News
FBC Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Update 4/4/20
Originally Sent: 3/18/2020; Updated: 4/4/2020
Dear Faith Baptist Church family,
Your leadership had a meeting soon after this situation developed to figure out what direction we believe the Church should take at this time. This virus has brought us into some uncharted territory so we want to be wise, loving, and most of all God honoring with all our decisions.
Regarding midweek programs we already decided to cancel all events for the time being. We will look into possibly hosting small groups for prayer meeting in the next few weeks or hosting it online.
Regarding our Sunday Service we decided that we would host it online at the usual time of 10:30am. A link to our online service will be posted prominently on our website and can be found at https://fbcsouthbridge.com/. We will continue to hold online services up until May 4th or until the quarantine is lifted. We are so thankful for the technology that allows us to meet together even if it is not ideal. Please join us so that we can worship together as a family. There are a couple reasons why we think this is the right direction to go. First, we believe that it is loving to not encourage the spread of the virus. Second, the state has shut down groups of 10 or more from meeting. We want to obey our leaders according to Romans 13:1-2. This is not an issue of faithfulness otherwise we would continue to meet regardless of what the state mandated.
Regarding your needs, fears, and concerns. We want you to be aware that your leaders are praying for you. We want to serve you in any way that we can. Please do not be afraid to call us with any questions or concerns you might have. We would love to hear from you and even pray with you. We pray that this period of time will serve as a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better even if it is through the phone.
Regarding extra time. With so many cancelations such as work, school, and sporting events some of us are going to find ourselves having extra time on our hands. We suggest that you take full advantage of this extra time by spending more time with God and His word. This extra time is a gift from God and a great opportunity to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16).
Regarding your fellow believers. This is also a great opportunity to reach out and serve other believers who might be in need. God’s word tells us that we have a responsibility to everyone but especially to our fellow believers. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Those of us who are in less danger have an opportunity to serve those who might be in greater danger.
Regarding unbelievers. This is also a great opportunity to be a witness to your neighbor. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The greatest love we can display for our neighbor is to give the gospel of salvation. It is at times like this where the world is suffering through fear of the unknown that we who have a secure and certain future hope, have an opportunity to shine the brightest. We should be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15).
Regarding giving. Giving is an act of worship. We want to assist you so that you are not deprived of your opportunity to worship the Lord in this way. You can now give using our new secure online giving page on our website at https://fbcsouthbridge.com/give. You could also set it aside until we meet as Paul instructed the Church In 1 Corinthians 16:2 to do, or you could also send it in the mail addressed to: Faith Baptist Church 515 Dennison Dr. Southbridge, MA 01550.
If you have any concerns, fears, needs, or would just like to pray with someone please give us a phone call. We want to talk with you.
For His glory,
Isaac Rattin, Mike Coburn, David Langevin, Alex Neidhardt
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Previous Communications Regarding the Coronavirus
Originally Sent March 14, 2020
Responding to Coronavirus as Believers
Considering the great amount of news circulating concerning the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the leaders of Faith Baptist Church think that it is wise to take a moment to encourage you about how we can respond to such an event as believers.
Do not Fear
There is an atmosphere of anxiety all around us. At such times it is not unusual for us to feel some anxiety ourselves. What is most important is what we do with our anxiety. God’s word calls on us to cast our anxieties on the Lord for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Such freedom from anxiety can be ours because God has promised that He will be "…with you" (Isaiah 41:10). At times like these where things are unknown and outside of our control, we can take courage in our all-knowing, sovereign, and all-powerful God who has promised to be with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9).
Use Caution
It is loving to take wise steps to prevent this or any other virus from spreading to your neighbor and fellow church members. Some recommendations made by health officials are:
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer where soap and water are unavailable
- Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose as much as possible
- Avoid contact with people who are ill and their items
- Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; if no tissue is available, then sneeze or cough into the sleeve or arm
- Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces regularly
- If you have symptoms of coughing, sneezing, fever, nausea, achiness, or any flu-like symptom, please serve everyone by staying home. We love you and can't wait to see you again once you are better.
