FBC’s Ministry Plan During the COVID Pandemic
Updated September, 2021
To love and protect people during COVID we have taken significant precautions for safety during our in person worship services and gatherings. Please embrace the following safety guidelines as we continue to navigate through this unprecedented time and should you or a family member not feel well, we encourage you to worship with us online.
- We offer 5 on-campus worship services, with social distancing, at 8:00am (Traditional Worship), 9:30am (Contemporary Worship), 11:00am (Alternative Contemporary Worship), 11:00am upstairs service The Upper Room (Acoustic Praise and Worship) and 6:00 PM (blended).
- Live streamed online worship services are available for the 9:30, 11:00 and 6pm services in the Worship Center.
- Kid City is open for one service only at 11:00AM on Sundays. Please use only one parent to check children in to avoid crowds
- 7-12 Students meet upstairs at 9:30AM on Sundays.
- Our golf cart shuttle service will be available and sanitized regularly.
- Face masks are encouraged.
- Hand sanitizing stations are conveniently located throughout the church.
- Please maintain the CDC’s social distancing guidelines while greeting and selecting your seat(s).
- Offerings and donations will be collected at the door as you leave.
- The church staff will evaluate on campus ministries that occur during the week on an individual basis.
- If you or a family member doesn’t feel well or if you are considered more at risk, we encourage you to worship with us online.
Key Ways To Have Confidence When the World is in Chaos
All the Christian life is about balance. Let us not stray to the left or to the right.
It is time for us as Christians to be filled again with the Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind that lives inside us, let us put aside fear.
In Christ, we have no reason to fear sickness, trial, tribulations, persecution, or even death.
At the same time, we must find a way to balance confidence with safety and good stewardship.
Rest assured, God is in control and we have great confidence in His provision through Jesus Christ.
As we observe the world’s response to the corona virus, we should be working towards balance in our own thinking and action: not unresponsive or over-responsive, instead appropriately responsive.
Here is a list of all the things First Baptist Church of Tempe is doing to be appropriately responsive:
- We are encouraging everyone who is experiencing flu or cold like symptoms to refrain from attending church until they are well. The 9:30, 11 and 6pm worship services will be live streamed via Facebook on the First Baptist Church Facebook page – please tune in if you cannot physically attend. https://www.facebook.com/FBCtempe
- We are encouraging everyone to avoid handshakes (a holy bow is the safest!).
- We are encouraging everyone to diligently observe cleanliness (i.e. wash hands constantly, refrain from touching your face as much as possible, sneeze into elbow, use sanitizer/wipes/spray on anything that can safely handle it, etc.).
- We are being diligent to keep high traffic areas of FBC well sanitized.
- We are re-emphasizing and highly monitoring kitchen sanitation for all volunteers and meals prepared and served at FBC. All portions of the all meals will be served (no self-serving) to reduce exposure.
- We will have signs up reminding people to trust God and be clean.
- We are spreading these instructions to all Staff, Deacons, Deaconesses, Ministry Leaders and volunteers, asking everyone to spread the word.
The following guidelines are wise, common sense guidelines to use in protecting yourself:
- Wash your hands constantly and use hand sanitizers or wipes.
- Keep your fingers away from your mouth, eyes and nose.
- Avoid handshakes (do elbow bumps or fold hands to the heart and bow).
- Sneeze into your elbow.
- Stay six feet away from others.
- Stay home if you are sick.
- Take your temperature once a day and record the results.
- Use sanitized wipes on everything like cell phones, computers, light switches, counters, etc.
- Drink a gallon of water everyday.
- Don't panic. God is on control. PRAY!
Please do not minimize people’s feelings or responses to the corona virus (even if you think they are overreacting!).
Please do not impose your strict standards or opinions on people who are less concerned then you.
Please find a way to validate people’s concerns, help them to be discerning, help them make appropriately responsive decisions, and help them to stay calm by you yourself being calm!
We will keep monitoring and evaluating all the details we have to make good decisions for FBC and people attending.
Please allow leadership the freedom to make changes as we gain new information or as situations change, so we can continue to do our diligence to keep our people safe.
If you have any other questions/concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the church at 480-839-0926.
Psalm 20:7 - "Some trust in chariots, some in horses but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."
Thanks,
FBC Leadership