LetterS to the Congregation
from Pastor Nathan
June 9, 2020
Dear Christ the King,
I’m writing to you with an update on our process of gathering together again. Over the past three weeks, we have implemented all of the safety guidelines required by the state, and have been testing them with small groups of staff and officers in attendance. That testing has gone very well, and I’m very grateful to the staff and deacons who have put all of this in place. Full details about those safety measures can be found here.
I’m happy to say that beginning this Sunday, June 14, any who wish to attend worship in person are welcome to do so. With the new protocols in place, the service will of course be different than it was in March, and we are asking that everyone register before attending, but for those who are comfortable with gathering, we invite you to join us. The livestream will continue through the summer and beyond for those who are not yet able or ready to attend in person.
In addition to state and local guidance and input from staff and officers, these decisions were informed by the results of a survey we sent to you at the end of last month. We asked you to share your own thoughts and feelings about gathering together for worship, and we’re very grateful for the time and care you put into your responses.
Out of 91 responses, 25% indicated a readiness to attend worship in the month of June. Nearly all of the rest said either that they would be ready later in the summer, or that it’s just too soon to say. One thing we hear in those responses is how fluid this situation is. We know that the responses you gave represent a snapshot of where you were at that point in time, and that your feelings about gathering may change, in one direction or the other. But given the general tenor of your responses, our expectation is that our numbers will be relatively small in the beginning, and will only grow gradually over the summer.
As we’ve said before, we’re going to keep working as a church to love one another and our neighbors, to resist judging each other, and to accommodate everyone who cannot or isn’t ready to gather in person.
A summary of the survey responses can be found here. Note that we are only sharing summary statistics, not individual responses. Also, we’re not sharing responses about personal risk or comfort levels, in an effort to balance transparency and privacy. If you have any questions about the results, please reach out to us.
I was reminded in conversation last week that God has truly been good to us in this time that we have been – and will continue to be – apart from each other. It’s good to know that the Spirit can still work through his Word, even as we gather virtually, and that we can still encourage one another, even through a YouTube chat window or our virtual coffee hour and community group meetings. I was reminded in another conversation how deeply we do yearn to be in the same room again, to look one another in the eye and hear our voices without the mediation of a screen. God has created us physical as well as spiritual beings, and we are made to worship him with our whole selves, including our bodies. But God’s purposes are not thwarted by the distance between us or the dangers of a virus. Together or apart, we are resting in His abundant grace and abiding in His unchanging love.
I’m very thankful for all of you. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions if you have any.
Nathan, for the CTK staff and elders