- Consider self-isolation if you or members of your family are returning from impacted areas as identified by the Ministry of Health.
- While we are passionate about gathering as God's people, if you feel the need to stay home we understand and can't wait to see you out again soon.
- Here is the link for the COVID-19 resource page for Harrington Hospital https://www.harringtonhospital.org/caronavirus
These preventative measures are the same precautions we take each winter to avoid getting the flu. If you don't feel comfortable shaking hands it is okay to just go ahead and offer people an elbow tap.
Be Serving
As Christians we should be the first to help wherever there is a need. We should be the first to help because our hope is not in this world but the one to come. We reflect Christ when we serve and give of ourselves. Let us therefore focus not on ourselves but rather on Christ and caring for those who are infected or scared or in any way can use our help. Share the truth of why you have such hope in times like these. Ask God how you can help and serve others. These times are great opportunities to show and speak to the world of the great hope that we have in Christ.
Faith Baptist Church Response
In obedience to God’s word we want to be sensitive to our governing authorities (Romans 13:1-2). For this reason, if the state or local officials declare an outbreak in our area, we will take precautionary action. At this time however, we will continue our Sunday schedule as usual. We will keep you informed regarding the continuation of other church events outside of the Sunday services. If you are afraid to go to the store and buy groceries or have other needs your leaders would be glad to help serve you. Please let us know if you need any assistance.
A Final Word
We have been learning from God’s Word in the book of Isaiah that we are to live by faith rather than fear. Here is an opportunity to practice what we have been learning. At times like this we are especially about how blessed we are to have such a great and mighty God. We are thankful to be able to serve this great God together with you.
- If you chose to stay home because of health risk, please let us know so we can pray for and serve you. To stay in touch or inform us of needs, you can email us at churchonthehill@yahoo.com.
- For updates from the church, you can check your email or the church website https://fbcsouthbridge.com/.
- We highly encourage connecting with other church members by phone or social media and listening to God's word through sermons on our website or other places like https://www.desiringgod.org/messages.
Isaac Rattin, Alex Neidhart, Mike Coburn, David Langevin
FBC Response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Updated: 05/06/2020
Dear Faith Baptist Church family,
Your leadership had a meeting on Tuesday evening to figure out what direction we believe the Church should take at this time. This virus has brought us into some uncharted territory so we want to be wise, loving, and most of all God honoring with all our decisions.
Regarding on-site midweek programs we already decided to cancel all events. We are hosting midweek prayer meetings online via Zoom. Please email faithbaptistchurchinfo@gmail.com to get the information for joining.
Regarding our Sunday Service we decided that we would host it online at the usual time of 10:30am. A link to our online service will be posted prominently on our website and can be found at https://fbcsouthbridge.com/. We will continue to hold online services until the quarantine is lifted. We are so thankful for the technology that allows us to meet together even if it is not ideal. Please join us so that we can worship together as a family. There are a couple reasons why we think this is the right direction to go. First, we believe that it is loving to not encourage the spread of the virus. Second, the state has shut down groups from meeting. We want to obey our leaders according to Romans 13:1-2. This is not an issue of faithfulness otherwise we would continue to meet regardless of what the state mandated.
Regarding your needs, fears, and concerns. We want you to be aware that your leaders are praying for you. We want to serve you in any way that we can. Please do not be afraid to call us with any questions or concerns you might have. We would love to hear from you and even pray with you. We pray that this period of time will serve as a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better even if it is through the phone.
Regarding extra time. With so many cancelations such as work, school, and sporting events some of us are going to find ourselves having extra time on our hands. We suggest that you take full advantage of this extra time by spending more time with God and His word. This extra time is a gift from God and a great opportunity to redeem the time (Ephesians 5:16).
