Our 3-PHASE Regathering Plan

Posted By on May 15, 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Each morning, I arise with thankfulness to the Lord for the opportunity to serve alongside you. The family God has united at Mayfair holds a rare combination of grace, generosity, and get-r-done enthusiasm.

I’ve felt the deep heartbeat and warm love of the Mayfair family over the past eight weeks in ways beyond comparison. I know I’m not the only one who has witnessed this outpouring of the church alive even when we’re apart. Dozens of households within our ecclesia have tasted and seen God’s goodness through one another. Just as one example, our Loving by Calling ministry continues to bless homes with renewed hope and joy each week.

Beyond our mutual mercy in the family, our entire community has experienced the comfort of Christ through deliveries, prayers, food bags, letters, gospel tracts, and more. No exaggeration: we’ve offered well over 1,500 prayers (yes, you heard that right) with perfect strangers over the now eight weeks of our Food Hub.

 

Our musicians and media team have worked diligently – even tirelessly – to present God’s good news in song, prayer, and word each and every week. God cleared the way for us to host 13 community leaders for an online National Day of Prayer event that reached over 3,000 people. I’m sure you and I could go on with dozens of vignettes and anecdotes about God’s faithfulness to us during this swirling season of global crisis.

I cannot wait to hear all those stories. Below you’ll see just how and when we’ll go about magnifying God’s grace together in the very near future. But even today, let’s follow the exhortation of David to bless the Lord by boasting in Him (instead of ourselves):

I will bless the LORD at all times [even in COVID-19 crisis times]

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul will make its boast in the LORD;

The humble will hear it and rejoice.

O magnify the LORD with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

O taste and see that the LORD is good;

How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
(Psalm 34:1-3, 8)

 

Please take a moment to carefully review our 3-Phase Re-Gathering plan. My family and I deeply look forward to gathering to worship Christ with all of you again very soon. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him and lean on His Word.

 

Love in Christ,

 

 

 

Lead Pastor | mbreznau@mayfairbible.org

 

WATCH my video announcement:

 

Mayfair 3 PHASE RE-GATHERING PLAN

Time has whizzed by. We now stand at the two-month mark of our state-wide lockdown. It’s hard to believe eight Sundays have passed without God’s people filling our auditorium with songs of praise. We rapidly closed down in-person gatherings with the aim of caring for the safety and wellbeing of the church-flock and our community.

 

We’re grateful to God for the opportunity to listen, share, and encourage through our online ministry. But church is not an event to attend, but a community in which to engage. All along, we’ve reminded ourselves that online ministry is intended as a short-term compromise, not a long-term convenience. We all long to return to the assembly of the redeemed in Christ…to sing together, pray together, baptize together, celebrate communion together, serve together, learn together, and grow together.

 

After praying, conducting surveys, participating in a video-conference with 30 other local pastors, discussing plans with medical professionals and local community leaders, as well as our team of elders and deacons, we’ve developed a 3 Phase Plan for Re-Gathering. This coming Sunday, May 17th we’ll continue with our Mayfair @ Home with 10:45AM online worship, preaching, and THRIVE Kids ministry (10:00AM). On Wednesday, May 20th we’ll hold our AWANA kids closing program live-streamed online at 7PM (only leaders physically present).

 

All elderly, immunocompromised, or other high-risk individuals are strongly encouraged to continue worshiping at home during PHASE ONE. All Mayfair services and programs are voluntary. All plans are subject to change.

 

PHASE ONE: “Tip-Toe”

  • May 24 Mayfair @ Home: Online Worship – 10:45AM
    • + Family Picnic at our Pavilion at 12:30PM (Memorial Day Weekend). Bring your own lunch; enjoy in-person testimony time and hymn sing!
  • May 31 Mayfair @ Mayfair: Re-gathered Worship! – 10:45AM | Pentecost Sunday
    • + Outdoor Baptisms at our Main Entrance at conclusion of service!
  • June 7 Mayfair @ Mayfair: Re-gathered Worship! – 10:45AM
  • June 14 Mayfair @ Mayfair: Re-gathered Worship! – 10:45AM

PHASE ONE Safety Measures:

