Masks off during preaching: Taking the next step forward
To the Saints at Hardin,
We wanted to share with you that after much prayer, thought, and consent of our medical advisors, Dr. Brad Albertson, Dr. Brian Swain, Dr. Mike Adams, Dr. David Outland, and Dr. Bob Beale, we will take our next step toward a new normal in our church services tomorrow.
Because of the very low covid positivity rate in our local community right now, the vaccination of our more vulnerable members and attenders, the availability of vaccines to all our adults, and the immunity some have after recovering from the virus, we will allow those who want, to take off their face masks during the preaching part of our worship services.
As pastors and medical doctors, we do not feel that there will be a significant risk to anyone in our services by taking this step. Most of us sit with worshippers that are either family or friends that we are around much of the week, our seats are almost 6 feet apart, and we are facing the back of someone’s head and not their face during the preaching of God’s Word. No one but Kory or I are talking except for the occasional AMEN from the congregation.
If you are not comfortable taking your mask off during the preaching, we encourage you to keep your face mask on.
Please understand that all of us will wear our masks into the service and keep them on while fellowshipping and worshipping with song. We will also put our face masks back on when we are sent out into the world to serve our Lord.
Praise God as more and more of us get vaccinated in the coming days, our community continues to get closer to herd immunity, and the positivity rate stays low we will continue to take additional steps toward a new normal!
We also praise God for our online service for all of our members and attenders who still are not completely comfortable coming back to our in-person services! The online service has been such a blessing to our church family.
Please pray for us as we continue to lead this great family during this different but exciting time of being a Christian!
By His Grace,
Bro. Ricky and Bro. Kory