Regarding your fellow believers. This is also a great opportunity to reach out and serve other believers who might be in need. God’s word tells us that we have a responsibility to everyone but especially to our fellow believers. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Those of us who are in less danger have an opportunity to serve those who might be in greater danger.
Regarding unbelievers. This is also a great opportunity to be a witness to your neighbor. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The greatest love we can display for our neighbor is to give the gospel of salvation. It is at times like this where the world is suffering through fear of the unknown that we who have a secure and certain future hope, have an opportunity to shine the brightest. We should be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15).
Regarding giving. Giving is an act of worship. We want to assist you so that you are not deprived of your opportunity to worship the Lord in this way. You can now give using our new secure online giving page on our website at https://fbcsouthbridge.com/give. You could also set it aside until we meet as Paul instructed the Church In 1 Corinthians 16:2 to do, or you could also send it in the mail addressed to: Faith Baptist Church 515 Dennison Dr. Southbridge, MA 01550.
If you have any concerns, fears, needs, or would just like to pray with someone please give us a phone call. We want to talk with you.
For His glory,
Isaac Rattin, Mike Coburn, David Langevin, Alex Neidhardt
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
(Psalm 46:1)
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
(Luke 12:32)
Previous Communications Regarding the Coronavirus
Sent Saturday March 19, 2020
Responding to Coronavirus as Believers
Considering the great amount of news circulating concerning the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the leaders of Faith Baptist Church think that it is wise to take a moment to encourage you about how we can respond to such an event as believers.
Do not Fear
There is an atmosphere of anxiety all around us. At such times it is not unusual for us to feel some anxiety ourselves. What is most important is what we do with our anxiety. God’s word calls on us to cast our anxieties on the Lord for He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Such freedom from anxiety can be ours because God has promised that He will be "…with you" (Isaiah 41:10). At times like these where things are unknown and outside of our control, we can take courage in our all-knowing, sovereign, and all-powerful God who has promised to be with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9).
Use Caution
It is loving to take wise steps to prevent this or any other virus from spreading to your neighbor and fellow church members. Some recommendations made by health officials are:
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water
- Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer where soap and water are unavailable
- Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose as much as possible
- Avoid contact with people who are ill and their items
- Cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; if no tissue is available, then sneeze or cough into the sleeve or arm
- Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces regularly
- If you have symptoms of coughing, sneezing, fever, nausea, achiness, or any flu-like symptom, please serve everyone by staying home. We love you and can't wait to see you again once you are better.
- Consider self-isolation if you or members of your family are returning from impacted areas as identified by the Ministry of Health.
- While we are passionate about gathering as God's people, if you feel the need to stay home we understand and can't wait to see you out again soon.
- Here is the link for the COVID-19 resource page for Harrington Hospital https://www.harringtonhospital.org/caronavirus
These preventative measures are the same precautions we take each winter to avoid getting the flu. If you don't feel comfortable shaking hands it is okay to just go ahead and offer people an elbow tap.
Be Serving
As Christians we should be the first to help wherever there is a need. We should be the first to help because our hope is not in this world but the one to come. We reflect Christ when we serve and give of ourselves. Let us therefore focus not on ourselves but rather on Christ and caring for those who are infected or scared or in any way can use our help. Share the truth of why you have such hope in times like these. Ask God how you can help and serve others. These times are great opportunities to show and speak to the world of the great hope that we have in Christ.
Faith Baptist Church Response
In obedience to God’s word we want to be sensitive to our governing authorities (Romans 13:1-2). For this reason, if the state or local officials declare an outbreak in our area, we will take precautionary action. At this time however, we will continue our Sunday schedule as usual. We will keep you informed regarding the continuation of other church events outside of the Sunday services. If you are afraid to go to the store and buy groceries or have other needs your leaders would be glad to help serve you. Please let us know if you need any assistance.
