Hey NGBC family,
It has been a very interesting couple of days in our community. We have seen many share 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Obviously as followers of Christ we know that our confidence and security come from the reality of our relationship with Christ, and ultimately trusting in his sovereignty.
This means we strive to make decisions based in wisdom and not fear. This does not mean we do not take precautions, but means we use our best discernment in a situation, not to be overtaken with fear or panic, because ultimately God is in control.
I wanted to let you know that we at NGBC are taking those precautions to provide a safe and clean environment for worship. (Some of these precautions would be taken with any serious flu or sickness going around).
We are meeting tomorrow for normal services and are striving to be respectful of the guidelines set forth by the State of Michigan.
We will be making some changes taking everything into consideration. We were planning communion tomorrow, however that will be postponed to a future date. Other precautions will be:
1) We are going above and beyond to clean our children’s areas even more than normal.
2) We will not be taking time in our morning service to greet one another.
3) We have hand sanitizer available at the welcome center. Also, we will have our ushers at the doors at the end of service to collect offering, instead of handing plates person to person. You can also give online as normal through our app or website.
4) If you are uncomfortable attending services, we completely understand. We want to encourage you to make the best decision for you and your family with no fear of judgment or criticism.
I know that you (as you read this) may be looking at this situation with very different opinions on what is necessary or right. You may be thinking these precautions aren’t enough, or too much.
We understand where you are coming from as everyone is so different. We want to thank you in advance for your patience and grace as we desire to be as wise as possible while continuing to trust the Lord in all things.