Covid-19 & Sunday, Gathered Worship

Sunday, 14 June

New Zealand is now at Alert Level 1. Therefore all restrictions around on Physical, Gathered Worship Services are off.

From Sunday, 14 June we plan to resume services as “normal” with no need for keeping attendance, with providing a creche and our Morning Tea.

We aim to resume our 9:30 Children’s Sunday School and Adult Bible Class in Term 3.

Previous Notices

Sunday, 07 June 2020

Beginning Sunday, 07 June we will resume our Physical, Gathered Worship Service @ 10:30am at Rolleston Christian School.
Our aim is to return to as many of the “usual” elements of Gathered Worship as practical at this time.
We may attempt to resume creche when we move to Level 1.
We will NOT resume our 9:30 Sunday School and Bible Class until Term 3.
There will be other modifications with regards to seating, sanitation, use of hymnals, etc. which we will put in place.
All of this is to help us return to public services and yet to ensure we comply by government and school requirements as well as expected Health and Safety protocols.

Sunday, 31 May 2020

New Zealand has moved to a transitional stage between Level 3 and fully Level 2.

For our times of “Gathered Worship” we will “broadcast” from our (Fleener’s) home. Song lyric sheets will be sent out via email. Music will be streamed via Zoom. I will lead the service and we will include others in Scripture Reading and Intercessory Prayer from their own homes.

Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

We plan to resume face-to-face, Gathered Worship Sunday, 07 June 2020!!!!!! Praise the Lord!

Sunday, 24 May 2020

New Zealand has moved to a transitional stage between Level 3 and fully Level 2.

Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

For now a restriction of 10 or fewer people at gatherings is in place. This is particularly applicable to church gatherings either in a “shared venue” (inside or outside) or in homes.

Therefore, our “all church” Thursday Bible Study and our Sunday Gathered Worship will both continue online via Zoom/YouTube.

However, there is an opportunity here…

Not everyone will be able to do this, but perhaps some of you would be in a place to open your homes and invite a few others to join you, either Thursday night for Bible Study and/or Sunday for the online service. You could even share a meal together on either occasion. As long as your total number is not greater than 10 people. This could be a great opportunity for fellowship and encouragement. (Actually on Sunday you might even have a friend or neighbour who would join you in your home for “online church” who would not normally attend “church”.)

This time gives us an opportunity to think outside the box, creatively and consider different ways to serve one another.

We will continue with this format until the restrictions change and we are adequately prepared to resume physical, gathered worship.

Sunday, 17 May 2020

New Zealand has moved to a transitional stage between Level 3 and fully Level 2.

Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

For, at least, the next two weeks a restriction of 10 or fewer people at gatherings is in place. This is particularly applicable to church gatherings either in a “shared venue” (inside or outside) or in homes.

Therefore, our “all church” Thursday Bible Study and our Sunday Gathered Worship will both continue online via Zoom/YouTube.

However, there is an opportunity here…

This time gives us an opportunity to think outside the box, creatively and consider different ways to serve one another.

We will continue with this format until the restrictions change and we are adequately prepared to resume physical, gathered worship.

Sunday, 10 May 2020

New Zealand will be at Level 3 until, at least Monday, 11 May. As in Level 4, we will not be able to meet for physical gathered worship during Level 3.

Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

We will continue with our format during the lockdown of meeting together at 10:30am with no 9:30am Sunday School and Bible Class.

Sunday, 03 May 2020

New Zealand will be at Level 3 until, at least Monday, 11 May. As in Level 4, we will not be able to meet for physical gathered worship during Level 3.

Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

We will continue with our format during the lockdown of meeting together at 10:30am with no 9:30am Sunday School and Bible Class.

Sunday, 26 April 2020

Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

We will continue with our format during the lockdown of meeting together at 10:30am with no 9:30am Sunday School and Bible Class.

We now know that New Zealand will still be a Level 4 Lockdown for this Sunday. We also know we will be at Level 3 for at least two weeks following. As in Level 4, we will not be able to meet for physical gathered worship during Level 3.

Sunday, 19 April 2020

Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

We will continue with our format during the lockdown of meeting together at 10:30am with no 9:30am Sunday School and Bible Class.

There are still many unknowns regarding the coming weeks and whether we will be able to meet in physical gathered worship by the 26th, or if we will continue online. We will make these decisions as soon as we know more from the New Zealand Government.

