Dear Church Family,

After a number of weeks away, I am excited to announce that Sunday, June 21st is Re-Gathering Day at First Baptist Church of Peachtree City!

On June 21st, we will host FOUR on-campus worship services in TWO venues using the Bridge at 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM and the Worship Center at 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM. As you would expect, we will be implementing a social distancing model for seating. In our preparations, we have learned that seating capacity in both venues using social distancing will be between 135 to 175 people per service. For those unable, or not ready, to re-gather, we will continue to offer online services at 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM, and 6:00 PM.

As we re-gather, we are asking our LIFE Groups to lead the way by participating together with one another at the assigned worship service time and venue for their LIFE Group.

• 8:30AM at the Bridge – Weaver, Wood, Stiles, Amosu, Roysden, Hume
• 9:30 AM in Worship Center – Haselgrove, Thornley, International, Harrelson, Kelly
• 10:30 AM at the Bridge – Outlaw, Gaddy, Pyles, Meng, Brezina, Troth, Hamlin
• 11:30 AM in Worship Center – Robinson, Latham, Roll, Elliott, Mullins, Foster

For anyone who may not currently be in a LIFE Group – we are asking you to attend the service assigned by the first letter of your last name:

• Last names beginning with A-G – please attend the 8:30 AM service at the Bridge
• Last names beginning with H-M – please attend the 9:30 AM service in the Worship Center
• Last names beginning with N-S – please attend the 10:30 AM service at the Bridge
• Last names beginning with T-Z – please attend the 11:30 AM service in the Worship Center

If you consider yourself or a family member to be a high-risk individual, or if you are feeling under the weather or running a fever on Sunday morning, we request that you stay home and watch the online service at 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM.

If you have a preschooler, we will be offering Preschool Ministry Care (birth to 2) at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 at the main campus and at the Bridge respectively. Check in will be spaced out and our preschool volunteers will provide a safe and clean environment for your child. Please let us know if you will be using this service when you register for your service.

As we return to on-campus services and begin re-opening our campus for ministry activities, we want to be S.M.A.R.T. in our decision-making.

S is for SOCIAL DISTANCING – we will be practicing social distancing protocols in each venue having an entrance and exit plan that we will be asking everyone to follow. If you attend services at The Bridge, you will enter through the main entrance and will exit out the gym doors. If you attend worship at the Worship Center, we will use the Fellowship Hall entrance, Office entrance, and the 500 Hall entrance and will exit directly from the worship center into the parking lot.

Likewise, seating in the Worship and at the Bridge will be spaced out in groups of 1-3, 4-5, and 6-8 to accommodate the various size families according social distancing guidelines. As you come into your assigned venue, we ask that families and roommates sit together – and if you are coming by yourself, please sit in a single chair or two-seat grouping.
M is for MASKS – While we know there are a number of differing opinions and recommendations, at least to begin, we are making masks REQUIRED from the car through the singing portion of the worship service for everyone. If you would like to remover your masks during the sermon, it will be acceptable. We only ask that you are sensitive to every person around you. You will discover upon arrival that all of our greeters, ushers, childcare workers, and volunteers will be wearing masks. Please note that if you need a mask, you will need to bring one from home as the church will have only a limited supply.

A is for ALL PRECAUTIONS – While the church will be making preparations for your arrival, we are asking all families to check temperatures before leaving the house and staying home to watch the service online in the instance that someone in your family is sick.

On campus, we will continue to provide a clean and safe environment for you and your family as we are taking all the necessary precautions before, during, and after the services to fog the venues, wipe down handles, and leave doors open to insure all high-touch surfaces are clean.

Also, we will be replacing our normal greeting of handshakes and hugs with air-high fives and smiles. We know this is unusual for our church family, but it is a necessary step as we get our church family back together. Likewise, there will be no bulletins or offering plate exchange. There will be an offering drop box at every doorway into the worship venue or you can continue giving on-line.

LIFE Groups will continue to meet either online, off-campus, or on-campus other than Sunday mornings. Please connect with your LIFE Group leader to confirm your LIFE Group meeting time.

Please note that our services will be an hour or less to provide for proper cleaning time and to get the next group into their seats. We will dismiss people by rows as they leave.

R is for REGISTER – While the services are pre-assigned by LIFE Groups and last name, we recognize that we will have guest and people who might need to have flexibility in their schedule. So, to assist us in ensuring we can accommodate your family attending services, we are asking for each family to register in advance online by clicking the REGISTER banner on the church website. Go to www.fbcptc.org

T is for TELL SOMEONE – As we restart our on-campus ministries, we all have family, friends, and neighbors who have joined us online during the pandemic or who are open now, more than ever, to finding answers and a church home. Feel free to extend an invitation for someone to join you on a Sunday morning for worship.

Needless to say, I can hardly wait to see you! Yes, I recognize this will be different and a little outside of our norm, but we can do this! We can be SMART as we return. We can rise above because of how the Lord has so richly blessed our church and because of your faithful pursuit of His heart. We know we can make whatever adjustments are necessary to thrive in this new season whether it is for a few weeks or even longer.

Nonetheless, we also recognize that this new schedule will take some time to adjust to and that the gathering times assigned may not be optimal for you or your family; but such a plan will help a church our size to be able to minister more effectively to one another and to our community. I only ask that you do the best you can as the Lord leads.

As a word of encouragement, listen to Paul’s words in Romans 12:10-12:

Be devoted to one another in genuine love. Honor one another above even yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fever – serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer…
Church family, I believe this season has provided us with an incredible opportunity to love each other and our community well – and to prefer one another above ourselves. So, as we begin to re-gather – whether you are attending in-person or continuing online – let’s continue to seek the Lord and to spur one another along in our pursuit of the Father.

First Baptist – We are re-gathering on June 21st – and I am so ready to worship the Lord together with you. I look forward to seeing you soon.