Church Huddles

Situation:
With COVID-19 there is a need for us to restrict the number of people who are gathered together in any one place at a time. This is to ‘flatten the curve’. Flattening the curve involves slowing the spread of the virus so that the health system doesn’t become overwhelmed by everyone becoming unwell at one time. This also should help those who are vulnerable in our community either (1) avoid the virus altogether, or (2) get the virus at a time when a there are available resources and they can receive the care they need.

Goal:
We want to be good neighbours to believers and non-believers alike and need to play our part in flattening the curve. For the next little while we want to be: the church gathered, scattered across multiple locations in our community. Huddling together in the face of uncertainty, not in fear but in faith, for the sake of the vulnerable in our community.

Why huddle at all?:

As a church we have two convictions on this point: (1) that it is important to continue to gather for God’s glory and our good in accordance with the scriptures, (2) the social gathering is good for us as social beings who are designed to live in community. We want to do this in a manner that is wise and responsible. 

Plan:
To have a collection of huddles made up of our already established Life Groups, where we gather and worship in addition to broadcasting pre-recorded sermons and services online for all to access. In these huddles we’re going to attempt to execute the core elements of church: NOTE: We don’t think this is church. It is merely a surrogate until we can return to our normal gathering.

Sermon:Jimmy will be recording the sermon which will be broadcast each week via the same online platform we’ll have the worship on.

Musical Worship:
We believe that in times of potential fear and uncertainty singing together is a sign of hope. It is the practice of a people who are ambassadors of a counterculture that our world needs. Our current plan is to have musical worship where it’s possible, and to use some pre-recorded worship sets from our brothers and sisters at LCC North Lakes for the Sunday Huddles.

Communion:
Crackers and juice will be provided at our huddles so everyone can continue to engage in weekly communion as we believe this to be an essential part of the gathering.

Bible Reading:
We’ll provide a Psalm to start each Huddle with and a benediction of encouragement to finish.

Prayer:
Leading a short corporate prayer will be done by the Huddle Leader.

FAQs:
Are we still doing Life Groups?
No. This will be the only commitment in this time. 

Is this for everyone?
Those who are vulnerable (the elderly, the unwell & the immunocompromised) will be advised to attend the service online and not gather in the Huddles. 

Are we doing food?
There will not be food provided at this stage, although your Huddle Leader may advise you otherwise.

Are we all doing this at the same time?
The goal would be to kick off our Huddles at 9:00am. For those who are only attending online there will be ‘online hosts’ who will be there to interact and facilitate discussion on the chat.

How long is this going to last?
The advice that is broadcast by QLD Health currently is indicating that this is a reasonably safe way to gather but it is not risk free. Therefore we will continue to meet in Church Huddles until we believe it is safe to meet together again as one church family.

Please reach out if you have any questions or are in need of any assistance.

We love you church!!