  1. Only one entrance: Main Doors
  2. No THRIVE Kids or nursery staffing will be offered (but nursery open to mothers with infants)
  3. Church facilities will be sanitized before and after services
  4. Touchless hand-sanitizer dispensers will be located in foyer
  5. Family units will sit 6 ft. apart and in every other pew. Seating will begin in the front of the auditorium and fill up to the back. (Ushers will direct each family and/or individual)
  6. All must cooperate with the ushers’ directives and not simply go to their typical pew arrangement
  7. Physical distancing will be practiced in and on church property
  8. Face-coverings/masks should be worn in the church building (we have a stock for those in need)
  9. Auditorium may not exceed 50% capacity while still maintaining distancing (may require two Sunday services if Phase 1 continues for several weeks). Full Capacity: 810 people.
  10. An offering box will be located by the main double doors of the auditorium (no plates passed)
  11. A Simulcast will be provided in the Library for those who feel unsafe in the auditorium.
  12. Funerals, weddings, and baptisms may resume under the same conditions
  13. The coffee bar will not be open. The water fountains will also not be in service.
  14. NOTICE: If you’ve had flu-like symptoms, a persistent cough, a fever, chills, or other symptoms in the past two weeks, then please stay at home. Please check your temperature before you arrive.

PHASE TWO: “Steady Walk”

  • June 21 Mayfair @ Mayfair: Worship – 10:45AM | Father’s Day!
    • + THRIVE Kids resumes! – check-in at 10:30AM
  • June 28 Mayfair @ Mayfair: Worship – 10:45AM | New Member Sunday!
    • + Semi-Annual Business Meeting: 9:15-10:15AM
    • + THRIVE Kids – 9:15AM and 10:45AM
  • July 5 Mayfair @ Mayfair: Worship – 10:45AM
    • + THRIVE Kids – check-in at 10:30AM
  • July 12 Mayfair @ Mayfair: Worship – 10:45AM
    • + THRIVE Kids – check-in at 10:30AM

PHASE TWO Safety Measures:

  1. Church facilities will be sanitized before and after services
  2. Touchless hand-sanitizer dispensers will be located in foyer
  3. Family units will sit 6 ft. apart and in every other pew. Seating will begin in the front of the auditorium and fill up to the back. (Ushers will direct each family and/or individual)
  4. Auditorium may not exceed 50% capacity while still maintaining distancing (may require two Sunday services if Phase 1 continues for several weeks).
  5. An offering box will be located by the main double doors of the auditorium (no plates passed)
  6. A Simulcast will be provided in the Library for those who feel unsafe in the auditorium.
  7. The coffee bar will not be open. The water fountains will also not be in service.
  8. NOTICE: If you’ve had flu-like symptoms, a persistent cough, a fever, chills, or other symptoms in the past two weeks, then please stay at home. Please check your temperature before you arrive.

PHASE THREE: “Run Free”

  • July 19th and forward, Lord willing, all weekend and weekday ministries may resume under normal safety protocols.

 

FAQ

Q: How long can the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 survive on surfaces?
“A recent study found that the COVID-19 coronavirus can survive up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The researchers also found that this virus can hang out as droplets in the air for up to three hours before they fall. But most often they will fall more quickly. There’s a lot we still don’t know, such as how different conditions, such as exposure to sunlight, heat, or cold, can affect these survival times.” – https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-basics

 

Q: Where does the Bible talk about gathering together for worship?

Acts 1:6; 2:37-47; 4:31; 12:12; 20:8; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Col. 3:11-17; 1 Tim. 4:13; Heb. 10:23-25.

See also Pastor Michael’s article and video on this subject here:  https://www.graceexposed.org/2017/06/22/why-gather/

 

Q: Is it illegal to gather for worship under Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order?

No. Our Governor’s Executive Order 2020-77 (COVID-19) – Section 16 makes this clear: “Consistent with prior guidance, neither a place of religious worship nor its owner is subject to penalty under section 20 of this order for allowing religious worship at such place. No individual is subject to penalty under section 20 of this order for engaging in or traveling to engage in religious worship at a place of religious worship, or for violating section 15(a) of this order. – https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-528460–,00.html

Author: Michael Breznau

:: Who I AM: Husband | Father | Pastor | Speaker | Author | Singer | :: I am a redeemed follower of Jesus, and I'm passionate about inspiring others to follow Him with radical faith. | :: What I DO: I love and pursue knowing the Triune God. I am crazy-in-love with my amazing wife and 4 children. After 14 incredible years in pastoral ministry, including 9 years as a Lead Pastor, I now serve as an active-duty US Air Force Chaplain at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I am the preaching pastor for the Protestant Chapel and the day-to-day chaplain for the 88th Air Base Wing's Mission Support Group, totaling 1,800 Airmen. | :: The Wallpaper: God gave me the opportunity to be trained for ministry at Dallas Theological Seminary, where I completed the Master of Theology program (Th.M in Pastoral Ministries). I'm currently a 4th year Doctor of Ministry student at Talbot School of Theology - BIOLA University. NOTICE: All views expressed on this website are my own and do not, in part or in whole, reflect the policies or positions of the US Air Force or the US Department of Defense.

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