Letter from the Leadership Team

RE-OPEN MA Plan Response 5/20/20

Church family,

Just two months ago we at Community Church of East Gloucester committed to love our city and our church family by choosing to stop meeting together in person. Shortly afterward, the governor restricted meetings of more than 10 people. Since that time the staff and others have worked hard to provide a high quality, connected online church experience for all who wish to participate. Although this time has not been ideal, God has continued to use Community Church to minister to our body and to many in the city. 

Throughout these unprecedented times, Community Church has continued to be the church, using creativity and wisdom to connect, serve, and love one another. Small groups and ministry teams have gathered virtually. One group even gathered in the parking lot with proper social distancing. Community Church families that we have “sent” over the years have joined in our Maundy Thursday Service, the Sunday morning services, and even helped with Sunday services. Amazingly, new people have found Community Church through our online presence and have begun to become part of our community. God has continued to answer prayers in the midst of COVID illness and related hardships. Despite the difficulty of not being able to meet together in our church building, Community Church continues to live out the mission to exalt God, to equip His people, and to extend His grace into the world.

Earlier this week Governor Baker and his Reopen Mass Task Force announced their plan to safely and effectively begin to reopen aspects of normal life in the state. To the surprise of many, houses of worship were included in Phase I of the plan. Churches are now allowed to open with significant steps of mitigation. The criteria include limiting attendance to 40%, prohibiting children's programming and nursery, requiring roped off pews. The rules also order six feet of separation at all times--whether sitting in pews or entering and exiting the building. The guidelines also establish special cleaning protocols and require that masks be worn by all. 

Although we appreciate the freedom that the Governor’s plans grant churches, the Leadership Team and Elders also recognize that the requirements of the guidelines do not provide for an atmosphere of worship or fellowship. How can our church limit who can and cannot come to church? How could we meet the needs of families with young children? How could we assure that gatherings such as ours would not make the virus spread even worse? What is the message we’re sending to our city when other, similarly sized businesses and organizations cannot meet together based on the risk, but we choose to?

We believe that the best way to love our city and our church family is not to go back to meeting in person right away. What does this mean for Community Church? It means that, for the time being, we will continue to gather, connect and support one another online. As the next few weeks unfold, we will continue to keep watch over the progress of the reopening plan and find the right and safe opportunity to come back together in a way that will demonstrate responsibility in the face of this pandemic, serve our congregation, and ultimately glorify God. It means we will be looking for other creative ways to gather, including the possibility of an outdoor gathering. 

We love you and we miss being together in person!  If you have questions or ideas, please send them our way. If you are upset by this decision, we would very much value the chance to have a conversation with you. If you have a need or a prayer request, please reach out. We so appreciate the way that our entire body has responded to the pandemic in supporting the church and each other. We are blessed to be a part of Community Church, and we are thankful for each one of you and miss you very much. 

the Leadership Team and the elders
of Community Church of East Gloucester