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COVID-19  UPDATES

Faith Family…

Grace and Peace upon you, in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  It is fair to state we are living in unprecedented times.  Fear and anxiety are becoming infectious through the litany of unknowns, “what-if,” and “what do we do.”  Although we are facing new times in our lives, these are not unknown to our God or God’s people.  Throughout Scripture, we read stories of God’s people facing unknown circumstances, famines, fears, and challenges.  We also learn that through each and every situation, God saves, rescues, and redeems out of His everlasting love and abundant grace. 

 

Yet, we do recognize the reality of our fears, and understand that just because we have fear doesn’t mean we have lost our faith.  It is okay to cry out to God in the fullness of honesty and say: “I believe, Lord…help me in my unbelief (Mark 9:24).“ At the same time, we encourage all to hold fast to the Words of our Savior that remind us that for “God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26),” which speaks to the vastness of God’s desire to save us.  We are committed to praying all the way through this crisis.  If anyone has prayer requests, please send them to prayer@faithnaz.org, call the church office, or post on our social media.  If you feel you need prayer in person, please contact the church office to reach one of our pastors.  We want everyone to know you are not alone.

 

We may find ourselves in unknown times, but our times are not unknown to God.  God is faithful.  God hears our prayers.  God is our refuge.  God always keeps His promises.  Our God is our Rock and our Redeemer, and the Lord is our refuge in the storm.  We all know that God will see us through this, but the call of God’s people is not to “survive” these circumstances…God’s people are to “thrive” when we are challenged with unprecedented times.  We thrive by seeking God and living out lives that reflect God’s love.  

 

During this covid-19 crisis, we encourage everyone to seek God, and take time for an inventory of our lives, as we grow in our faith.  Pray.  Read Scripture.  Love your neighbor.  Seek out ways to be of service to those around us and those we know.  Make phone calls or text to say hello.  If we go on an errand, ask those that should not go out if they need anything.  These small beginnings inspire compassion and grow our faith to love well.  These humble beginnings enliven our hearts and draw us to seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

 

We are the people of God, His Body, His Bride, His Beloved, and His Church.  We are created to worship, and now is that time.  Hold fast, hold your faith, and know with assurance that God has got this...because our God reigns.

 

We are a community; a group of people from all walks of life coming together for a single purpose of transforming lives through Jesus Christ.  We are a community that practices loving God and others.  We are a community that invests into making a real-life difference in our surrounding community by touching hurting areas like the local school, seniors, and the homeless.  We are a community that is intentional about a lifestyle of growth that reflects Jesus.  We are a community that loves, goes, and serves. 

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Grace and Peace,

Pastor Jason​

May 29, 2020

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Our Faith Community Church Board has unanimously adopted Re-Engaging protocols, which strictly adhere to the recommendations of the State of California, the County of Fresno, and the CDC. To view or download, please click the PDF document button.

May 15, 2020

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The Faith Community Church Board reviewed and discussed guidance on Faith Community re-engaging that has been provided by the general superintendents, the district superintendent, Fresno County, and the State of California.

 

A motion was made and unanimously passed that adopted the following guidance and next steps:

 

  1. The church will not yet engage in worship services, including Wednesday nights, Friday nights, and Sunday mornings and evenings, as per county and state order.

  2. The pastors are empowered to decide how to handle completion of staff work responsibilities; work from home is authorized; people may work from their offices in the church provided that social distancing and sanitizing protocols are observed.

  3. Bible studies, community groups, and Wednesday night groups are able to meet on the church campus in groups of 10 or less, as soon as protocols are implemented;

    1. a hybrid format for these meetings must be made available to participants who want to do so remotely;

    2. ministry leaders will be trained and accept responsibility for sanitizing the meeting space and enforcing social distancing.

  4. Life groups will be authorized to meet at their discretion in homes with 10 or less and follows the protocols for re-engaging of Faith Community Church.

  5. A committee was appointed to review Fresno County’s reopening guidelines and establish protocols to guide the church’s reopening of in-person activities.

  6. The following guidelines were adopted and must be part of the committee’s final recommendations.

  1. Remote/virtual options for participation must be maintained during this time to ensure maximum engagement from the congregation.

