Announcements

COVID-19 Updates

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Monday, July 13

Dear church family,

 

Thanks for your flexibility, patience, and encouragement as we continue to navigate a succession of “next normals” together. We are pleased to share that our Preschool Development Center and day camp have reopened today. We also look forward to reopening the church for worship at 10:30 beginning this Sunday as previously announced.

 

We understand that worshiping at home remains best for many of our congregation, so we will continue to stream our service live via Facebook and YouTube and to broadcast the service on a one-week delay on KCEN television at 8:00 am. For those able to participate in person, we will observe the following precautions:

We continue to monitor community health data and guidance from medical and government authorities closely. In the event that changing circumstances warrant further changes, we will modify our plans and let you know as soon as possible. We pray for improved health for our community and for the safety of each one of you as we prepare to worship together again.

Monday, June 30

Dear church family,

Late Sunday evening we received notice that an individual associated with our Preschool Development Center has tested positive for Covid-19. We immediately closed both our preschool and day camp programs for Monday in order to consult with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, and in close consultation with them we made the precautionary decision yesterday to suspend operations of both the preschool and day camp for the next two weeks. We believe that this swift action best protects the children enrolled in our programs, their families, and our staff and also offers the most secure path toward the long-term continuation of our childcare ministries. Our intention is to reopen for full operations on Monday, July 13, following thorough cleaning of our children’s facilities by third-party restoration specialists, which has already begun.

In light of these developments alongside broader community health trends, we are also temporarily modifying worship plans for the next two Sundays. On July 5 and July 12, we will hold a live worship service in the sanctuary with limited attendance by worship leadership only; these services will not be open to the congregation or the public. Instead, we will stream the services live online through Facebook and YouTube and broadcast them on a one-week delay on KCEN television at 8:00 am. Community health guidelines permitting, we intend to resume public worship with recommended social distancing and other safeguards on Sunday, July 19.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate challenging and dynamic circumstances. If you have further questions or needs, please contact the church office (254-752-3000) or any of our ministers.

Saturday, June 13

Dear FBC Waco Family,
 
Thank you for your continued faithfulness over the past several months. Today marks the ninety-seventh day since we last gathered for worship in the sanctuary, and we have been encouraged by our church’s resiliency as we have worshiped, prayed, and served in unanticipated ways. We have continued to lead all generations to love God, the world, and one another in the Spirit of Jesus with creative resourcefulness.
 
Now, as our community continues to reopen around us, the time is near to resume Sunday morning worship together. We plan to reopen for in-person worship in the sanctuary on Sunday, June 21, at 10:30. This worship service will be the only activity on site at this time; Sunday school classes and other ministries will continue to function remotely. We are also mindful that Covid-19 remains present in our community, and so we will adapt our practices in a number of ways to promote health and safety:
 

  • We ask that all participants wear a mask, and hand sanitizer will be readily available.
  • We will practice physical distancing in our seating. Some pews without cushions will be kept empty, and ushers will help you and your household find a seat. Our normal summertime attendance patterns help ensure that we will have adequate space while maintaining safe distance.
  • We will forgo printed orders of service and use of hymnals, our choir, and children’s sermon for a limited time.
  • We will collect the offering through baskets as you exit rather than passing plates. You may also give digitally.
  • Care for pre-kindergarten children will be available following the same precautions as our licensed weekday childcare programs. Parents may drop off and pick up their children in the preschool foyer, where volunteers will scan children’s temperatures. Of course, parents may also bring their children of any age to worship with them.

 
We also recognize that not everyone is prepared to return at this time. We will continue to stream our service live on Facebook and YouTube each week and to televise our service on a one-week delay on KCEN. If you choose to remain home for any reason, we affirm your decision. Please do not feel pressured to return to church until you are ready, and please extend this grace to others who may make choices different from yours.
 
