Regathering Plans and Guidelines


Dear Fifth Avenue Chapel Family,

It was almost a year ago, July 5, 2020 to be exact, when we returned to meeting in person at the chapel building with tempered enthusiasm.  We, again, have come to another positive milestone but one which we desire to approach responsibly and cautiously.  The elders and trustees have been praying and discussing these matters and have developed the following guidelines in moving forward.

We would like to remind everyone of the principles we laid out last summer as we sought to move through these uncertain times with unity:

  1. Our primary responsibility is to our God and Savior Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:10).

  2. We are called to submit to the governing authorities (Rom 13:1).

  3. We have a responsibility to consider our witness to the town of Belmar (Matt 5:16).

  4. We understand the value of fellowship and the biblical command to gather together (Matt 18:20, Heb 10:25).

  5. We have a responsibility to meet in a way that will protect the more vulnerable while allowing as many to meet as possible (Rom 12:18).

Beginning Friday, May 28th, the statewide mask mandate along with the 6-foot social distancing mandate will be lifted for a majority of indoor settings, including Fifth Avenue Chapel.  Individual businesses and other entities may require masks, but this is not the position that Fifth Avenue Chapel desires, nor feels the need, to take.  With this in mind, we are asking any who attend Fifth Avenue Chapel to adhere to the following:

  • Registering for meetings is no longer required or requested.

  • In the main sanctuary, we are no longer requiring masks to be worn but ask that any adults who are not fully vaccinated or any who desire to continue masking at this point in time continue to wear a mask as strongly recommended by the State of New Jersey.

  • When participating in Sunday School, we ask that children, teachers, and anyone who goes into the Sunday School area wear masks.  We fully understand that our children have made many sacrifices over the last year, but we believe this is the most prudent decision for the time being.

  • We plan to re-open the nursery but ask that only fully vaccinated adults serve in nursery childcare roles at this time.  (Anyone interested in serving in the nursery, please contact Lois Gelman. You will also need a background check).

  • We continue to encourage everyone to be mindful of the personal space of others.

  • We continue to discuss the possibility of refreshments and coffee between meetings but do not feel it is time yet.

We understand that not everyone will be in full agreement with these guidelines which is why we ask for grace and patience throughout this return to normal.  We cannot say enough how grateful we are for the love and unity that has been displayed by the Fifth Avenue Chapel family during such a divisive time in our nation and world.

As we continue to move ahead, we ask everyone to remember Jesus’s greatest command to love God and love others (Matt 22:36-40).  May we consider one another before ourselves (Phil 2:3-4) as we seek to show the world that we are His disciples by our love for one another (John 13:35). Thank you for your understanding and please feel free to contact any of the elders if you have any comments or questions.

 

Prayerfully,

The Elders and Trustees at Fifth Avenue Chapel

 

Service Times

  • Sunday
  •   9:15 AM  The Lord's Supper
  • 10:30 AM  Fellowship
  • 11:00 AM  Family Bible Hour
  •   6:00 PM  Small Groups
  • Thursday
  •   7:00 PM  Prayer Meeting and Bible Study

Contact

732-681-5430

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304 5th Avenue
Belmar, NJ 07719

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