Coming Together as a Church: ONE Service Beginning This Sunday, June 21 at 10:00 a.m.

 
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
(1 Corinthians 14:26)
It has been encouraging to gather together these last two weeks. The only drawback has been that we have not gathered as one church. Like you, we’ve been trying to process the data regarding best practices for churches during the coronavirus pandemic. Initially, we estimated we could only fit about 125 persons in our auditorium with all the appropriate social distancing requirements. What we’ve learned over these last two weeks, though, is that we can fit more people than we initially estimated – a LOT more.

We now know that we can gather together as a church in ONE service. So, beginning THIS SUNDAY, June 21, we will only offer one service each Sunday at 10:00 am. We cannot wait to gather as ONE church! Again, if you’re not comfortable meeting in a large public gathering yet, it is OK! You need not feel any pressure to gather with us until you are comfortable and able. We will continue to offer a livestream of the service for you at 10:00 am. We are still hoping to add lyrics to our livestream by this Sunday (or the following at the latest). If you aren't gathering with us for the time being, please let us know how we may care for you during this time. You may contact us at elders@highpointeaustin.org or 512-837-7725 (church office: Monday-Thursday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
For those of you who have been gathering with us or are ready to join us this Sunday for the first time, let me help you think through what it will look like. Now that we will only have one service, you should consider a few things:

1. Register to Attend. Though we will only have one service, we ask you to register so that we can monitor the number of people planning to attend. We have an overflow area in the Livingston Room if we were to run out of room in the auditorium, and you can help us prepare to serve you better on Sunday by registering each week for our weekly gathering. You may register for the 10:00 am service this Sunday, June 21 HERE.
 
2. Arrive Early
. Make plans to arrive early on Sunday mornings. With only one service and the number of people gathering nearly doubling, you will want to arrive a few minutes early. Once you park your car, come to the front of the building (the only entrance open). There you will be greeted by volunteers who will be able to direct you to your seats.

One other important reason to arrive early is that, for the time being, when we have baptisms, we will show the baptism testimony videos before the service begins. You will have an opportunity to view these video testimonies during the week, but we will play them again before the service on Sundays that we observe baptism(s).

3. Follow the Safety Protocols. We will continue to follow the same safety protocols we have been following to date. For a list of the steps we've taken to ensure your safety, visit our website HERE.

4. Worship the Lord. This Sunday, we will continue in our Psalms series with Psalm 116. Let me encourage you to read it each day until Sunday. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in understanding it. Lord willing, when we’re together, we consider how the Lord has defeated death for us.

5. Wait to be Dismissed. At the end of the service, the ushers will dismiss us by rows. You will exit through the front doors and walk out under the portico. There you are free to fellowship and engage one another in conversation for as long as you’d like.

On behalf of your elders, High Pointe, it is a joy to serve you. We look forward to seeing many of your faces this Sunday. Until then, may our Lord continue to sustain and strengthen us for his glory and our good.

Love,
Pastor Juan
NOTE: During Phase TWO we will not offer nursery, children’s ministries, or Life Classes. Life Groups are once again free to Zoom or meet on Sunday evenings. We hope to resume our regular schedule in August.

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