to love our neighbors.
We value the spiritual and emotional wellbeing of our church community and the role physical presence plays in serving one another.
We will honor all national, state, and local requirements and guidelines, and also consider the expertise of medical, public health, and legal authorities.
We value the witness of our church to the community. This includes fostering and maintaining a good reputation among non-Christians as well as the opportunity to reach out to a hurting and needy community.
We desire to recognize the opportunities we have for fruitful ministry in this season and celebrate God’s work that is taking place in the midst of these circumstances (e.g. new people being reached, more leaders being developed).
We value flexibility in coming up with solutions that fit specific needs.
We value the importance of having a comprehensive plan that cares for the “every” among us.
We value excellence in the execution of our plans, while also seeking to be content with our limits. This includes coming up with a reasonable workload for staff and volunteers, as well as considering reasonable allocation of funds as we meet the needs of our church and broader community.
We value fairness and consistency in our decisions and communication, as well as clarity in our communication.
We value unity, realizing and respecting that this is an issue people have strong emotions about, yet the differences in the relative weight we give to these values may be secondary issues.
We continue to assess and seek understanding of the guidelines given and recognize that there are extensive restrictions and protocols that must be followed. We want to take a slow and deliberate approach to reopening and apply the guidelines wisely. Thus, at this time, we will continue hosting our services online at nscbc.org/live and we will continue our other ministries virtually, as well. As new information and opportunities become available and conversations progress, we will reevaluate and update you when we have more clarity about any changes to our current ministries.