As we move forward together, we are diligently preparing for a series of “next normals” rather than a singular “new normal.” We continue to monitor community health and corresponding guidelines carefully and will be prepared to modify plans swiftly if changing circumstances warrant doing so. We likely face a prolonged balancing act as we learn to live with the ongoing presence of Covid-19. Meanwhile, we prepare to return to worship in ways that promote the physical, mental, and spiritual health of our church.
 
Sincerely,
 
FBC Waco Church Council and Staff
 

Friday, May 1


Moving Forward Together
 
Dear FBC Waco,
 
     We exist to lead all generations to love God, one another, and the world in the Spirit of Jesus. Thank you for the ways that you have persevered in this shared mission over the past two months. Your cooperation, encouragement, and prayer have kept the church strong and blessed our community in the midst of extraordinarily challenging circumstances. We have worshiped together, ministered to one another, and fed the hungry in the Spirit of Jesus in ways that none of us imagined mere weeks ago. Thank you.
 
     Governor Abbott’s executive orders from earlier this week and the corresponding expiration of local shelter-in-place orders allow churches to begin resuming public gatherings with strongly recommended social distancing precautions. The church staff has carefully and prayerfully reviewed the executive orders and supporting documents from state and local authorities. The staff and Church Council are now working together to address seven critical questions regarding moving forward together: 

1.     What can congregations do?
2.     How do we do these things?
3.     What is the preference of governing authorities?
4.     Based on who we are, what should we do?
5.     When should we do these things?
6.     What is the appropriate process to do them?
7.     How can we respect, support, and encourage other churches in our community as they make decisions appropriate for their own unique congregations?

 
     We resolutely commit to move forward consistently with our core identity as we answer these vital questions and take corresponding action. We will proceed with patience and persistence. You can expect additional information next week about upcoming steps. In the meantime, please pray for us as we consider various opportunities. We welcome your input as well! If you have specific recommendations or concerns, please let one of the ministers or Church Council members know.
 
     We yearn to gather together again to share in worship and fellowship, and we commit to work toward that day in ways that promote the safety of one another. The Spirit of Jesus unites us in our shared mission to love God, one another, and the world.
 
Grace and peace be with you all,
 
FBC Waco Staff

 

Thursday, March 19

FBC Waco’s Sunday morning worship service will stream online via Facebook Live again this week. You can access the video at www.facebook.com/firstbaptistwaco (no Facebook account login required!) at 10:30. Last week’s service will also broadcast on KCEN television at 8:00 am. The church building will not be open Sunday morning. Please help us to protect one another and comply with local health advisories by remaining home unless you are directly involved in worship service leadership.

 The church office has closed, but ministers remain available and want to hear from you. We are checking phone messages (254-752-3000) and emails ( ) regularly and are also available by cell phone and individual email.

Sunday, March 15

Dear church family,

We love you, and we love our opportunities to gather and worship Christ together week by week. Since our last communication, however, a series of community changes have taken place that required us to reconsider and ultimately alter our plans for this Sunday. Both the President and Governor have declared emergencies and requested the limitation of public assemblies. In response, public and private schools throughout the Waco area have closed.

 In light of these developments, we have decided that it is no longer prudent to gather for worship this Sunday. We will not hold a public worship service this Sunday, March 15. Instead, we plan to broadcast a service led by our pastors from the sanctuary via Facebook Live. We invite you to tune in at 10:30 at www.facebook.com/firstbaptistwaco. Our normal telecast of last Sunday’s service will also air on KCEN at 8:00 am. Ministers will be available for those in need of pastoral care. If you would like to speak with one of us, please call Matt (601-616-5413) or Josh (615-631-3717). We welcome hearing from you, especially during these challenging days.

 The church office will maintain regular hours next week, but other ministry activities for March 15–21 remain suspended at this time. We will communicate again early in the week about ongoing plans for the following Sunday. Meanwhile, “Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing…. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, 16–18). Thank you all for your graciousness as we strive to love our neighbors as ourselves in the midst of trying and rapidly changing circumstances.

 Grace and peace,

 FBC Waco Pastors and Church Council