COVID-19 Update: On-Site Meeting Guidelines
First, we’d like to say thank you for being so great and worshiping online with us this past Sunday.
We loved seeing your families and communities on social media engaging in church-but-not-at-church with us, and we hope the day was sweet and encouraging as we are all navigating through how COVID-19 is affecting our day-to-day.
In light of the recent Center for Disease Control recommendation that events of 50+ people be postponed or reevaluated, we are suspending all on-site church gatherings at any Summit campus throughout the week. This will include reGROUP, Summit Students, Conversations on Race and Unity, Financial Peace University, Starting Point, and Connect groups that meet on Summit campuses. These gatherings will be suspended for the time being, and we will follow up as soon as we get to be together in person again.
These temporary adjustments to the way we function as a church family are borne not out of fear but out of care and respect for our community. We invite you to continue to pray with us for those making the big decisions in our community and our world right now. We also want to pray for healthcare professionals and others on the frontlines of these circumstances—for safety, wisdom, and peace. If you need pastoral care or counseling, please reach out to us at summit@summitconnect.org.
It is also important that we continue to be the church as God calls us to be. There are a few specific ways we can help the community and our neighbors, and we invite you to join us if you are able. We’ve received updated information on needs in our community, and you can find this information here.
A note about Connect groups: Though our campus facilities are not open for gatherings at this time, we encourage you to continue to meet digitally or in-person at your own discretion. We will also be offering sermon study resources beginning this Sunday.
We will continue to live out all aspects of our vision and, as always, live and serve well within our time and place. Thank you for being the church with us.
March 13th, 2020 | COVID-19 Update: Sunday Services Suspended
Following the most recent update on the community impact of COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, we are honoring the recommendations of our community leaders and doing our part to prevent the possibility of community spread.
As per the guidelines of the local emergency declaration for Orange County by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demmings, as well as in light of the recently declared national emergency, all Summit campuses are practicing good citizenship and suspending our normal worship service gatherings. Worship services will be moved online for the time being. This week's service will be available on our website on Sunday morning and we are encouraging the whole Summit family to have a worship service in your homes.
These guidelines state that gatherings of 250 people or more should be postponed or canceled. Upcoming and recurring gatherings or events that are not part of weekend services (e.g. Connect groups, reGROUP, Summit Students, Conversations on Race and Unity, Financial Peace University) will proceed as scheduled as these fall under the capacity guidelines. However, ministry- and event-specific leaders will follow up with you should a modification of these gatherings be necessary as this situation is still fluid.
In the meantime, you can find videos of new services here and audio here posting Sunday morning at 9 a.m. We will be continuing in our current sermon series, “Undone.” These will remain available until we are given clearance from authorities to resume meeting together in person.
It is also important that we continue to be the church as God calls us to be. There are a few specific ways we can help out in the community, and we invite you to join us if you are able. You can find this information here.
We are continuing to pray for those affected by the virus and those tasked with making the big decisions in these circumstances. In this time of uncertainty, Lead Pastor John Parker also wrote some insight on walking through fear.
If you need pastoral care or counseling, please reach out to us at summit@summitconnect.org. We also know that the current situation has the potential to cause fear and uncertainty in our children as they observe our reactions and conversations. If you’re looking for tips on talking to your children about crisis, you may find this resource helpful.
We will continue to live out all aspects of our vision and, as always, live and serve well within our time and place. Thank you for being the church with us.