September 14, 2021

Dear Church Family and Community,

We want to inform you that on Monday, September 13, we learned that three individuals who attended church programming over the weekend have tested positive for COVID-19. Close contacts that we are aware of have been notified and, as an extra layer of caution, all pastoral staff members are getting tested.

The safety of our church family and community is our top priority. As we follow Christ’s teaching and example and work to love our neighbors well (Mark 12:31), we will take the following steps to prevent further spread:

• The launch of Wednesday programming (including children, youth and the adult study) is postponed until next week, September 22. Prayer meeting will take place on Zoom this week, and we encourage you to join in this opportunity for fellowship.
• Sunday morning services will be held outside for at least the next several weeks beginning this Sunday, September 19. We encourage the wearing of masks when interacting with people from other households. We will continue to offer live-streamed worship services for those who prefer to participate virtually.
• The launch of Pastor Woody’s 9am Adult Sunday School class (An Anabaptist Approach to the Bible) is postponed until September 26. Both this class and Pastor Lynda’s 11am study of The Making of Biblical Womanhood will launch on the 26^th. 
• There will be no Youth programming this week.
• There will be no Kids Sunday School this week, with the exception of an outdoor option during both services for children 4 and under in the play yard.
• Small group meetings and events in the church building and off-site will take place as planned at the discretion of the group leadership.

If you find that you are considered a close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes) with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, please carefully follow CDC guidelines (found here). If someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19 or if you’re feeling sick, we ask that you refrain from attending church services and activities. We encourage anyone in close contact with someone with COVID-19 to get tested and we will serve as a resource for you to do so. If you need help to receive a test and are unable to locate a free appointment (Rite-Aid and CVS are good places to check) or if you would benefit from assistance navigating online processes, please contact the church office or any of the pastoral staff.

Please also remember to keep these individuals and their families in prayer. Pray for their healing, protection, and peace. Pray also for our greater church family as we all continue to navigate this pandemic.

This season has been challenging on so many levels, but I’m so grateful to God for our community here at HBIC. Our God is good and will continue to carry us through. And you all, our HBIC family, have been faithful, resilient, and committed to God and each other, for which we are very grateful.

May the Lord continue to shine on and through us all. May we continue to know God’s love, and live to share it with one another. And may the Holy Spirit be our light and guide. God bless you all.

Love in Christ,

Pastor Hank (Mark 12:31)