  2. Attendance will be documented by name to support contact tracing if necessary.

  3. Activities should be conducted outside if possible.

  4. Advise congregants in high-risk categories of the risks of in-person participation.

  5. Ministry leaders will be responsible for sanitization of used spaces and enforcement of social distancing during gatherings.

March 18 2:30pm

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Faith Community Church is committed to the following goals:

(1) provide ways to worship and experience community safely,

(2) exemplify Jesus at a time when people need hope,

(3) follow lawful guidance to protect the congregation and visitors, and

(4) find ways to evangelize during this time

 

In the board meeting last night, the Faith Community Church Board unanimously approved the following guidance for the church over the next few weeks in response to COVID-19.  All guidance below is effective immediately and runs through Monday, April 13th, at which time we intend to provide new guidance based on public health guidance available:

 

  • Members and attendees of Faith Community Church are encouraged to remain up to date on local, state, and federal government directives on COVID-19 and community health guidance, and to follow the guidance issued.

  • Faith Community Church will be updating our website and social media platforms as needed during this dynamic time as more information and recommendations are offered by our country’s leaders and health officials

  • Faith Community Office hours will remain consistent and will be open as posted: M-Th 9am-Noon.  All after hour/off hour appoints are to be scheduled by calling the church office at 559-298-3097 or by email at office@faithnaz.org

    • During the church’s business hours, pastors and church staff will ensure office coverage at all times.

  • Faith Community Church will be honoring the health recommendations of national, state, and local officials to limit the spread of covid-19 and person to person exposure.  Social distancing is required, meaning maintaining a distance of six feet between individuals.

  • Use of Church Facilities:

    • Through Monday, April 13th, ministries asking to use church facilities for any purpose outside of normal gatherings will be limited to gatherings of less than 10 people, observe social distancing requirements, and coordinate through Pastor Jason to use the facility. 

    • For those outside of the church, use of the church facility will be prohibited through Monday, April 13th.

  • Mid-week activities are impacted through Monday, April 13th as follows: 

    • The Wednesday evening worship service is canceled through April 13th.

    • English worship practice on Wednesday evenings is also canceled through April 13th. 

    • The Spanish- and English-language worship teams will only practice together prior to services (more on services below). 

    • Suspend in-person meetings of midweek ministries (effective immediately) through Monday, April 13th.

    • In an effort to support one another and build community, all ministry leaders will be encouraged to contact the church office and a Zoom video access account will be provided by the church.

  • Life Groups and Community Groups:

    • All life groups and community groups are encouraged to engage their groups in virtual meetings in lieu of face-to-face meetings through Monday, April 13th.

    • Groups are advised that individuals who are in vulnerable groups should avoid in-person meetings.

    • Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vulnerable individuals include adults ages 65 and older, and those with preexisting conditions, including heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes.

    • As minimum precautions for groups who choose to meet in person, groups are asked to follow CDC guidance by meeting in groups of less than 10 and observing social distancing requirements. 

    • In an effort to support one another and build community, all Life Group leaders will be encouraged to contact the church office and a Zoom video access account will be provided by the church.

  • Friday and Sunday (morning and evening) Services:

    • Services scheduled for March 20th, 22nd, 27th, and 29th will be conducted via livestream only.

    • The worship team, audiovisual team, and pastoral staff are advised to keep the entire team at 9 persons or less to record the service.

    • Services scheduled for April 3rd, 5th, 10th, and 12th will be conducted via livestream and a “drive-in” format that will be shared in more detail as the pastors and staff develop this concept. The intent is to provide an opportunity to attend a service and experience community while following public health guidance.

  • Food Pantry:

    • The church is looking for a team of 10 or fewer persons who are willing to assist with food packing and distribution.

      • To the greatest extent possible, the same team will engage in this ministry during this period of uncertainty.

    • Food distribution will be conducted as a two-lane drive-thru in the church parking lot. Ministry participants will receive further instructions.

  • Hands of Compassion and Other “Close-Contact” Ministries:

    • Canceled through Monday, April 13th, with more guidance to follow at that time, recognizing that this is a time for the church to be of greatest service to the community, and encourage people to share creative ways to be of service to those in the most need, while abiding by all health recommendations provided by national, state, and local officials.

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