As we come to the middle of October here at Lighthouse, it is important that we have a strategy in place for handling situations that will inevitably arise during the fall and winter seasons.

We praise the Lord that we have been able to return to a full schedule of services and ministries. And I am so very thankful for your commitment to our Savior as demonstrated by your faithfulness each week. In a day in which churches are being told they cannot hold services in-person, it is vital that we remain united in serving our God and take advantage of every freedom that we have to worship and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

With that in mind, here is our Coronavirus Strategy for the Fall & Winter months:

1. We recognize that runny noses, sore throats, and mild coughs are a normal part of the season. However, in this Coronavirus-sensitive time, if you are sick you should stay home from the in-person services and join the live stream instead. Should someone in your home have a high fever—anything above 100.4°—it may be prudent for the entire family to stay home from an in-person service as well.
2. Face masks can continue to be worn while in the building and appropriate social distancing is recommended.
3. If you or a family member tests positive for Covid-19, you should immediately inform Pastor De Leon of your diagnosis and your family should quarantine at home for the prescribed amount of time. At that point, we will implement the following plan:
   • We will immediately inform the church family that someone has tested positive for Covid-19 (we will not give out personal names).
   • All rooms and surfaces in the building will be thoroughly disinfected in addition to their regular cleaning.
   • All in-person services will continue unless the Leadership Team determines that there needs to be changes to our schedule. If you are uncomfortable attending in-person, you are welcome to stay home and join the next service online (if you are scheduled to teach or to serve in the nursery, please inform the appropriate team Leaders of your anticipated absence).

Of course, we are praying that no one gets sick. However, given the contagious nature of Covid-19, we should be prepared should someone get ill. But we also continue to trust in our Savior and rest in His love and mercy! God is still on the throne and we must not live in fear and anxiety. Instead, let us persevere and even flourish (!) in these days as we continue on, walking in faith and obeying the Lord in gospel ministry for His glories’ sake.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me directly.

In Christ,
Pastor De Leon

We are excited to continue moving forward in our Regathering Plan and will move to Phase 2 this Wednesday, June 3. This means returning to in-person services and meetings for all services and Connection Groups, except Growth Point (which will be available online during this phase). We will continue to practice social distancing and children's and teen's groups will not meet at this time.

For details, see Phase 2 (page 8) of our Regathering Plan, which you can access here. And as always, if you have questions or concerns, please see Pastor De Leon.

We are excited to begin Phase 1 of our Regathering Plan this Sunday, May 24, which involve returning to in-person services at 10 am. The service will still be available online (by 1 pm) and those choosing to remain at home are encouraged to view it.

The full Regathering Plan can be accessed here.

Pastor De Leon

With the governments' recent guidelines to stay at home for the rest of the month, it seems highly likely we will be continuing online services for the next few weeks. I am especially sad about not being able to be together in person for Resurrection Sunday next week. However, as believers, we get to celebrate our Risen Savior every Sunday! And I am looking forward to the next time we can worship together in person.

Let's continue to pray for one another and connect with each other this week. And plan now to invite as many people as you can to be apart of our Resurrection online services next Sunday.
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In Christ,
Pastor De Leon

​Since the announcement by our governor of a "stay-at-home order" this week, our Leadership Team has decided to not to have in-person services until at least after April 6 (the end of the order at this time). Therefore, this means that we will be offering online services only for at least the next two Sundays, March 29 & April 5. We will continue to monitor the situation and consider what to do after that.

I also want to clear up some confusion about the online services. Because we have limited internet data at the church and because many of our families do not have a reliable enough internet connection, we are prerecording the services and posting them on Sunday. So while you can view them any time on Sunday, I want to encourage you to get your family together at a similar time to when we normally meet for church to view the Sunday Services. This will help keep us in the habit of gathering for worship on the Lord's Day and encourage any children we have to be faithful in this as well.

Lord willing, we should be able to post the videos in plenty of time this week for you to view them by 10 am Sunday morning. You will find the direct link to the videos at lighthousebaptist.life/upcoming right in the schedule and in the email that I will send out Sunday morning. If you have any questions or issues, please contact me.

As our Leadership Team continues to monitor the recommendations of government officials during the spread of COVID-19, we have decided that it is probably best to not have in-person services this coming Sunday, March 22 and Wednesday, March 25. As we are looking at this situation week-by-week, we hope to be able to gather together again soon, even if we have to do so in smaller groups.

With this coming week's changes, we will once again have a video of the Sunday Sermon available by 10 am Sunday morning at lighthousebaptist.online.church. We are also planning several other opportunities next week for staying connected, so please check your inbox for an email this Saturday detailing our schedule of events or check back on this page.

As always, let's be diligent to stay close to the Lord, meeting with Him in His Word and in prayer. Let's also pray for this crisis to end soon and for God's protection on our nation as we deal with the restrictions that are being put in place. God continues to be in charge and we can trust Him!
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If there is anything you need, please call or text; I am here for you.

In Christ,
Pastor De Leon

Dear Lighthouse Family,
​
With the increasing local concern over the COVID-19 pandemic, our Leadership Team met Saturday morning to craft an appropriate response to help protect our church family while trusting the Lord.
 
First, we have decided to cancel having in-person services this Sunday, March 15 and Wednesday, March 18. This, of course, means that we are postponing our Discipleship Conference and hope to reschedule it later this year.
 
In place of our regular services this Sunday, we are asking everyone to view this week’s sermon online at lighthousebaptist.church or at lighthousebaptist.life. A reminder email with links to the Sunday Sermon will also be sent out Sunday morning. The video will be available by 9 AM on Sunday. Plan to gather your family for a time of prayer and singing and then, watch the Sermon together (you will need to provide your own coffee and snacks!).
 
Second, our Leadership Team will continue to monitor the development of this situation and will meet again this coming week to determine our plans for next weekend. While we are not panicking or giving into fear, we do want everyone to be safe and protected, especially those in our Lighthouse Family who are at greater risk for infection. Not having services this week will also allow us to thoroughly clean and disinfect the highly used surface areas in our building.
 
Third, we are encouraging everyone to be cautious with their interactions with others and to practice good hygiene. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water and remember to cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze. It is probably a good idea to also forego shaking hands and hugging during this time.
 
We do, however, encourage you to continue to minister to each other and to even connect in person when appropriate. In this time of uncertainty and fear, remember that God is in control and desires to use this trial for His glory. Be praying for each other, for our community, and for state and national leadership to have wisdom in this crisis and look for opportunities to point people to Jesus.
 
So, in summary, here is what you can do:

1. Take precautions as best as you can. Follow health advisories.
2. Set aside time this Sunday to worship the Lord and to view the Sunday Sermon online.
3. Stay connected with the Lighthouse Family by reaching out to them.
4. Continue your giving, either online or by mail, as our weekly needs are still the same.
5. Pray for opportunities to point people to Jesus.

 
Please let me know if you have any questions or if needs arise. I am here for you—so please let me know how I can help.
 
In Christ,
Pastor De Leon