A Final Word
We have been learning from God’s Word in the book of Isaiah that we are to live by faith rather than fear. Here is an opportunity to practice what we have been learning. At times like this we are especially about how blessed we are to have such a great and mighty God. We are thankful to be able to serve this great God together with you.
- If you chose to stay home because of health risk, please let us know so we can pray for and serve you. To stay in touch or inform us of needs, you can email us at churchonthehill@yahoo.com.
- For updates from the church, you can check your email or the church website https://fbcsouthbridge.com/.
- We highly encourage connecting with other church members by phone or social media and listening to God's word through sermons on our website or other places like https://www.desiringgod.org/messages.
Isaac Rattin, Alex Neidhart, Mike Coburn, David Langevin
GIVE THANKS BECAUSE THANKSGIVING SPEAKS TRUTH ABOUT GOD!
Pastor Isaac Rattin
It seems like every year that thanksgiving comes around I am shocked by how much the Bible addresses and elevates thanksgiving.
I was just recently studying Psalm 50 and came across a familiar theme of thanksgiving in verses 7-15.
7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify against you.
I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house
or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills,
and all that moves in the field is mine.
12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” ESV
God is pictured here as a judge making his case against Israel.
Whenever we get a glimpse into God's view of how He makes judgments it should make us stop dead in our tracks and listen. This is God's view of things and God's view is ultimately the only one that matters. This is significant.
God rejects the sacrifices being made saying that the worship offered through the sacrifices was unacceptable.
He clarifies that his rejection has nothing to do with the amount of sacrifices they were making. The amount is not the problem here. They make plenty of sacrifices. They were incredibly efficient at making sacrifices.
The reason God rejected the sacrifices they made was because of the attitude of the worshiper.
They were making sacrifices as if God needed them or as if it somehow added something to God.
God says clearly that He does not need anything. He owns all the cattle on a thousand hills. That is a lot of cattle. He is the creator after all and therefore owns everything.
The attitude of the worshiper that God rejects is therefore an attitude of self sufficiency rather than utter dependence on God.
The were acting like God was no better than the pagan gods around them.
All of the nations surrounding Israel were in fact very needy. They had nothing and were nothing so they needed the sacrifices to give any appearance of validity to themselves.
What a disgrace to act like God was similar to the false pagan gods surrounding Israel.
The true God has no needs.
Every creature has great needs that only God can provide.
The true worshiper recognizes this reality.
What God requires in worship is an attitude of complete and utter dependence on God alone for everything.
God does not say "stop making sacrifices." Sacrifices were actually at the time required of God.
Instead God says that they are to offer God thanksgiving with there sacrifices.
Thanksgiving acknowledges that we have nothing to bring to God but everything we have comes from God.
God also says to call on Him in the day of trouble. He will deliver you and you shall glorify Him. God is glorified when we say I need you to deliver me and I cannot be delivered without you. When we cry out to God in the day of trouble we say that God is the one who delivers. We can't deliver ourselves. He is the only one who can save.
What does this mean?
This means that God is glorified when we view ourselves as coming to Him with nothing and as God having and being everything that we need.
A life that exhibits thankfulness to God for what He has done particularly in His saving work on the cross and depends on Him for salvation is a living sacrifice that is acceptable to God.
God requires an attitude of complete dependence on Him and an attitude that recognizes that I am completely insufficient in myself. It is an attitude that takes the rightful place as a creature before my creator.
This honors God and this what worship is all about.
Dependence on God is an essential ingredient in all acceptable worship.
Without dependence on God no matter what we appear like we are doing on the outside it is not worship at all. We might go to church every week. We might even read our Bibles. But our worship is unacceptable to God if it is not with a sense of dependence on Him. It is in fact self worship as if we had anything to bring to the table. Self worship is not acceptable to God. Worship that is acceptable is that which magnifies the truth about God.
I pray that we can speak the truth about God this thanksgiving. One way we speak the truth about God is by giving thanks.
