An Update From Pastor Wesley | July 3, 2020
Entering Phase 3 | July 5, 2020
Church family,
We have had an amazing month of June as the Lord has allowed us to meet outdoors during Church on the Ballfield. There was a sweetness among those worshiping with us both in person and online together.
As we have been operating within Phase 2 of Pastor Wesley’s “Road to Relaunch” plan, we are excited to announce that we will be entering phase 3 of this plan beginning Sunday, July 5th.
We want to invite you to one of our Indoor Church Services this coming Sunday! As our church has been patiently navigating our relaunch strategy during the recent weeks, we have been anticipating the day we could safely return to our worship center on a Sunday morning. During these days the Lord has been faithful to His people and His church at Fellowship Kansas City. We are thankful and excited to announce that we are able to offer indoor services beginning July 5th!
We wanted to take an opportunity to inform you of what you can expect during this morning and how we are caring for the health and safety of each individual with social distancing measures. Please read through the information below as it will be helpful in ensuring the best Sunday morning possible!
What can I expect when I arrive?
- Please arrive 10 minutes prior to service time. We want to make sure each family has adequate time to park, and enter the building while maintaining social distancing.
- Upon arrival, you may park in the North parking lot. You will be greeted by our amazing team members and directed where to park.
- Once parked, please remain in your vehicle. A rock star team member will ask how many are in your party. This team member will radio your party size to our service hosts that will prepare seating for you.
- Once your seating is prepared, you will be directed to exit your vehicle and walk to our main entrance where you will be greeted and shown to your seats.
- Get comfortable! Settle in and get your Bible ready. Send those “air fives” to your church family around you and prepare to worship together!
- Each service will begin promptly on the hour and last approximately 50 minutes.
- At the conclusion of your service, please remain in your seating area until dismissed by one our great team members. We highly encourage greeting others and re-sending those “air fives” on your way back to your vehicle.
In preparation for your visit:
- Please let us know which service you are planning to attend by reserving your seat along with the number in your party by clicking the link below! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/111327643980
- Should I wear a mask? While face masks are recommended, they are not required for our indoor services.
We are so looking forward to worshiping together this Sunday! Whether in person or online, we hope you plan on joining with us!
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email or reach out to Pastor Wesley or Tyler directly.
SEE YOU SUNDAY!
SUNDAY MAY 24 – THE ROAD TO RELAUNCH
Today Pastor Wesley announced our “Road To Relaunch.” This 4 phase strategy details how our church is planning to relaunch on site ministries. Watch below as Pastor Wesley discusses each phase of our Road To Relaunch!
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE – SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2020
Dear Fellowship Kansas City,
We are living in unprecedented days within our nation and I would like to provide an update for you regarding THIS SUNDAY at the Fellowship Kansas City.
We have decided to suspend our corporate worship gatherings for THIS SUNDAY. After working and praying alongside civic leaders, health department officials, and numerous churches, we believe this is the best way to care for our neighbor and demonstrate compassion to our community at this time.
We are also a church committed to you and your family. We want to see your relationship with Jesus flourish and your connection to one another strengthened. We truly believe that in the midst of challenging times that we are better together. As such, I want to communicate our plan for this Sunday.
We will livestream our 10:30 service on both Facebook and our YouTube channel. I would encourage you to grab your Bible and join with us.
We will keep the church open on Sunday morning if your Fellowship Groups would still like to meet or if you would like to gather to pray for our nation. Once again, the concern is the size of our large corporate gatherings, not that we gather together. Fellowship Group leaders will communicate to you regarding your respective groups.
We will have the schedule of all other ministry events communicated by their respective ministry leaders.
While we believe this is the best decision for this Sunday, we will continue to evaluate each week for wise and creative ways in which we can gather together to exalt Jesus. We will communicate out to you on a weekly basis during this time.
As we walk together through this unprecedented time, please let us know how we can care for your family and remember that our hope and confidence is in a Heavenly Father who cares for you.
With love,
Pastor Wesley
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Amidst concerns surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to let you know how
Fellowship Kansas City is responding. Our leadership team is carefully and continually
monitoring this situation. As information evolves, this page is the primary, most up-to-date
place for you to receive answers to your questions regarding our church community. We are
committed to doing everything we can to provide a safe environment for our church family and
surrounding community.
IS FELLOWSHIP KANSAS CITY GATHERING TOGETHER THIS SUNDAY?
No. We will not gather on campus for worship this Sunday. If at any point that changes, we will
update this page immediately.
ARE THE FELLOWSHIP KANSAS CITY BUILDINGS OPEN ON WEEKDAYS AS USUAL?
Yes. At this time, Fellowship Kansas City buildings are open as usual. Certain ministries in the
church may decide not to meet at various times for various reasons. For more information on
individual ministry events/meetings, please check this page and/or check with the ministry
leader.
SHOULD PEOPLE COME TO FELLOWSHIP KANSAS CITY IF THEY ARE FEELING SICK?
