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Beginning Memorial Day weekend, we are relaxing some of the restrictions related to our gathering together in worship. This will start this Sunday, May 30, as we relax mask requirements and temperature checks. 

Although we will maintain physical distancing and continue to encourage outdoor fellowship, this is part of our continued efforts to enhance worship and encourage attendance and growth in fellowship! Keep reading for the full explanation. 

Good reasons for relaxing

First off, thank you for all your patience as we’ve navigated the pandemic and the attendant restrictions; thank you also for your willing participation as we follow COVID guidelines. Inasmuch as we’ve been able to, our goal has been to consistently balance our compliance with national, state, and city guidelines with our overall mission as a church to Seek God, Serve Others, and Share the Gospel. 

Over the past few months, you’ve noticed that we’ve taken steps to (in small ways) roll back many of our original restrictions as we’ve reopened our children’s ministry, begun serving coffee and refreshments, and reintroduced handing out physical bulletins.

What’s more, we’ve been carefully listening to what you have to say regarding these restrictions. (And let us simply say we’re blessed to be pastoring such an understanding and self-sacrificing body of believers.)

With that, we’ve been seeing good news abroad and locally in Riverside County: Vaccines have been available for several months now, the percentage of vaccinated persons in the county is increasing, and the case rates have been in decline for weeks. Moreover, California has announced that it will soon relax its guidelines. 

What this means for you

And so we’ve decided to relax some additional restrictions, no longer requiring 1) masking or 2) temperature checks when we gather.

In doing so, we challenge you to do two things in light of these changes:

  • Firstly, use wisdom and conscience for your health and the well-being of others. Though we are relaxing guidelines and are not taking a hard stance on these issues, we know that vaccines, masks, and relative risk have been and will continue to be contentious topics. So continue to be wise, and be charitable. Scripture exhorts us, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). 
  • Secondly, use this period of “reopening” to get more involved in the life of your church. Commit to fellowshiping with your church family; commit to serving in some new area. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24).  

If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, we want to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to us individually or simply email us at elders@ren.church. 

Our prayer is that as we continue to fellowship and worship together, we would become more like Christ and give ourselves more and more to His glory and His everlasting kingdom. 

John Banman

Robert Fonseca

John Pervorse

Jared Saavedra