UNBELIEF IS A BIG DEAL TO GOD
Pastor Isaac Rattin
Something that I have learned from my children is that they tend to make a big deal out of the wrong things.
Just a few days ago at dinner time I accidentally gave my 2 year old son the wrong cup. He was so upset that he broke down in tears. Having the right cup was apparently a BIG DEAL to him. At the same time this child will go out into a busy street full of traffic without giving it a second thought.Children have a difficult time knowing what is a big deal and what is not a big deal.
You and I can be very much like little children when it comes to spiritual matters. We have a difficult time deciphering what is a BIG DEAL and what is not. One of the consequences of the sinful nature you and I inherited is that we have difficulty figuring out what is a problem and what is not a problem. We tend to cry at spilled milk and then run into the busy street when it comes to spiritual matters.
This problem is much bigger than with the illustration I gave about children. Spiritual matters have eternal consequences. Heaven and hell lie in the balance. These matters are nothing like spilled milk or being given the wrong cup.
That's why the Bible is so helpful for us. It tells us what God thinks of things. The Bible gives us an accurate portrayal of ourselves. In the Bible God tells us what is a BIG DEAL and what is not.
God thinks that unbelief is a BIG DEAL. Don't take my word for it. You can see what God thinks of unbelief simply by looking at what He thinks of it in His word. In Mark 6:1-6 Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth. So far in Mark, Jesus has been ministering only around the Sea of Galilee. You might wonder how Jesus is going to be received. Will His hometown welcome Him? Of all people, you would think that they would respond with faith. After Jesus spoke in the Synagogue, this is how they responded; “…many who heard him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?' And they took offense at him.” After watching Him grow up, after hearing of His miracles, and after hearing Him speak they responded with unbelief. What is significant is how Jesus responds to their unbelief. We are told in verse six that; "6 ..he marveled because of their unbelief." Jesus marvels at their unbelief. There are only two times in the gospels that Jesus is recorded as marveling- the first time is here in this passage, where He marvels at unbelief, and the second time is in Luke 7:9 where he marvels at the faith of a gentile Centurion. Apparently for Jesus unbelief is a BIG DEAL.
In fact, unbelief is the foundation of each and every sin. Unbelief fails to take God at His word and calls God a liar. Unbelief says God is not who He says He is, that He is not all knowing, that He is not good, His commandments are not good, and that I know better. The bottom line is that unbelief says that God is not a BIG DEAL. We can trace unbelief as the heart of the problem from the Garden of Eden, through Noah's flood, through Israel's rejection of God, the cross, all the way to your sin and my sin. The problem at the heart is rebellion - another word for unbelief. We are responsible to believe in Him.
John 12:10-13 “10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
John 3:18 "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Whether or not you and I believe in Jesus according to God's word is a BIG DEAL. There is nothing more important than what you believe or don't believe about Jesus. These are eternal matters. It is a much bigger deal than most of the things that we think are important. Oh that you and I would take God at His word. That you and I would see that God is a BIG DEAL and we would express this by believing in Him.
The Bible calls you and I to live by faith in Jesus Christ. This is not a momentary thing but a life long thing. What is amazing is that only when you and I look through the eyes of faith can you see the world the right way. When you look through eyes of faith God will look big and everything else will look small (including yourself). Only through eyes of faith can we make sense of life. Unlike Children who can't see things correctly; through eyes of faith we can call spilled milk what it is and we can see the danger of going out into the busy street.
Faith Baptist Church Reopening Plan (COVID-19)
FBC INDOOR SERVICE INFORMATION (COVID-19)
Please note that with the changing of state guidelines and the state reopening most of these restrictions and guidelines no longer apply. We encourage people to observe commonsense protection measures as they feel appropriate, seek to love and respect each other, and review current state guidelines for houses of worship if they would like more details on state policies.
Guidelines Updated: 10/24/20
Here are some further specific details about gathering for worship indoors while following current state and local guidelines due to COVID-19. We will also provide online live-streamed / recorded services for those who cannot attend in person.
