UPDATE 04.12.2021
I want to express to you how grateful and proud I am as your pastor, for the solidarity and humility you’ve shown over the past year as we’ve made many adjustments to how we gather as a church. We’ve all seen communities, schools, and even churches that became deeply divided over health and safety decisions throughout the Covid-season. While the same opportunity stood before you, you rejected the idea of division, and we all have reaped the reward. What a sweet spirit exists within Legacy Church! I know the Lord is so pleased in this!
From the time we first discussed returning to “in-person” gatherings, we have always looked to vaccine availability as an important line to cross for the community. As of March 29th, any adult who has needed or wanted a vaccine has been able to receive one. Given that many people who are getting vaccinated are taking a 2-dose vaccine, we’ve wanted to give a few weeks to allow that to take its course before making any changes in our gathering.
Beginning on Sunday, May 2nd, we will begin relaxing our protocols. While we will continue to maintain a clean and welcoming environment for everyone, you are welcome to choose whether you will continue wearing a mask or not when we gather. Some will continue to wear masks, as they’ve decided it’s best for them at this time, and others will decline to wear them going forward. We will also begin progressively adding more chairs back into the room. This will allow us to seat more (as more people are returning in-person) and still have room for some amount of social distancing as needed. As we’ve been united before, I have full confidence you’ll continue in the same spirit moving ahead. That’s one of the things that makes us special as a church; your support for one another and your care for our neighbors shown in your unity!
Finally, as we are welcoming new guests to Legacy and many in our community are returning, I want to encourage us all to:
1) Come early. The service starts at 10:30am, but ministry starts the moment the first person arrives. HEBREWS 10:24 says “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” If you arrive at 10:30am, you may have just enough time to find a seat. If you arrive at 10:10am, you just might have the chance to spur one another on toward love and good deeds!
2) Park far. This encouragement is to be regarded as “if you are able.” If you are able, leave closer parking spaces available for guests, for people who are trying to successfully move their younger children into the building, and for those who physically could use the benefit of a short walk to get inside. (See, your ministry can begin even before you get out of the car!)
3) Move forward. Don’t be afraid of the front half of the room. Consider moving forward from the row that you usually sit in. This creates room for people who do show up closer to our start time to more easily find a seat. (I promise there is no “splash zone.”)
4) Bless someone. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:26 says “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” Whatever kind of week you’ve had, if you are a Christian, the Lord is with you, He has gifted you, and empowered you to be a blessing to the church. The Bible declares it over and over again...believe it and come determined to bless someone!
We look forward to seeing you in person!!
UPDATE 5.10.20
Last Wednesday and Friday, we held virtual town hall meetings through Zoom. During these meetings information was presented and discussed regarding the past couple of months of church ministry and the immediate future. As always, our time together was encouraging and indicative of the faithfulness and good nature of our church.
As our society begins to put plans into action for returning to everyday life, we have worked through plans for our church as well.
Churches are free to meet on their physical campuses for worship and ministry gatherings, but have been asked to follow a number of new guidelines to help ensure health and safety. Some of these guidelines include following strict CDC guidelines for child care, encouraging all participants to wear gloves and masks, equipping all staff and volunteers with gloves and masks, ensuring participants sit with their family unit (using social distancing between each unit), dismissing in smaller groups, etc.
While we can begin meeting in our building again right away, there is still the question of whether we should . In response to this, for the time being, Legacy Church has decide to take a “watch and see” approach as we monitor for increased virus spread. The reasons for this are multifaceted.
One reason for delaying our physical gatherings for large groups is our desire to show care for other's physical health by slowly integrating back into “normal” community life in phases.
A second reason for delaying our physical gatherings is that, as a church, we are still (in a manner) “fully-functioning.”
- Currently, Legacy has 25 Life Groups meeting each week through Zoom or Google Meet.
- We are holding prayer meetings and discipleship conversations on Zoom.
- Pastors are staying closely connected to church members through text, phone, and email.
- Giving and serving opportunities are regularly communicated.
- Sunday morning worship gatherings are streamed online and provide rich songs and teaching as well as opportunities for real-time chat and live prayer. Additionally, live worship is held on Wednesday mornings on FB.
- LegacyKids ministry has multiple discipleship resources and virtual activities planned for summer.
- Student ministries are gathering online at least twice weekly (with great participation).
- In addition, we are still reaching new people through our online ministry who were not a part of our regular ministry before the Covid19 pandemic.
While I believe "online church" isn't better or best, in the current conditions in which we find ourselves, we have learned that we still may continue to " ...hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering..." and we continue to find ways to "...stimulate one another to love and good deeds," and we still are "...not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (Hebrews 10).
A third reason for delaying our physical gatherings is to ensure that we act wisely (a frequent command in scripture) in response to the current conditions and the information with which we have been presented. We can and should use this time to think and act creatively in trusting Jesus and moving the gospel forward. We can and should use sensitivity and discernment in deciding when and how we will gather. As we plan to return to on-site, in-person gatherings, we are making plans for safe-distancing worship for families, with an integrated approach to age-group ministries, and aggressive cleaning protocols before and after services.
