UPDATE: MARCH 13, 2020
Restore
In light of the information and recommendations that are being issued we have made the decision NOT TO GATHER for worship on Sunday, March 15th. We see no compelling reason to hold a large group gathering when we have the technology to gather remotely. Here is what you can expect this weekend and moving forward:
On Sunday at 11:00 am, Restore will livestream at www.youtube.com/RestoreNJ as we usually do. At very least, I will preach a sermon. We may also broadcast some live worship based on our worship team’s availability. I encourage you to gather around your TV as a family at the regularly scheduled time and join together with the other members of our church in worship. Parents this is a great opportunity to show your kids that even if we can’t go to the building church is still a priority. Leave a comment on the feed letting people know that you are there.
Another option is meeting with a small group of people in someone’s home to gather around and join in the service. This could be a group of friends, extended family, or your Lifegroup. As long as you are taking proper precautions like hand-washing and no one is exhibiting symptoms or in a high-risk category, this fits within the safe guidance of the CDC and health officials.
Please continue to check your email or follow us on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) for more information on how we can continue to minister to on another during this time. Later today you will receive an email from our children’s director with resources you can use in place of our normal children’s ministry.
I don’t want us to be blind to the reality of what we are facing: it is likely that this suspension of live services could last multiple weeks. I do not believe there has been a time in any of our lives where that sort of long-term shutdown of regular worship gatherings has been necessary.
There will be some disagreement about whether it is necessary now. The best thing we can do is demonstrate that as believers in Jesus Christ–sojourners in this world, and citizens in His Kingdom–we continue to support the world in which we live and desire for it to thrive. We take the steps we’re taking willingly to show our solidarity with the American community, and worldwide community, in combatting the spread of this virus. Let’s praise God that we are still free to worship and that we have the technology that allows us all to stay connected as a church family even as we restrict our public gatherings.
Finally, I also want to acknowledge that there are many people connected to or nearby to our communities who will face greater challenges than many of us will as different events, organizations, and workplaces face shutdowns or shortages. We are going to be actively looking for ways that as a church we can serve those communities that will be hit hardest by these slowdowns. If you are aware of any ways we can assist people who are struggling, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
I’m praying for all of us and for our communities and world as we enter these uncharted territories.
In Christ,
Jeremy
MARCH 12, 2020
Restore Church and our COVID-19 Precautions and Preparations
Restorians -
I want to make you aware of the precautions and preparations that we are taking at Restore to do our part to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. With each new day it is obvious that this virus has caused and will continue to cause significant disruption to our way of life for some period of time. While we do not wish to unnecessarily add to the disruption, it is worth remembering that Restore is in a unique situation in that we share our building with a church that could face significantly greater risk from the coronavirus because of the age of their congregation. It is likely that Restore will take much more swift and decisive action than we may have otherwise taken given that reality.
At this point, we plan on having our regularly scheduled worship service on Sunday, March 15th. We encourage everyone to continue to wash their hands regularly as this is the best way to prevent transmission. Hand soap and hand sanitizer is available in all of the bathrooms. Furthermore, we discourage sharing of beverages or anything else that might transmit the disease and would ask that we keep an extra watch on our children when we are in the fellowship hall. We are coordinating with Living Word on whether or not we will provide bagels and other baked goods on Sunday and will let you know prior to Sunday. All of the children’s classrooms are stocked with lysol wipes and hand sanitizer, and we will be extra vigilant about wiping down any open surfaces. We will also be checking people in manually at the Children’s check-in to avoid having everyone’s hands on the touchscreens.
If we need to suspend service at some point in the future, I am thankful that we have the capability to allow us to continue to connect using our livestream platform. I will continue to preach a weekly sermon live and will distribute discussion guides. If possible, and depending on availability, we may also be able to broadcast live worship. You can get ready now by going to this link (https://www.youtube.com/RestoreNJ) and subscribing to Restore’s YouTube channel. You will be notified whenever a live broadcast starts and be able to tune in from your computer, mobile device, or TV streaming device.
I’d also encourage you to download the Restore Church app on the App Store. (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/restore-church-nj/id974736821) All of the links to livestream or to listen to past sermons, as well as our upcoming “sermon notes” feature, are available there. The app is also available in the Google Play store if you have an Android phone. You can find it on either store by searching "Restore Church NJ".
Finally, I’m thankful that most people at Restore support the church using our online system at donate.restoreworship.org allowing us to avoid significant disruption in our monthly giving even if we are unable to meet together for a time. Nevertheless, the weekly offering we take at our worship service is an important part of funding our general budget. If you generally give via check or cash in the weekly offering, I hope you will consider moving your giving to the online portal, even if only for a season. Restore does not have any unnecessary expenses built into our budget; as a result, we anticipate very little change in our monthly expenses, even if we are unable to gather as a congregation.
Our hope is that we will experience a best-case scenario and all of these precautions and a preparations will be unnecessary. At this point, however, it appears that the best path back to normalcy and quell the spread of this disease is to take whatever measures are necessary sooner rather than later. We are keeping our eyes on the news and staying informed of any recommendations or orders from the CDC or other government officials and will keep you updated on all of our information channels as we have more to share.
If there is any way that we can assist you or your family during this season of uncertainty, please do not hesitate to reach out. As a community of believers we are more than equipped to handle any challenges that come our way and I am confident we will be there for one another, even if we can’t gather in a large group.
Thanks in advance for your continued support and prayers for one another.
Pastor Jeremy