*These safety considerations are entirely consistent with the Massachusetts guidelines for houses of worship updated 9/8/2020 as well as subsequent updates, and the COVID-19 Order No. 31 of May 6 that is referenced in those state guidelines. You may review the guidelines for yourself as well as see additional details for requirements at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safety-standards-and-checklist-places-of-worship
General Indoor Service Information
Safety Considerations:
Why are we being so careful to keep these regulations?
Online Video Service
FBC OUTDOOR SERVICE INFORMATION (COVID-19)
Revised: 7/22/2020
Dear Faith Baptist Church,
Here are some further specific details about gathering for worship . We will be holding services outdoors following state guidelines while also seeking to provide online livestreamed/recorded services.
General Outdoor Service Information
Safety Considerations:
Why are we being so careful to keep these regulations?
Online Video Service
I hope to see you. If you do not feel comfortable meeting or cannot for whatever reason you are welcome to watch on line.
*These safety considerations are entirely consistent with the Massachusetts guidelines for houses of worship updated July 6th as well as subsequent updates, and the COVID-19 Order No. 31 of May 6 that is referenced in those state guidelines. You may review the guidelines for yourself as well as see additional details at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safety-standards-and-checklist-places-of-worship
REOPENING UPDATE:
6/5/2020
Dear Church family,
We wanted to give you a brief update as we continue to move forward with our church reopening as well as some encouragement in light of the many present difficulties.
At times like this there are a number of things we should especially be thankful for. We should be thankful that we have a family that is closer than any physical family on earth. None of us are alone. Because of God’s love that is in our hearts we really do love and care for each other. We should be most thankful for a God who has set his covenantal, unfailing love upon us through the finished work of Jesus Christ. This means that all things are truly working together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes. This means that even the Coronavirus is working for our good. We are also deeply thankful for how our church family has come together and stepped up during these trying circumstances. Your tangible joy at being gathered together and your willingness to serve to make this happen are testimony of the love of God in your hearts and the glory of his gospel. We are so grateful to serve and worship the Lord with you.
There is so much to be thankful for. But if we were honest, I think we would all have to admit that the crises we are facing can feel like it will never end. When we are in the middle of difficulties, we have to stay extra vigilant and work extra hard to continue to love each other, to be patient with each other, and to avoid quarrels. Thank you for your patience with each other and with your leaders as we seek to figure out how to best serve you and honor the Lord.
For our outside service this week I am happy to announce that we are planning on taking Communion for the first time since our separation. Of course, we will be taking a number of safety precautions that we will communicate with you and you do not have to participate if you are not comfortable. David Langevin was able to get a hold of plenty of communion kits. Thank you, David. They come with a wafer on top and the juice on the bottom. They are a little tricky at first but we will explain on Sunday how they work. Thank you also for the feedback many of you have already given us on any concerns you have for outdoor or indoor meetings. For the time being our plan is to continue to meet outside (weather permitting with an alternative livestream) because it is safer and enables us to have a little more freedom from constraints that would be required indoors. We are planning for what moving indoors will look like when the time comes and we will keep you informed. We want to thank God for giving us the facilities to do this and so far, the weather by God’s grace has been very cooperative. We want to thank everyone who has helped set things up. Everything has run very smoothly for the past few weeks and that is due in large part to everyone’s willingness to serve and be patient with each other. There are many of you who have stepped in to serve in many different ways; thank you so much! We wish we could mention each one of you by name. This coming Wednesday on the 10th we will have prayer meeting outside at the Church at 6:30pm.
Finally; we want to encourage you by letting you know that God is at work. Please keep praying that God would enable us to stay focused on Him and His gospel that He has graciously delivered to us.
