Church Announcement Sent 12/14/2020:
Takeaway: Leadership agrees to continue our two in-person Sunday services and live streaming, believing these options allow for safe worship and fulfill PA’s requests even as Covid is prevalent in Punxsy.
OLC Family,
Covid is more prevalent in Punxsy this month than at any point this year. Most of us have friends and family with it, even some who have passed. Please be cautious and in constant prayer for our community and our hospitals.
As of last Thursday, PA’s Covid mitigation efforts through January 4th say: churches are strongly encouraged to find alternative methods for worship, as in person gatherings pose a significant risk to participants at this time.
In respect to this, our church board met last evening to discuss how to move forward. It’s important each of you know we are approaching these difficult decisions prayerfully and seriously in consideration of your physical, spiritual, and emotional health.
In the Spring we invested in live streaming equipment and it has proven to be a blessing for many of you. It’s also been an important piece of our health safety plan.
Thanks to the online option and having two services, we believe our church leadership is already respectfully responding to the government’s request while also fulfilling our biblical commands to protect the flock.
Along with that, we are trusting you to make wise decisions for your health and the health of those around you.
Please continue to be cautious and take the usual health initiatives:
- Social Distancing and Moving About the Building as a Family
- Hand Sanitizer is Available Beside the Stairs
- Free Masks at the Welcome Center if you need one.
- Note: The 10:30 service is the smaller of the two if you’re considering returning to in-person worship.
- Reminder: We cannot guarantee you won’t contract Covid at church.
Ways to worship together:
- In Person at the Church at 9:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m., kids ministry and nursery open at each.
- Online LIVE at 10:30 a.m. on YouTube where you can subscribe and click the bell!
Praise God we can continue to be together and share the gospel of Jesus with as many people as we can! Share service times and online links to get the message of hope out!
Thanks for being a part of One Life!
Merry Christmas,
One Life Church Board
[Past Information You May Want to Look Over]
In-Person Church ReOpens on May 31st, 2020 at 9:00 a.m.
Dear One Life Family,
After much thought and prayerful consideration our board of directors has decided it is time to reopen our church and begin to once again worship together in-person.
We realize the COVID-19 virus can be devastating to certain groups of people and will take reasonable precautions to keep everyone as safe a possible. We also know God calls us to be bold and faithful, not fearful. In fact, God instructs His people ‘to not be afraid’ 365 times in Scripture. That’s one for each day of the year!
In accordance with Governor Wolf and the CDC, churches are essential businesses and when serving the public we are allowed to conduct services at 50% occupancy of large spaces while practicing caution.
We believe now more than ever our community needs the LORD and we can open with caution while loving our neighbors, caring for our congregation, and representing Jesus well.
Here is our initial reopening phase (in place for an undeterminable amount of time):
- Worship services will be held in-person on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. beginning May 31st.
- Online services WILL also continue [in the current format] to be premiered at 9:00 a.m. on YouTube, Facebook, and the church website for those remaining at home.
- Sadly, to limit hand-to-hand contact, some missing elements from our gathering will be: extended fellowship before and after, coffee and snacks on the dock, and bulletins. Please approach hugs and handshakes with cautious care for others.
- The 10:30 a.m. service will be added at an appropriate time based on multiple factors.
- For the time being we have made the difficult decision to NOT offer nursery, kids, or adult classes.
- Families of all ages are encouraged to attend the service together. We completely understand how difficult this is with small children and hope you’re willing to try. We know the sanctuary won’t be as quiet as usual, and that is OK!
- Miss Kate will provide new, disposable crayons and coloring pages for your kids. Similar to Christmas Eve and Prayer Nights.
- The building will be deep cleaned in advance. Please join us at 8:00 a.m. on May 30th for an indoor and outdoor spring cleaning Pizza party!
- We will encourage everyone to practice social distancing from people you do not live with. Please move throughout the building as a household unit, keeping your children at your side.
- It is very important to keep in mind these critical principles in for our initial reopening:
- Please do not feel obligated to attend if you are not comfortable. You should utilize your own best judgement about whether it is safe for you to attend church, or whether it would be best for you to avoid coming to the physical church at this time. We understand.
- Please, if you are sick, not feeling 100%, or if you think you could have been exposed, do not come to church and potentially infect other people.
- Masks are optional. You can wear a mask if you wish, but you need to be aware that other people may choose not to wear a mask.
- We cannot guarantee your safety from COVID-19, as no one knows for sure whether or not they are a carrier unless they’ve been recently tested. If you come to church you are assuming some risk, just like when you go to the grocery store, pharmacy or to Wal-Mart.
- Pray! We want all of our services to be pleasing to God and uplifting and edifying to everyone who attends. Pray that God will continue to bless One Life Church as we strive to “make and guide fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ” even in these challenging times! Our mission has not and will not ever be derailed. We have grown in our ministry approach and will continue to.
For His Glory,
One Life Church Board of Directors
(Ron Shirey, John Shirey, Scott Cressley, Sam Barr, Dustin Duminske, Tony DiBlasio, Guy Smith)
P.S. If you have questions please call the church at 814-317-3171 or email pastor guy@onelifepunxsy.org