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TERRACE LAKE CHURCH
TERRACE LAKE CHURCH
Coronavirus Update
Updated on 1.18.2021 at 2:00pm
As elders, staff, and leaders, we have been praying for you.
We are currently having in-person worship services. We know worship might look and feel different; however, we pray for you to come expectant and excited to see how God moves in this time. We care for you and love you. This is certainly a time we seek wisdom and unity. We are here for you. We want to pray for you and with you.
We encourage you to read the updates below and share a prayer request with us. We long to all be together again and are trusting in the promises God has given us as children of God.
“Rest in the fact that the Lord’s purposes will prevail, both in our
church and in your life.” - Pastor Danny
Quick Reference
What we are asking you to do
If you are feeling unwell then please stay home.
Please take your temperature prior to coming to church and do not come if you have a fever.
We ask that you were a mask while you are in the building. According to CDC guidelines, children under 2 should not wear a mask.
General Information
As appropriate Doorkeepers will be wearing masks and gloves. Since Doorkeepers will be coming in closer contact with attendees (holding doors open, passing out elements, etc) we are taking each of their temperatures before they begin serving each week.
Sanitizer stations will be set up around the church for congregational use. Please take a moment to find one when you walk in.
When able, doors will be propped open to avoid contact.
Doorkeepers will be available to aid in moving or retrieving chairs, holding doors open, finding sanitizer, etc.
The Lord’s Supper will be distributed in prepackaged containers as you come into the Sanctuary. It will be handed to you from a basket by a Doorkeeper with gloves. Inform them upon entering if you will be participating in the Lord’s Supper.
Physical cash or checks can be deposited into the available "Giving" box by the Sanctuary doors upon leaving.
Many items in the Foyer will be removed to limit the amount of surface contact. And we are suspending our coffee service.
Doors that are closed should remain closed to reduce the spaces being used. If you need to access the nursing mother's room, you are welcome to do so. If you have kids in the service that need space to be loud or move around there is space in the East room for you as well. We want you to feel as comfortable.
Please take note of the signage that will be posted reminding you of social distance guidelines and max occupancy of rooms.
Worship Spaces
The Sanctuary is laid out in a way that promotes social distancing between families. The seats have been moved from 6' to now 5' to give more options for families to sit and space out more if they would like.
To help engage your children, we will provide small bags of activities that you will take home or throw away after service. Please find a Doorkeeper if you are in need of extra bags.
To reduce contact surfaces, Bibles and Hey! I’m Here! books will be removed. If you or someone you know needs a Bible, the hospitality team will be happy to give you one to keep.
After service, we ask that you be mindful of the team that is working to sanitize our spaces to prepare for the next service, it may become necessary to continue fellowshipping outside of the church building.
Sanitizing the Building
The sanitization team will come on Saturday to do a big sanitization sweep before Sunday.
Before 1st service, the team will do a once over on door handles and light switches that have been used.
Between services, they will go over door handles, countertops, bathrooms, and spray the chairs int the Sanctuary.
Worship team and media teams will have access to wipes so they can sanitize their equipment as often as they need.
After 2nd service, when all occupants leave, the sanitization team will complete another big sanitization sweep of the building.
We have been working hard to ensure that we have an ample supply of sanitizer and cleaning supplies to ensure you walk into a safe and clean environment.
TL Student Ministry
TL Students' small groups are meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. On the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, the students are meeting for RISE, in the youth space upstiars.
All TL Student gatherings must be set up in a way to allow space between students. This includes chairs and other furniture spaced apart to allow for social distancing.
All games must be done in a way that will limit touching/ sharing surface.
All commonly touched surfaces are sanitized before and after every meeting.
Food at events is served by someone wearing a mask and gloves.
TL Kids
Classes
Classes are open from Walkers to K/1 during the first service and Walkers to 6th grade during the second service. Currently the 3s and 4s classes are combined.
When children enter and leave their room, their hands are sanitized.
Parents, Teachers, Helpers, Children 2 years through 6th grade are asked to wear a mask while they are in the building.
There is a one-way flow to help maintain social distancing and increase efficiency in dropping off and picking up children.
There will be no snacks during class time.
If you aren't comfortable with TL Kids just yet:
We are providing activity bags for preschool children during our limited capacity services. These take-home bags will include paper, crayons, stickers, and other assorted items to help our younger children participate creatively during the service. For the elementary children, there are folders with age-appropriate sermon notes and activities.
We will continue to email the lessons each week for all of TL Kids classes that they did on Sunday. That way you can follow the same curriculum from home throughout the week.
All classrooms are sanitized before the rooms are used again.
Community Groups
Meeting Recommendations
Encourage social distancing in meetings and fellowship afterwards. Suggestion: meet in a space large enough for people to be spread out (outdoors weather permitting, church). Meeting in homes may not be possible for social distancing depending on the size of your group.
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Recommend that all adults wear masks during meetings, however, it's up to the discretion of each group.
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Food is up to the discretion of each group. We recommend if you have food, to have someone serve the food while wearing gloves to limit the spread.
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Can have one person on a zoom call on their phone for people not coming in person to C group. Suggest that the person rotates the phone to whomever is talking so they can see what is going on more clearly.
Childcare Recommendations
Classrooms will open for childcare.
Classrooms available: Walkers, 3's, and 2nd-4th grade (Walkers room doesn't have a DVD player).
If a group isn't comfortable with their children playing together, they could have women meet the first C group time and men meet on the second C group time that month so one parent can watch kids at home.
Consider using a video so kids can sit and watch something and not run around or touch each other as much.
