The past fourteen months have been a huge challenge for our entire church family. This is certainly not unique to us. Pastors and church leaders here in Woodbridge and around the world are praying and working to discern how best to continue navigating the ongoing challenges of COVID-19.
All of the decisions your church leadership team has made over the past year, and those which still require our consideration, are made prayerfully and with concern for the best interest of our entire church family. We recognize the reality that there are many different perspectives on the entire range of COVID-related issues. Our goal is for all of you to feel and be safe when we come together.
In moving forward, we believe that we need to take steps incrementally and in a way that does not lag behind unnecessarily. Neither do we want to charge ahead in a way that drives people away from public worship or delays the return of others.
This is really about loving our brothers and sisters as ourselves. St. Paul writes in Romans 12:10—“Love one another with brotherly affection.” Further, he writes in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.”
In light of our prayerful deliberations and changes in both Virginia regulations and CDC guidelines, we are implementing the following modifications effective this Sunday, May 30:
1) Masks are optional for those who are fully vaccinated. For those who cannot be vaccinated or have declined to be vaccinated, masks are still required.
2) Masks are still required for all children and leaders participating in Children’s Ministries activities.
3) The chair arrangement in the main church will continue “as is” for now. However, social distancing will be at each person’s discretion.
4) We will provide a designated area with limited seating where masks and social distancing are mandatory. This is to accommodate those who are uncomfortable with less restrictive seating. We have adjusted the pre-registration link to include this option. If you want to sit in this designated area you need to indicate this when you pre-register.
Moving forward, we will continue to evaluate progress and make further adjustments step-by-step as appropriate. We recognize that these modifications may not be in full accord with the sensibilities of some of you. I would ask each of us to continue in prayer as we discern the best way forward for all of us together and that you extend grace, love, and support to the leadership and regathering teams as we strive to make the best godly decisions possible in this challenging season.
Together with you in His service,
Scott+