各位弟兄姐妹，平安： (Scroll down for English version)
轉眼間我們教會轉用網路方式的聚會已經將近7個月了。我們也感謝神在過去這段時間對教會的保守與帶領，教會各樣事工不但沒有收到虧損，反而能夠在這種特殊的環境下找出新的事奉主的方法，如：防疫式浸禮、網路宣道小分隊、網路會堂……等。
在過去一個月來，相信弟兄姐妹也聽到教會開始為回歸做預備。我們相繼為回歸做了規劃、製作了宣導影片、標示牌、組織了招待和消毒團隊……等。所以大家可能會問：『那我們到底什麼時候可以回到會堂？』
我們需要知道回到會堂實體聚會一定是階段性的，而不是像開關一樣能瞬間回到以往的狀態。無論我們什麼時候開始回歸，我們都需要經歷過有特殊的安排與應對的階段。所以我們目前的各樣預備都是有必要的，也會持續進行。但是我們如何決定回歸的日期呢？
關於回歸聚會，我們有幾個前提：
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符合政府法規
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盡我們的能力把安全和衛生做到最好來保護弟兄姐妹的安全
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對於現有的線上崇拜與聚會沒有負面的影響
1. 符合政府法規
根據最新加州政府於疫情間對敬拜場所的使用條例（7/29），敬拜場所已經可以在符合規定的狀況下開始實體聚會。人數限制為會堂容量的¼ ，最多總數是100人。這代表以此條件回歸的話，我們教會仍會有⅔ 的弟兄姐妹需要繼續透過網路聚會。所以我們來參加實體聚會的弟兄姐妹們需要實名制，以掌控人數。
另外，政府的規條裡也提到實體聚會中應避免唱歌。這對我們回歸是一個很主要的決定因素，因為我們現在的事奉人員和眾弟兄姐妹都可以各自在家裡自由地唱詩，若是回到會堂反而不能唱，就降低回歸的意義。所以政府需要能允許會堂的歌唱，我們才會考慮回歸。
2. 盡我們的能力把安全和衛生做到最好來保護弟兄姐妹的安全
為了能確保弟兄姐妹的安全，我們的各個事奉團隊必須有完善的訓練與演習。在事奉人員還沒有完全預備好前，我們也不會貿然開放。
美國疾管局在近日也發表證實新冠病毒有可能透過氣溶膠傳播（漂浮在空氣中一段時間），增加了室內聚會的風險。一個解決的方法是除了會眾以外，台上的帶領者也戴口罩來領崇拜、講道。這明顯也不是比從家裡帶崇拜更好的狀況。所以在政府放寬這方面的顧慮或是教會找到更安全的解決方法前，我們也不會輕易回歸。
3. 對於現有的崇拜與聚會沒有負面的影響
崇拜對基督徒是最重要的動作，教會也將繼續不厭其煩地提醒大家，無論在哪裡聚會，要把正確的敬拜態度表現出來。我們也不希望因著回歸而導致其他⅔在家裡聚會的弟兄姐妹有更差的敬拜體驗。如上面說到的若是因回歸而不能唱詩，或是在畫面上需要戴口罩，這些都會影響我們決定是否回歸。
另一種狀況就是如果因為極度繁瑣的安全配套動作，導致每週需要有多人大量的時間和精力投注於此，卻只為了能讓少數人在現場聚會，我們也需要做評估其可行性。
這告訴我們什麼呢？我們將繼續為回歸預備，也邀請弟兄姐妹加入主日的事奉團隊，越多人參與，我們就能輪班，降低個人的工作量，以達到良好的持續性。而同時理事會將謹慎評估，決定合適的開放回歸日期。我們會等到會堂有能唱詩的可能性、教會預備好所有的安全措施與團隊、也會衡量實體聚會所需要的工作量和它對於網路聚會的影響。在這當中我們繼續禱告神賜智慧並施恩帶領。願我們無論何時回歸，線上或實體，我們都能持續追求蒙神喜悅，繼續跟隨耶穌，做基督徒該做的事。願神祝福大家！
理事會
洛杉磯西區華語浸信會
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Greetings, brothers and sisters
We are approaching the 7-month mark since our meetings went online. We praise the Lord for His guidance and protection during this time, allowing our church to keep all ministries going without severe negative impacts. We were able to even come up with new creative ways to serve (special-format baptism, internet mission teams, online meeting hall, etc).
You’ve probably heard about our preparation for reopening over the past month. We made plans, educational videos, signages, formed usher and disinfection teams…. With all these going on, one may ask, “when exactly can we get back to have physical gatherings?”
We’ll need to understand that returning to physical gatherings is going to take gradual steps. It’s not going to be like a switch that turns everything back to where it was. Regardless of when the return day might be, we will need to go through transitions where special arrangements like what we’re rehearsing right now are going to be needed. So all the preparations we are currently doing are necessary, and we’ll keep preparing. But how do we decide on the returning date?
Regarding when to return, we have the following conditions to consider
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Comply with the government’s rules and regulations
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Do our best to maintain a safe environment for our brothers and sisters
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Returning will not negatively affect the current online meetings
1. Comply with the government’s rules and regulations
According to the state government’s latest guidance for places of worship (7/29), churches can hold physical meetings if it can meet certain conditions. That includes up to 1/4 of the building capacity and no more than 100 people total. This means that when we return, 2/3 of our congregation will still need to join online. And we will need to pre-register in order to control the number of attendees.
In addition, the guidance does not allow singing in places of worship. This will be a main deciding factor for us. Because our current online meetings afford us to sing freely at home. If we returned to our building and couldn’t sing, it’s not adding too much value. So we will only return when singing is allowed.
2. Do our best to maintain a safe environment for our brothers and sisters
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our brothers and sisters, our usher and disinfection teams need to have proper training and practices. Before these are satisfactorily completed, we won’t irresponsibly reopen.
Lately, CDC has confirmed the possibility of airborne transmission of Covid-19 (virus could suspend in mid air for an extended period of time). This increases the risk of indoor gathering. One of the solutions to this is to have worship leading teams who are on the stage to wear masks. This is obviously not a better worship experience compared to meeting from home where you can see each other’s faces. So before the concern is lessened or that we found ways to effectively deal with this, we won’t ruthlessly go back either.
3. Returning will not negatively affect the current online meetings
Worship is Christians’ most important act, we have and will continue to remind everyone, no matter where we join the meeting from, we will display proper attitude. We do not wish that our returning to the building leads to a worse worship experience to the 2/3 of our congregation who are still meeting online. As mentioned above, if we can’t sing when we return, or need to lead behind masks or reflective plexiglasses, these will all be factors for us to consider whether returning makes sense.
Another possible situation is that it becomes extremely tedious to prepare and to maintain a safe return, that it requires a huge workload and manpower, causing very few to be able to worship wholeheartedly. This will also make us think seriously about when and whether to reopen.
What does all these tell us? We will continue to prepare for reopening, and we cordially invite brothers and sisters to join our Sunday service teams. The more people sign up to participate, the less workload each will have to do as we can take turns, making the process more sustainable. In the same time, the church council will continue to carefully assess, plan for a suitable date to return. We will wait for the opportunity to be able to sing in our building. We will get our teams trained and ready. And we will weigh the effects on our online meetings if we return. We will continue to pray and seek God’s wisdom and guidance throughout this process. It is our prayer that whether we return or not, meet online or physically, we will seek to please God, continue to follow Jesus, keep doing what we’re called to do. May God bless us all!
The church council
CBCWLA
