COVID-19 Response Updates
Updated Friday, May 1:
“Safer at Home” Update:
Hey Park Family, As cities in the Denver metro area prepare to shift to the “Safer at Home” phase (potentially on May 8th), we want to update you about how Park Church is planning to approach these new guidelines. Under the “safer at home” guidelines, we are strongly advised to stay at home as much as possible. However, people are permitted in certain circumstances to gather with up to 10 people so long as they follow all of the distancing guidelines that are being communicated by government and health officials. We encourage you to stay up to date with those guidelines and to take them seriously in order to love and protect our community. As far as formal Park Church gatherings, not much will change for us in this phase. Sunday Gatherings – Obviously, we still can’t gather on Sundays, so we’ll continue to stream one full service online at 10am on Sundays. If you can’t make it at 10am, the service will be available to watch at other times. However, we’d love for you to engage with us at 10am whenever possible. Join us in the chat room, hop into the virtual foyer, and reach out if you need prayer. This is also a great opportunity to invite other friends, neighbors, and coworkers to engage with us online on Sundays. Gospel Communities – We’ve decided that it’s best in this season to continue to have our Gospel Communities meet virtually. There are several reasons for that, and it seems like the wisest move for our formal Gospel Community meetings right now. This allows people who are higher risk and people who have other reasons to be more cautious in this time to continue to stay safe and stay connected. We also acknowledge that this new phase means that you are able–where it is wise and when you are comfortable–to connect with others in our church family. We encourage you to follow the distancing guidelines and to work hard to prioritize the well being of others. Show Grace Now different people are going to approach this differently and that’s expected. We encourage you to work hard to love and honor people who are approaching this differently than you and to give tons and tons of grace. In the midst of a world that is filled with polarizing and divisive rhetoric, we can show a better way. Through the Spirit, we can live with humility. We can give grace. We can defer to one another in love. We can be patient and kind. And we can keep taking sacrificial steps to care for others. When we do that, we shine as light in the world. We miss you all, and we’re praying for you during this time. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or if there is any way that we can support you in this time. Much love, Gary McQuinn, Lead PastorMonday, March 16 Update:
The Scattered Church:
Hey Church Family, What a crazy time! Yesterday the CDC officially recommended the cancelling of all public gatherings of over 50 people for the next 8 weeks. We’re working to process that information and adapt as best we can, but for now we know that we won’t be gathering corporately on Sundays for the next several weeks. Again, this is so we can help do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 and “flatten the curve”. This is a new season in the life of our church, but it’s not unprecedented in the history of the church or even in the church across the world. We’ve often talked about the value of both gathering and scattering as a church. This season gives us an opportunity to grow into the goodness of what it means to be the scattered church. Our mission isn’t changing at all. We still exist to make disciples of Jesus for the glory of God and the joy of all people. However, the methods and structures we use to carry out that mission will need to adapt. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be providing new resources for you and new avenues for connecting with one another and with our pastoral team. Also, this offers us some fresh ways to love and serve the needs of our neighbors and our city. If you or anyone you know have practical or pastoral needs, please let us know so that we can support you in this time. You can fill out our needs form for yourself or on behalf of someone else. For your awareness and prayer, we do have people in our church family who have tested positive for COVID-19, and they are doing well and are recovering in isolation. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you need anything. We love you all and we’re praying for you! Gary McQuinn, Lead PastorFriday, March 13 Update:
Park Church Family,
Over the past several days, the situation with COVID-19 has been developing rapidly. We’ve been praying and paying attention as best as we can, and we want to communicate some significant changes we are making to the ways that we worship and interact as a community.
First, we want to acknowledge that Jesus is on His throne, and that’s good news for the world. He reigns as a King who cares for His people and who is present with us in all of the trials and challenges of life. Not only does God care for us, but He also wants us to be instruments of His love and care as we navigate through this unprecedented challenge.
Following the recent announcements and recommendations from the CDC, Governor Polis, and Mayor Hancock, we have decided to suspend our Sunday gatherings at least the next two weeks (March 15 and 22). We will continue to monitor the situation and communicate updates as information becomes available to us.
Here are some of the immediate implications:
1. Sundays
Starting this Sunday, we will not gather corporately. Instead, we will send out our order of service, a playlist of worship songs, a video of the sermon, and resources to use at home. We will continue some form of this practice on March 15 and 22. Our Sunday content will be uploaded and shared on our website and via email by 11am on Sunday.2. Gospel Communities
As of today, all Gospel Community gatherings are canceled. Miguel Warren, our Director of Community, will reach out to GC leaders by Sunday to help them think creatively about how to engage together and stay connected.3. Classes & Events
As of today, all gatherings for classes, seminars, events, and special services will be either canceled, postponed, or moved to an alternate platform. Ministry leaders will reach out with more information for specific events.- Community Connect, March 15: Canceled
- Premarital Counseling Seminar, March 15 and 22: Audio & resources will be emailed
- Leader Equip, March 15 & 22: Suspended
- Park Teens: Suspended at least until March 29
- Be the Bridge Cohorts: Moved to Zoom
- Foundations, March 22, 29 and April 5: TBD
- Worship and Prayer Night, March 24: Canceled
- Good Friday and Easter, April 10-12: TBD
- Father/Son Ninja Nation Night, April 24: TBD
- Nancy Guthrie Seminar, May 1: TBD