While we place a high priority on gathering together as the church for worship and other
activities, we always want you to feel welcome at the Fellowship Kansas City. If you are feeling
sick or running a fever, the best way you can love your neighbor is by staying home. If you need
to stay home instead of coming to a worship gathering, we encourage you to listen online and
reach out to your Fellowship Group in order to stay connected with our church community. You
and your family are important to us and we want to continue to cultivate your relationship with
Jesus and foster biblical community during this season.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS CAN PEOPLE TAKE WHEN THEY COME TO FELLOWSHIP KANSAS CITY?
We encourage everyone to take certain steps to protect themselves and others from the
coronavirus, flu and other illnesses, including:
- Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
- Using hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available;
- Not touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands;
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick;
- Stay home if you are sick; and
- Covering your cough or sneeze.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS IS FELLOWSHIP KANSAS CITY TAKING TO MAKE OUR GATHERINGS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE?
Fellowship Kansas City is following our Infectious Disease Policy and taking extra cleaning
precautions at this time:
- Wiping down all common area touchpoints (e.g. doors light switches, countertops, etc.)
throughout our gathering times; - Placing hand sanitizers in common areas throughout the buildings;
- Performing added in depth cleaning at our facilities on a regular basis.
In our children’s ministry facilities, after each gathering, our volunteers clean various surfaces
used by our children. We will continue to follow our standard health protocols, not admitting
any child with an elevated temperature (above 99.6 F). A child must be fever free (without
medication) for 24 hours before coming to children’s programming. You can help us by closely
monitoring your children for any symptoms and being understanding if we feel we cannot
accept your kids into our programs due to health concerns.
During our worship gatherings, we encourage everyone to take commonsense precautions and
consider creative ways to greet and interact (like elbow bumping or waving instead of hand
shaking).
HOW CAN I BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has helpful information posted on their website
at cdc.gov/coronavirus and more information can be found through the World Health
Organization.
Coronavirus is a type of virus that causes respiratory illness – an infection of the airways and
lungs. COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus. It is part of the same family of coronaviruses
that includes the common cold. The coronavirus outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, China,
in December 2019. Since then it has spread to other countries.
The most common early symptoms appear between 2 and 14 days after infection. Symptoms
can be mild to severe. They include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Older people, and
those with underlying medical problems like heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to
develop serious illness. It is recommended that people with fever, cough and difficulty
breathing should consult with their medical care provider.
HOW SHOULD I RESPOND SPIRITUALLY TO COVID-19?
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is another reminder that we live in a fallen world of sickness, sin,
suffering, and death. Ultimately, none of us are immune to any of these things. But that’s why
the gospel is such good news. God has not left us alone in this world of sickness, sin, suffering,
and death. He has come to us in the person of Jesus. The greatest news in all the world is that
Jesus lived a life with no sin, died on a cross to pay the price for our sin, and rose from the grave
in victory over sin and death. Now anyone anywhere who turns from their sin and trusts in
Jesus will be forgiven of all their sin and restored to relationship with God forever. That means
that through Jesus, we never have to fear sickness or death because we know we have eternal
life with God.
If you do not know that you have eternal life with God, we urge you to put your faith in Jesus.
And if you do know that you have eternal life with God, we urge you to share your faith in Jesus
with others. Times like these remind us all of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.
So, let’s spread the greatest news that death has been defeated and eternal life is available to
all who trust in Jesus.
In addition to trusting in Jesus and sharing about Jesus with others, here’s some other ways you
can respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19):
1. Be considerate to your fellow man.
Many are dealing with a sense of anxiety and worry. The fear of the unknown or loss of control
produces a burden upon many. The Bible reminds us that Jesus saw our burdens and He offered
to remove them. In Matthew 6, Jesus taught us not to worry about tomorrow because He has
provided a deliverance from the anxieties of this world. Be compassionate and encourage your
fellow man to look to Jesus. At the same time, do your part to be kind to one another and take
precautions to care for your fellow man. Pray for mercy for the sick, strength for doctors,
insight for researchers, and wisdom for officials.
2. Be committed to your local church.
As much as there is a concern about the coronavirus (COVID-19), there is another epidemic
plaquing our day – isolation. Researchers have identified that many Americans suffer from
loneliness and isolation. The Bible tells us that God has not made man to live in isolation. He
has put us together as a family called the church to care for one another. During this time,
remember that your local church needs you, as do our ministry partners. As a church, we have
made commitments to support our ministry partners. Please continue to faithfully give financial
offerings online HERE or by mail so that the ministry of the church thrives all the more in the
midst of difficult days.
3. Remain commissioned to our unbelieving neighbor.
Throughout the Bible, we see how God has used the uncertainties of life as an opportunity to
point people to Jesus. We want to remain committed to telling our unbelieving friends, family,
and neighbors of the One who holds the stars in the sky and knows the complexity of each
human cell. We want to point them to the only One who can provide lasting peace – Jesus. Look
for opportunities to love and care for others, whether they are sick, isolated, marginalized,
poor, or oppressed and remember that this provides an opportunity to tell people about Jesus
who will not only remedy the diseases of this day but remedied the disease of our sin.
4. Remain confident in our Heavenly Father.
In these days, remember that we have a Heavenly Father who cares for His people. The Bible
tells us that our Heavenly Father knows what we need before we even ask. Sickness and disease
do not surprise Him and is not too much for Him to handle. As Christians, we have a hope that
surpasses today and a confidence in our Heavenly Father who cares for us.