Good Friday (10 April) & Easter Sunday (12 April)

Our Good Friday Service begins @ 10:00am – YouTube Link

Our Easter Sunday Service begins @ 10:30am – YouTube Link

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

Like the schools we are shifting our School Holiday schedule forward and following our usual School Holiday plan for these Sundays with no 9:30am SS or Bible Class.

Sunday 05 April 2020

For our times of “Gathered Worship” we will “broadcast” from our (Fleener’s) home. Song lyric sheets will be sent out via email on Friday or Saturday. Music will be streamed via Zoom. I will lead the service and we will include others in Scripture Reading and Intercessory Prayer from their own homes.

Our service will begin as usual at 10:30am. I would encourage you to “arrive” early. Perhaps sign-in about 10:20am.

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

Guests are welcome to view the service via YouTube, either live or after the service via this link.

Like the schools we are shifting our School Holiday schedule forward and following our usual School Holiday plan for the next three Sundays with no 9:30am SS or Bible Class.

Sunday 29 March 2020

For our times of “Gathered Worship” we will “broadcast” from our (Fleener’s) home. Song lyric sheets will be sent out via email on Saturday. Music will be streamed via Zoom. I will lead the service and we will include others in Scripture Reading and Intercessory Prayer from their own homes.

Our service will begin as usual at 10:30am. I would encourage you to “arrive” early. Perhaps sign-in about 10:20am.

Our church family will receive an invitation link to join the service via Zoom.

Guests are welcome to view the service via YouTube, either live or after the service via this link.

Like the schools we are shifting our School Holiday schedule forward and following our usual School Holiday plan for the next three Sundays with no 9:30am SS or Bible Class.

We’ve all heard this more times than could be counted – these are unprecedented times. Here in New Zealand it seems each passing day introduces another factor which makes this statement even more true.

Take a moment to read and prayerful reflect on the hope filled words found in Psalm 16:

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Our Heavenly Father is worthy of our praise and trust even in these dark and confusing times. One might even say, especially in these dark and confusing times. Let us not be of those who run after other gods – whether the god of financial security, health, family stability, job security or any other substitute for the only One before Whom we know and experience “fullness of joy”.

As of Thursday afternoon, 19 March the New Zealand government has introduced restrictions on indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. In the Lord’s kindness, this will not prevent RBC from meeting on a Sunday morning for our Gathered Worship. This is indeed a blessing. We have been created for fellowship. As much as possible, we will endeavour to maintain opportunities for fellowship together as a church family.

We will aim to keep this post up to date with any changes related to our Sunday, Gathered Worship Services along with all of our mid-week ministries. I encourage you to check back here often. The situation here in New Zealand as well as the rest of the world is changing rapidly.

If you are unable to attend a Sunday service, please make use of our online sermon database. We will endeavour to have each Sunday’s sermon uploaded by that afternoon.

Here are our “general” notices related to Covid-19 (Up-to-date, New Zealand specific information can be access on the NZ Covid-19 website.) :

Sunday 21 March 2020

We will meet for Sunday School at 9:30am and Gathered Worship at 10:30am with the following modifications:

On Saturday, 20 March the NZ Government announced that those who are 70 and over along with those who have existing respiratory or immune deficiencies should not leave their homes. Therefore, we know there will be several of our church family who will no loner be able to attend our Gathered Worship services. We will endeavour to ensure they each receive a pastoral visit each week.
A deacon will keep an “attendance” list of those present at any of our services. (We will keep such lists for mid-week meetings as well.) This is an aim to be proactive in the case someone at RBC were to contract the virus, we will be able to assist more readily with tracing potential close contacts.
All visitors will be asked if they have returned form overseas within the past 14 days. If so they will be asked to maintain their self-isolation.
We will forgo the use of hymnals for the foreseeable future. All song lyrics will be printed in our Sunday bulletin.
We will setup our seating in such a way as to provide healthy social distance per the Ministry of Health guidelines.
We will provide disposable cups and spoons for Morning Tea. We will also have designated people only, serving any food items individually.
We will seek to clean and disinfect all surfaces, tables, chairs, toilet areas, etc. after our service, which will be used by the school on Monday. Our desire is to be thoughtful of others and to ensure the teachers and children arrive to a clean school environment. (Extra servants for this task will be greatly appreciated.)
We will also seek to clean any of our own items, like creche toys, etc. as needed and on the discretion of those who serve in these areas.

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