Coronavirus Update for WBC

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. - Joshua 1:9 (NIV)

The latest health advice can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

27/06/2020
We were of course all so excited by the government's decision to allow churches to open on 4th July.  The church leaders met on Thursday evening to discuss the practicalities of us meeting in the chapel building again on Sunday mornings.  However, it is with great regret that we have decided to continue with our Zoom meetings on a Sunday for the time being.  Since coming to this conclusion, we have received the latest communication from the EBA and feel this really confirms our decision.  

During our discussion we agreed that there are five main elements that make up our Sunday morning gathering; these being:

• Sung worship
• children's ministry (Beach Hut)
• the sermon
• monthly communion
• fellowship over coffee & cake

Unfortunately, even with the new rules in place we will only be allowed to participate in one of the five, namely listen to the sermon.  The leadership decided (with a heavy heart) that all these restrictions make it impractical for us to meet in the chapel in a meaningful way.  We trust that in the near future there will be a further relaxation of the rules which we will enable us to meet more easily in the chapel.

I'm sure you are all as disappointed as we are but we hope you can understand our decision, which was not an easy one to make. 

3/03/2020
We are continuing to meet via Zoom on Sunday mornings at 10:30 for our sermon and discussion.  If you wish to join us, just follow this link on a Sunday https://bit.ly/WBCSunday.
We are also running a children's programme at 14:00 on Sundays via Zoom.  If you wish to join, just follow this link https://bit.ly/WBCSundaySchool.

19/03/2020
The Church Leadership met last night and have made the following decisions to help us stay together as a church family and support each other during this time:

1. All church activities including Sunday mornings have ceased until further notice.  Obviously the Easter Trail has been postponed until 2021.
2.  Pastor Martin will prepare and record a short sermon every week which will be uploaded onto our website on Saturday evenings.
3. We are asking the church family to commit to listening online together at 10.30am on Sundays after which we can have a sharing time on Zoom (details to follow).  Maybe we can also simultaneously watch a YouTube worship song together.  This is going to be a work in progress and we may change this if we find a better way forward.
4. The Beach Hut leaders maybe able to come up with some activities for the children as well.
5. The 2020 address list is now ready to be published.  We intend on emailing it to everyone and propose to no longer blind copy the church emails so that we can openly share stuff together.  This should help everyone to stay better connected and if we know where everyone lives we can all be on hand to practically help each other if necessary.  Please let us know by Saturday 21/03/2020 if you don't want to be part of this.
6. We are holding a day of prayer and fasting for this situation tomorrow (Friday 20/03/2020).  We are asking to the church to participate in this together in what ever way you can.
7. We are also suggesting that as a church we commit to reading together through the Psalms.  Everyday we will read one Psalm and hopefully we will all be physically together before we reach number 150!  
8. Maybe we can share our thoughts as we read and to that end would people like a church Whats App group?
9. Pastor Martin is available to all at the end of the phone if you need to chat any time.  Let's support each other and grow closer still as a church family.

The above are our first thoughts and things will naturally develop as the weeks go by.  In the meantime, if you have any thoughts on the above please email us.

18/03/2020
Boris Johnson has stated that, “now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and non-essential travel” and that we should all avoid all social gatherings and social contact.
In order to comply with this guidance, with immediate effect Waterbeach Baptist Church will be cancelling all meetings, including Sunday mornings and all weekly activities.  

We will of course be keeping up to date with the ever changing situation and what that will mean for us as a church family and we will keep you updated via email, social media and our website. 

Let’s be those who live by faith, not fear.
None of this is taking our Heavenly Father by surprise. WE ARE SAFE IN HIS HANDS.
He can use this time for His purposes in our lives, our church and our nation.

17/03/2020
Chatterbox and Coffee Morning have been cancelled until further notice.

12/03/2020
Perhaps quite understandably there is a lot of fear at this time; but prayer calms our fears and comforts others and we encourage us all at this time to pray through this crisis.
It’s at times like these that the Church can shine like stars with faith and hope while at the same time, taking every practical precaution recommended by the government..  Our world is running scared, but we serve a God of peace who is always in control, so these days present us with more opportunities to share the never-changing good news of Jesus Christ.

In regard to practical actions we will, of course, be following guidelines given by NHS England and Public Health England.
 
We as a church will be meeting as usual but we are discouraging physical contact through hand shaking or hugs etc.
 
In regard to church attendance the Federation of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) have offered some good advice, which we fully concur with; an extract of this is below:

• Please stay at home if you have flu symptoms; and similarly keep children or family at home if they are presenting symptoms.
• In the best interest of everyone, we will not be serving communion in the upcoming weeks.
• The church has had a deep clean and we will continue to do this.
• Anyone preparing food or drinks will be required to wash hands thoroughly and wear gloves as required.
• We would ask that everyone wash their hands with soap and water on entering the building.
• We recommend that people don’t have close contact with those who are unwell.

 
To end, if we may pass on one piece of advice which we have heard in regard to hand washing: Don’t count to twenty but rather pray the Lord’s Prayer which, at a steady pace, will fill the time and maybe some of the most meaningful words we can pray during this season or indeed at any time.

We will keep updating everyone as the situation changes.

Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.’
3 Surely He will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with His feathers,
    and under His wings you will find refuge;
    His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, ‘The Lord is my refuge,’
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For He will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 ‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honour him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.’