Dear Friends at 5C:
As vaccination opens to more eligible people recently, it was announced that California will fully reopen by June 15. For this reason, the deacon board decides that our church will resume in-person worship service beginning on Sunday, June 13. Of course, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 infection data and local government policies. In case there is any unexpected surge of cases in SLO county, our church will adjust this plan accordingly. Currently, the deacon board is still working on the details and we will communicate this plan with church members on Sunday, May 9. Here are a few things outlined this proposal, which may be subject to change upon further discussion among board members:
- Our church will adopt a step-by-step approach to resume in-person service, which means that our service on June 13 does not look like the same as that of the pre-pandemic format
- As an initial step moving to normalcy, this transition stage will provide a hybrid service with both in-person and online options for our members to participate
- Along with the same thinking, both Sunday school classes may also be in this hybrid format at this time
- Our church plans not to provide Sunday lunch at this time, and we may resume lunch service as soon as the situation allows
- Church prayer meetings (both English and Chinese) will continue to meet online after June 13
- Small groups may also continue to meet online. However, if all group members are fully vaccinated, it is permitted to meet in person, either at home or outside.
- Pastor Chen’s virtual office hours will continue after June 13. In addition, church members may see Pastor in-person on Friday if preferred
For those who are fully vaccinated, we encourage you to join our in-person service in the church. For those who haven’t received the vaccines, we encourage you to take one of three vaccines as soon as possible. It is God’s provision that we have such potent vaccines developed in less than a year into the pandemic. Although coronavirus variants may contribute significantly to the surges in some states this month, the newly published data from Israel shows that mRNA vaccines may provide enough protection against those variants to end the pandemic. Hope that this holds true for the infection trend in America in the months ahead.
Let us join together and pray for the ending of human suffering due to COVID-19 pandemic. If you have any questions about the in-person service, please feel free to ask Pastor or any deacons. In addition, Bianca and Raymond may also answer your questions during a Q&A session on Sunday, May 9.
Ministry Update:
- Anderson will lead church prayer meeting (in Chinese) at 7:30pm this Thursday 4/15
- Pastor Chen’s virtual office hours are scheduled from 10:00am-12:00pm Friday 4/16
- Small group “Goodness” will meet at 7:30pm Wednesday 4/14 through Zoom
- Small group “Peace” will meet at 7:30pm Friday 4/16 through Zoom
- Chinese Sunday school (Sophia Bai) and English Sunday school (Bianca Lin)
- We will continue the sermon series on the Book of Galatians this Sunday 4/18
- Our church prepares to launch a disciple-training program and we encourage all church members to participate
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for the Coronavirus outbreak in the US and around the world
- Pray for physical and spiritual well-being of our church members
- Pray for small groups formed recently in our church
- Pray for the launch of disciple training program in the church
- Pray for Anderson’s father who is still in the convalescent home
- Pray for Crystal Cui for her shingles and her Mother’s migraine headaches
- Pray for Lydia Anderson’s resurgent brain tumor
- Pray for Annie’s sister and Anderson’s brother for Parkinson’s disease
Look forward to seeing you virtually on Sunday.
Blessings!
Jinchang
親愛的中岸教會朋友們:
由於最近開放更多的人可以接種疫苗,州政府宣佈將在 6 月 15 日後全面開放。因此,執事會決定,教會將從 6 月 13 日主日開始重返教堂敬拜。當然,我們也將繼續密切關注新冠病毒的感染數據和地方政府政策。如果 SLO 縣出現意外情況,教會也將相應地調整計劃。目前,執事會仍在研究細節,我們將在 5 月 9 日週日與教會成員溝通該計劃。以下是該計劃的大略,可能會在執事會成員進一步討論後有所修改:
1.教會將採取逐步恢復的方式重返教堂,也就是說 6 月 13 日的敬拜與疫情前的敬拜看起來不一樣
2.作為邁向正常狀態的第一步,此過渡階段將提供混合形式敬拜,包括線上和線下兩種方式,供我們的成員選擇參與
3. 同樣,同期的主日學課程也可能採用這種混合的形式
4. 教會計劃目前不提供週日午餐,我們將在情況允許時盡快恢復午餐供應。
5. 6 月 13 日之後,英文與中文的禱告會將繼續在網上舉行
6. 教會各個小組也可以繼續在線聚會。但是,如果所有小組成員都已完全接種了疫苗,則可以選擇家庭聚會或者在外聚會的方式。
7. 6 月 13 日之後陳牧師將繼續線上辦公。此外,您也可以在週五在教會親自見到牧師。
對於已完全接種了疫苗的成員,我們鼓勵您到教會參加敬拜。對於尚未接種疫苗的人,我們建議您盡快接種三種疫苗中的一種。在疫情不到一年的時間內,我們就開發出了這種有效的疫苗,這是神的供應。儘管新冠病毒的變異體本月在某些州大幅增加感染率,但以色列最新發布的數據顯示,mRNA 疫苗對變異體也提供了足夠的保護作用以結束此次疫情。希望美國的實際情況能夠印證這些推測。
讓我們團結起來,為盡快結束人類因新冠疫情遭受的苦難祈禱。如果您對返回教堂敬拜有任何疑問,請隨時咨詢牧師或執事。此外,張西齡姐妹和胡其建弟兄也將在 5 月 9 日的問題解答中回答您的問題。
事工更新:
1. 林恩深弟兄將帶領本週四 4 月 15 日晚間 7 點半的中文禱告會
2. 陳牧師本週辦公時間為週五 4 月 16 日上午 10 點至 12 點
3. 『良善』小組 4 月 14 日週三晚間 7 點半線上聚會
4. 『和平』小組 4 月 16 日週五晚間 7 點半線上聚會
5. 本週中文主日學將由白燕姐妹帶領,英文主日學由張西齡姐妹帶領
6. 教會將推廣門徒訓練計劃,歡迎所有教會成員參加
禱告事項
1. 為美國及世界各地的新冠肺炎的爆發
2. 為我們教會所有成員的身體及屬靈健康
3. 為教會新組建的各個小組
4. 為教會開展的門徒訓練計劃禱告
5. 為林恩深弟兄仍在療養院的父親禱告
6. 為正在受帶狀皰疹折磨的崔琳姐妹祈禱,並為她母親的偏頭疼祈禱
7. 為馮慶芳姐妹復發性腦瘤及後續的治療祈禱
8. 為裴師母姐姐和林恩深弟兄的哥哥祈禱,他們正在遭受帕金森的困擾
期待週日線上見
主僕 陳金昌