Alex Neidhardt, David Langevin, Mike Coburn, Isaac Rattin
MESSAGE FROM YOUR LEADERS ABOUT REOPENING:
5/19/2020
Dear Faith Baptist Church,
As you are probably aware, the governor, as of Monday the 18th, is allowing churches to meet. While we are very excited at the prospect of beginning to regather, there are a number of guidelines that are going to make our meeting together a challenge. How we proceed from here is going to require that we are gracious and patient towards one another as we not only need to follow the government restrictions but everyone has their own opinions about how we should go about reopening. We received guidance from a Christian lawyer in Southbridge and also from www.mass.gov regarding “Safety standards for Places of Worship.” You can visit the website if you would like to understand better how we are making our decisions in light of the restrictions that the government has placed on worship services.
An article I read recently warned the church about something more the dangerous than the COVID epidemic. What is more dangerous than COVID is pride. Pride can often take the form of a self-focused attitude that refuses to serve others. When this becomes the case, the damage is nothing less than our gospel witness to the community and the world. Our gospel witness is not less than words but more than words. Where we are dealing with our liberties there are times when we need to be able to show maturity by humbling ourselves and joyfully surrendering our own rights and freedoms to serve each other (Romans 15). Here is an opportunity to magnify our gospel ministry by how we love and serve each other at this time.
Our plan is to hold services this week and in the foreseeable future outside on the upper parking lot at our regular scheduled time (10:30). This will allow us to meet together with less restrictions than an indoor service providing we have social distancing. According to the regulations, the state government requires wearing masks while inside or within six feet while outside. If you can maintain the social distancing you are not required to wear a mask outside. If you are sick, or know you have been exposed to a confirmed case recently, you should not come. Please take advantage of our online service resources. For those who do gather, we will need to show Christlike understanding by being sensitive to each other’s preferences.
If on Friday the weather looks like it would prevent meeting outside, we will either decide to set up groups for worshiping inside or we will live-stream the service on Sunday morning from inside. Pray that the weather is good! We are going to try and keep things as simple as possible.
There will be no children’s ministry provided at this time according to state regulations. Any child care-related ministry will be coming at a later stage. Wednesday prayer service will still be held over Zoom at this time.
If this is going to happen, we are going to need your help. Your Pastor has a lot of work to do in preparing the message so he is going to be limited with how much he can help. David Langevin is willing to organize the general set up. As we all know he loves to serve and would do the whole thing himself if he was able. But he is suffering with some physical issues that will prevent him from what he would normally be able to do. He does have ideas for set up so please go to him (774-230-6133) if you can help in any way. We could also use someone to volunteer to delegate the setting up and working of the sound system. We could also use some gentle servants who can usher which would include guiding people to their sitting location and helping to lovingly monitor things. Cheri Brier said she could make some Clorox wipes but she needs containers such as large coffee (plastic like Folgers etc.) with plastic lids to cut out for dispensing. If you can donate containers, we could have homemade Clorox wipes available. If there is any other way you can help please let us know.
I realize that some are not going to feel comfortable coming at all. We understand. We are hoping to be able to record or livestream the services so that those who are not able to make it can still view it. I realize that others of us might be unhappy with the fact that we are not immediately meeting inside and restarting all of our services as we normally conduct them. Even if we did meet together, we would not be really meeting together. We would have to keep a 6 feet distance (unless you are family), might need to do multiple services, and we are not allowed to do any other organized fellowship outside of the actual service.
Thank you for bearing with this rather long letter. I can assure you that we have thought about all of this and it is truly a labor of love to communicate this to you. We believe this is the best we can do with the restrictions at this time. Not only do we want to show care for each other but we also want to be a good witness to those around us who are watching. Maybe the neighbors around the church might not only see the gospel in how we love one another (John 13:35) but maybe they will even hear the gospel from us. Wouldn’t that be something. If you have any questions or concerns please talk to one of the deacons or the pastor.
We love you and are thankful for you!
Isaac Rattin
Mike Coburn
Dave Langevin
Alex Neidhardt