Current Status During Covid-19 Pandemic

Dear members and friends of Columbus First Baptist Church,

As we head into this holiday season we are also heading into a time of great concern for many as we see increased cases of COVID-19 in our community, and church body. Dr. Morse contacted the elders and shared with us his serious concern over the situation and his desire for the safety of our church members.  We are very thankful for Dr. Morse and his wisdom in this area. 

We understand that all of life has risk and ultimately each person is responsible for themselves to decide what amount of risk they are willing to take and then live accordingly.  However, in light of the current situation and the counsel we have received the elders believe it would be wise to cancel all CFBC events and gatherings outside of the Lord’s Day worship service for the remainder of 2020.  This includes Sunday School, Wednesday night studies for all ages, and men’s and women’s bible studies.  We will also increase our efforts to properly social distance in the church building.  We will be sectioning off rows in the sanctuary, will make livestream available in the fireside room to accommodate more space for people to socially distance, and provide masks.

With the increased numbers in the community and amongst our body, we believe this is necessary so that we may continue to gather as safely as possible.  We firmly believe in the importance of the gathering of the saints to worship and do not plan to cancel Lord’s Day worship services in the future.  We do ask that if you have any symptoms, even if you just think it is a common cold, that you stay home and join us through the livestream.  If you are vulnerable or at risk we ask that you stay home and join us through the livestream. 

Please continue to pray for one another and for the spiritual and physical health of our church body during this difficult season.

CFBC Elders

Updated Sunday morning guidelines (as of August 2020):

• • We offer Sunday School classes for all ages beginning at 9:00am. Our worship service starts at 10:15am.  The worship service will be held at 10:15 for the balance of the normal school year.
  • We will continue to live-stream the worship service on our church Facebook account.  Audio recordings of the sermon are also available on the media page on the church website.
  • To the best of our ability we will continue to promote (though not enforce) the most recent health directives recommended by the Federal, State and local health authorities.
  • As directives are currently guidelines, they remain matters of personal preference.  Please show love to one another by respecting one another’s personal preferences regarding the directives.
  • If you are sick or believe that your health may be compromised in any way, please stay home for at least 72 hours after symptoms subside!
  • The use of masks is strongly encouraged, especially as we enter and exit the building, and also if minimum social distancing is not possible within the available space.
  • Hand sanitizer is located just outside the sanctuary and throughout the facility.
  • The nursery is available and staffed during the Sunday School hour and also during our worship service.  Please see the guidelines posted on the nursery door.
  • We will not be passing collection plates.  Instead, we have installed collection boxes to receive tithes and offerings.  You may also drop off your offerings at the church during posted office hours, or you can utilize the online giving option on the church website.
  • There will be no passing of literature, such as a bulletin.  We also ask that you refrain from using the hymnals or the pew Bibles.  We highly encourage you to bring your own Bible!
  • For now, we will not be offering fellowship time following the morning service.  This decision will be reevaluated as conditions warrant. For now, we would ask that any personal visiting take place on the lawn or in the parking lot after the service.

We will continue to provide links and suggestions to aid you and your family in worshipping at home. 

• Click here for Lifeway Kids at Home study you can do with your children. Kids and PreSchool
• Practical tips on how to do Family Worship by Don Whitney
• A series where Southern Seminary professors honestly answer questions directly submitted by viewers about theology, ministry, and life. This could be a great supplemental tool to watch with your children.
• A great resource from Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) that allows you to ask questions.

We want to remind all our members and friends, and anyone reading this page, that the tension caused by the Coronavirus, Covid-19, gives the people of God the opportunity to stand against fear and to pray in faith for those impacted by this outbreak.  As Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7,  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  As God's children, let us throw off fear and anxiety and turn to Him in prayer and stand as a light to the world around us.

Let's continue to pray for the following:

• Pray in thankfulness for God’s sovereignty.  This pandemic has not caught Him off guard. 
• Pray that we will seek Him and trust Him as we journey through this challenging season.
• Pray for those who are sick and for those who love and care for them. 
• Pray for their comfort and pray for their healing.
• Pray for those whose livelihoods are at stake and businesses struggling with re-opening.
• Pray for our healthcare workers who were already operating with little margin prior to the coronavirus. 
• Pray for their physical, spiritual, and emotional protection as they stand at the frontline of the crisis risking their lives to save ours.
• Pray for the protection of those who are at a heightened risk such as the elderly, the very young, and those with compromised immune systems.
• Pray for wisdom for those who lead us in local, state, and federal government, for those who are working to find a vaccine for Covid-19, for the CDC and other medical researchers working to stem the spread of the virus.
• Pray for your spiritual leaders, that difficult decisions that will need to be made will be done out of care for the body of Christ and not out of fear.
• Pray for each other and pray for your neighbors. Pray that God will use this as an opportunity for the good news of Jesus Christ to be received in the hearts of many.
• Finally, pray that our faith might be increased as we depend upon the Lord.

During the weeks of this pandemic, we will be live-streaming Sunday mornings via Facebook at 10:15am.  Please find us on Facebook on our Columbus First Baptist Church page: @columbusfbc