Our Regathering Task Force met Sunday, November 8 to discuss the continuation of our indoor worship trial period. We reviewed:
current rates of Covid-19 infection
current Covid-19 induced deaths
governmental regulations
opinions and recommendations of our denominational leaders
hospital capacity
vaccine and therapeutics progress
and much more
We discussed the difficult balance of promoting and prioritizing people’s spiritual, physical, and mental health in this challenging environment. While we strive to keep people as safe as possible (which is why we have instituted strict procedures and guidelines for indoor worship), we similarly understand the need for people to experience communal worship, which is why we offer it both indoors and outdoors.
One of our major measurement tools continues to be our decision to stay in compliance with county and state laws, whether or not we agree or disagree with those laws, because it is important as a congregation to live in solidarity with the rest of our neighbors and society as a whole. Also, we decided as a task force to increase communication about how and if Beautiful Savior will continue our trial period for indoor worship.
Moving forward, we will begin sending a weekly email on Fridays to update you on the status of indoor worship for that upcoming Sunday at 9:00 a.m. These emails will begin with a straightforward and consistent question: Will there be indoor worship this upcoming Sunday at 9:00 a.m.? Rather than placing the burden on you to assume whether or not we will make a change in plans due to the rapidly increasing infection rates, we will take the lead in informing you. If you have preregistered for indoor worship and we conclude not to have indoor worship that weekend, we will do our best to reach out to you by phone in advance.
We still plan to continue our indoor worship trial period this Sunday, November 15, at 9:00 a.m. Also, we will continue to livestream that worship service, and its recording will be available online shortly after 10:00 a.m. that same day. If there are technical difficulties with livestreaming as there were this last weekend, we will still record worship and upload it for your later viewing. We apologize for that happening this last Sunday, but as I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear, high speed wiring and internet capabilities were not envisioned when Beautiful Savior’s sanctuary was built in 1966. Still, our Worship Tech Team is working diligently with our internet service provider, IT specialists, and others to ensure a consistent and dependable online delivery of worship for you.
Thank you for being the incredible and entrepreneurial people of Beautiful Savior. I am humbled and astounded by how we continue to bend without breaking as we navigate these unchartered waters. You are an inspiration.
Thankfully, in Christ’s Service,
Pastor Nik