Entering the church for C-Group meetings
In light of social distancing, please use the entrance closest to the room where your group meets:
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Kitchen door for East Assembly Room
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Main entrance for RISE room
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Gathering room doors for Gathering room
Consider having a hospitality greeter from your group open the door so people don't have to touch the door or prop the door open
Cleaning after meetings
Wipe down door handles, tables, and other surfaces if used.
Spray chairs with Lysol.
Toys used in kid's classrooms need to be wiped down, as well as chairs/tables used.
PAST UPDATES
Update #1 - 3.12.20 2:00pm
Our response to the Coronavirus.
The team will NOT be traveling to the DR this week due to the concern of travel bans being implemented once they are in the country and the possibility fo them not being able to return. Please continue to be in prayer for Freedom International Ministries and the work that remains to be done there!
Update #2 - 3.13.20 2:00pm
After much prayer, seeking the Lord’s wisdom, and discussion, we have decided to offer online only services this Sunday. This is in line with Indiana Governor Holcomb’s request that all non-essential gatherings, including church, be limited to under 250 people to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
You will be able to view the service live at 9am on our watch page or on our Facebook page. Or you can replay the recording anytime after that, which can also be found on our website.
We do encourage our Community & Discipleship Groups to still hold their meetings at their discretion. This is a change to our original plan. Since the recommendation is for groups over 250 people, we feel it is appropriate for these groups to still meet. We will continue to monitor the situation and make recommendations about these group meetings as necessary.
Please continue to visit our website to stay up to date on the latest news regarding Terrace Lake and our response to the Coronavirus.
We pray that you will remain steadfast in faith to our sovereign Lord and be unified in faith with your brothers and sisters in Christ, especially now as we cannot meet together physically. May this passage from 1 Peter 5:6-11 boost your faith and provide you with hope and peace:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
We thank you for your continued, faithful generosity during this time.
Your brothers in Christ,
Update #3 - 3.17.20 2:30pm
Pastoral Care During COVID-19.
We pray that you are joining your “yoke” to Jesus during these rapidly changing and uncertain days. When we allow Him to carry our burden (fear, doubt, anger, hurt) we find that peace and trust begin to replace the negative emotions because now we are relying on Jesus to get us through, not our own failing strength.
While many are wondering what the next 30-90 days will be like, we want you to know that pastoral care at Terrace Lake (elders, staff, Biblical Counseling team, Community Group leaders) is prepared to help those in need of counseling. No one knows when COVID-19 will end, or how each one of us will feel its effects, but we intend to be ready to walk alongside you in all these possibilities.
Appointments
When you seek out help in dealing with COVID-19, no matter what the circumstances are, we want to make ourselves available at your comfort level. In an effort to protect everyone and keep everyone healthy, we ask that you will utilize phone or virtual means for meetings.
Click here to email an elder.
Click here to email a staff member.
Click here to request a Biblical Counseling appointment.
Click here to email a Community Group leader.
Caring for you
Ultimately, we want you to know that we are here for you when you need us. In moments of crisis, people are desperate for hope. These moments can bring clarity as well as confusion. We want to care for you well and help you find the ultimate peace, comfort and hope in Him.
With love and care,
Your Terrace Lake Leadership Family
Update #4 - 3.25.20 3:00pm
Dear Terrace Lake family,
As we continue to put our faith in Jesus, who is an ever present help in times of trouble, and not let our fear control us, we are doing all we can to continue to communicate clearly and fully with you about what is happening at Terrace Lake. Please continue to read your emails to stay up to date.
Our worship services will be streaming only through Sunday, May 3rd. As of right now, we plan to resume regular worship services Sunday, May 10th. All of this is dependent on the government recommendations so there is the potential for services to resume sooner or later than this date. If it does change we will do all we can to make you aware of that.
The services will “air” at 9am on Sunday mornings on our Facebook page, YouTube page, and website and then will be available for replay after that on all platforms. We also want to let you know that during each worship service we will be taking the Lord’s Supper together so you can prepare and have the elements ready at your home. It is important to engage in this unifying act as a church family even though we cannot physically be together.
We also want to thank you for your continued generosity during this time. You can give online or mail a check to the church office (2460 W 200 S, Columbus, IN 47201).
All TL Kids & Hospitality Doorkeepers scheduled during that timeframe (now through May 3rd) will not be necessary. Thank you for your heart of service! When there is a date of when we can resume normal worship services those ministry leaders will be in touch with you.
Now we would like to inform you of our upcoming events (through May 10th) and what the plan is for these events:
March 25th: Out of the Furnace Concert - POSTPONED. More details to come out when they’re available.
March 28th: Men’s Ministry Relaunch - CANCELLED. Please mark your calendars for the fall retreat (September 11-12).
April 4th: Campus Care Day - POSTPONED to June 27th for an outdoor only workday.
April 14th: Worship Night - CANCELLED. The next Worship Night is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14th.
April 19th: Baby Dedication - CANCELLED. The next Baby Dedication Service is scheduled for Sunday, September 6th.
May 1-2: Women’s Retreat - CANCELLED. Please visit the Terrace Lake Shine Facebook Page for more details.
May 9th: Discovering Terrace Lake - CANCELLED. The next class is scheduled for Saturday, August 29th.
May the Lord give us eyes to see beyond the boundaries of our suffering to love Him and our neighbors during theses times. Please feel free to reach out to us at any time with questions or concerns.
In fact, we would love to know how we can help and serve you right now, or if you have ideas of how you would like to support the church and/or the community! Please fill out the below and we will be in touch with you.
Update #4 - 7.24.20 8:30pm