Letter from Jonathan (3rd March 2021)

Dear LBC,

I hope you’re keeping well and looking forward to the Spring and Summer? God is faithful and good and let’s keep pressing onwards together as we look ahead to the days when we can start to see each other again. Last week the government announced it’s planning to ease restrictions following which we’ve had further advice issued from the Baptist Union in relation to the re-opening of church buildings. We’re now able to offer a tentative outline of what church life could like throughout the spring and into the summer as lockdown eases and the vaccination program continues – If the government changes the roadmap then of course we must change with it, but this is currently where things are up to. It’s so exciting to think that we will be able to see each other over the coming months!

March

Church services will remain solely online up until Easter. Throughout March the BU is advising us to remain closed for public worship, we still have a stay at home order until 29th March. We believe this is the right thing to do both for each other’s safety and for our visible witness to the local community.

April

4th – Easter Sunday: With the end of the stay at home order we will once again be able to welcome congregations into our church building. Congregation size will remain limited by social distancing measures and all previous restrictions are expected to still apply. Service details to follow.

May

17th – Outdoor gatherings of up to 30 people will be possible and indoors 6 people can meet. Small groups may want to consider meeting outdoors?

June

21st – At present the governments stated aim is to lift all restrictions. Please note: we currently don’t know fully what this means! (particularly in relation to social distancing which the government is reviewing nearer the time). What we can say however, is that for small groups/church groups/user groups this is the EARLIEST possible time that your group could consider meeting indoors. There will be much more to discuss laterin the spring, and please bear with us as we wade through all the relevant legislation, but at least we have a framework and timescale to begin to consider possibilities.

I’ve not mentioned youth/children/mum’s group above. There will be exemptions in place to allow these groups to regather much sooner than June 21stwe’ll let people know as soon as groups are able to meet again. As a leadership team we are currently praying and working on plans to share with the next church meeting for the period post June 21st. Please pray for us as we plan and prepare.

Thank you so much for continued support, for the love and care shown to each other in the name of Christ. We long for the day when we can meaningfully meet in person, there is now a glimmer of light at the end of tunnel \although a long road still lies ahead. Let’s keep going, keeping our eyes on Jesus who calls us to follow him.

God bless,
Jonathan (on behalf of LBC Staff & Leadership teams)

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