A Detailed Look at Legacy's Re-Entry Plan:
Stage One: (Current Stage, May-June)
- Online Worship Gatherings (Sundays)
- Zoom Prayer & Discipleship Meetings (Wednesdays & Thursdays)
- Virtual Ministry Plans that have been developed by staff
- Pastors have “virtual office hours” and are available for counseling and care
- Continued participation and communication in support of our mission partners
- Life Groups “officially” will still meet via Zoom or Google Meet
Stage Two: (Starting July? Starting August?)
- Multiple, simultaneous, “On Campus” Worship Gatherings held in Worship Center, Legacy Hall, & possibly in Kids Worship area, utilizing live-in-person worship leaders in each, with distributed video for teaching
- Live-Stream of Worship Service available online
- No LegacyKids classroom ministry
- LegacyStudent Ministry resumes with some variations & restrictions
Stage Three: (TBD)
- Worship Services in Worship Center only (1-2 services).
- LegacyKids Ministry resumes with some variations & restrictions
- LegacyStudent Ministry resumes
Stage Four: (TBD)
- Regular Sunday (& weekly) schedule returns.
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UPDATE 4.3.20
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UPDATE 4.2.20
Here are #10things I thought you should know regarding Legacy Church's immediate plans during this season:
Notes from the video:
- Participate in Lifegroups! If you don't currently have a Lifegroup, now is still a great time to get connected. Contact kgentzel@legacychurch.org to find a group today!
- LegacyKids family worship resources arrive in your email every Saturday. LegacyStudents meet online Wednesdays at 7p and Sundays at 7p.
- Our Pastors go LIVE at 10:30a EVERYDAY on FaceBook to share an encouraging word and connect with you. Find us at www.facebook.com/legacychurchplano.
- NEW HOME for SUNDAY SERVICES!! Find us online, starting this Sunday, April 5th, at legacyplano.online.church to worship with us, connect with others, and meet with pastors for prayer.
- Weekly Church Newsletter through the corona-quarantine season, starting next week.
- The virtual office is open for prayer and conversation! Meet us Wednesdays at 12:30p for a time of guided group prayer, contact jfoster@legacychurch.org for Zoom-call login information. Meet us Thursdays at 12:30p for spiritual conversation and topical discussions, contact kboyd@legacychurch.org for Zoom-call login information.
- We are planning a meaningful and creative time of worship and celebration for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. More details coming next week. For now, plan on joining us online Friday, April 10th, and Sunday, April 12th!
- Next Teaching Series starting April 19th: "Habits for a New World" - in this series, we will explore how to press on in worship, fellowship, discipleship, evangelism, ministry, accountability, and how to find a proper pace of life in the midst of all of the changes that have suddenly happened in our everyday lives.
- Give Online: www.legacychurch.org/give OR Text "LEGACYPLANO" to 77977
- Reach out!! If you need help, support, or prayer, please don't keep it to yourself!
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SUNDAY MORNING ONLINE | 3.29.20
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SUNDAY MORNING ONLINE | 3.22.20
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UPDATE 3.17.20
Hello Church Fam!
We hope you are doing well in the midst of all of the changes to life this season has brought. Each of our ministries will begin sending you updates specific to the ministry plans you are involved in. Here are a few notes for everyone regarding Legacy Church's immediate plans during this seaso
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UPDATE 3.14.20
Hello friends,
We sure are sorry to miss gathering with you this morning. Wherever you are, we wanted to stay connected through our study: The Day I Met Jesus. Here's a briefer version of the day the Woman at the Well Met Jesus:
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UPDATE 3.14.20
As large gatherings, events, and many churches in our area, and in our city have cancelled weekend plans for meeting, our leadership has made the decision to do the same as a precaution, and out of respect to the unknown factors of the spread of the CORONAVIRUS.
We will not meet at the Legacy Church building for any activities 3/15-3/21.
After that, we will make decisions week-to-week, and update you as we move forward. For this Sunday, we will share a message on our Facebook page at 10:30am to continue our THE DAY I MET JESUS series, and have already begun sending out encouragement and ministry resources via email.
While the church building may be closed, we believe the church isn’t the physical building. In the Bible, church is always a reference to people, not a place. The church is all of the people who have been given life by Jesus Christ.
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. (1 John 4:9)
Jesus gives life, hope, a future, and a greater purpose for being to all who will trust Him for it.
If that’s you, let’s keep being the church wherever we are this week! Let’s be the hands and feet of Christ where we work, live, and play. We are praying and trusting God to redeem this crisis in ways that will advance His kingdom and lead many to Himself.
If you came by today curious about faith in Jesus or about our church, we are sorry we missed you; you can reach us here: www.legacychurch.org/leadership
- No ministry activities on campus March 15-21.
- Stay tuned to our facebook page for further updates, or contact the church office M-Th this week.
- Our pastors are available, should you need us: legacychurch.org/leadership