If phase 3.0 is our campus fully open with no COVID restrictions, then this next step is 2.8! On June 28, we are beginning a “limited” reopening based on the current health guidelines. The guidelines severely limit the number of people who can attend, (100 max, including family) and the manner in which they may attend, (socially distanced). After praying, seeking advice and wisdom, we think it best to slowly reopen making services open to our volunteers first. Beginning June 28, the 10:30 am service will be open to Sunridge volunteers and their families. We will still be live online. That’s here to stay. We know that could appear to exclude some of you from attending, at least for these initial services – I assure you that is not the intent. Here are some reasons behind this decision:
- It allows us to test our procedures. You can imagine all the requirements that must be met in holding a gathering of this magnitude. Starting with volunteers who are already familiar with many of our standard procedures will help us work out the bugs in our procedural systems (Think of this as the “soft openings” restaurants commonly start with)
- It honors the people who serve you. To be honest about this whole matter, when we started thinking about reopening our services in such a limited manner we asked, “Who gets to come?” “Is it first come first serve?” “Who’s ready to attend?” (Keep in mind not everyone is ready to take the risk yet). That is hard stuff, because we knew that whatever we decided, someone would not be able to attend. I really hate that part! By the way, the number of volunteers at Sunridge far exceeds seating that will be available, so even our volunteers will not be able to attend every Sunday.
- It allows us to connect and communicate with the people who are going to make it possible for us to reopen. We’ve done our best to communicate with all of our volunteers during the COVID crisis, but nothing can substitute for that face-to-face interaction. Part of these gatherings will involve discussing roll-out plans with the various departments. Providing space for us to talk is super important to a successful, meaningful and safe reopening.
Again, we want to say to everyone who calls Sunridge home, each of you matters so much to us. We feel that if God sends someone to Sunridge, He is entrusting their care to us. That is a huge responsibility for which we will answer to Him and we do not take that lightly. We realize that many of you have been unable to serve recently, and yet all of us serve our Lord outside the church. We are so looking forward to that Sunday when we can all gather! We intend to open more services as restrictions relax and we become more capable of delivering a safe and quality experience. We’ll keep you posted on that!
Below is a button that will link you to a survey that will help us organize the reopening. Please take a moment to fill it out, whether you’re currently volunteering or not. By doing so, you’ll be providing us with the critical information needed to do as the Apostle Paul instructed the church, “Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” (1Corinthians 14:40, NIV)
In the meantime, as we’ve said from the beginning, “Be The Church”: to your church, to each other, to the world. We are the light of the world; continue to allow God’s grace to shine through you! Deepen faith. Bring hope. Live love.