CABC’s Official Covid-19 Response
The following message is CABC’s official response, action plans and updates regarding the COVID-19 virus. Please read for full details and contact the church if you have questions, concerns or prayer needs.
 
POLICY UPDATE (5/14/2021):
 

At present, the news is filled with various details concerning Covid-19 restrictions changing or being lifted. We are monitoring the situation and the ongoing changes. The latest change to CDC and PA Department of Health guidelines is that fully vaccinated people are no longer required to wear masks; adults who have yet to be vaccinated should continue to follow mask recommendations. At this time, anyone participating in our Children’s Ministry programs (children and adult volunteers) will continue to wear masks or face shields in compliance with current guidelines. 

There likely will be more attendees in worship that are not wearing masks that will be seated next to individuals who feel more comfortable wearing masks. We encourage everyone to extend the same grace to each other at this time as we have throughout this pandemic. Please know that the Pulse location will continue to be an overflow option that typically is less crowded.  

We appreciate your prayer and patience and look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday. 

POLICY UPDATE (12/2/2020):
 
Under new state guidelines, CABC is able to continue to offer worship service on Sunday morning in the church building. Non-worship service use of the building has had additional restrictions put in place and we will do our best to accommodate meetings with these in mind. We will continue to encourage our church body to care for each other, wear masks, and socially distance while in the building. If you have any questions, please call the church office.  

 

We will continue to offer online streaming of our services for those who are at home. Live streaming can be watched here on our website and on our YouTube channel every Sunday at 9:00am. Past services are available in audio and video format as well.
 
REOPENING UPDATE (6/19/2020):

REOPENING UPDATE (6/16/2020):
As CABC plans for reopening this Sunday, June 21st we have a few protocols we ask our visitors and attendees to follow in order to provide everyone with a safe and comfortable time of worship. Please know that we will not turn anyone away from worshiping this Sunday, but we simply ask for these requests to be honored as much as possible:
 
  • If you are not feeling well (fever, cough, shortness of breath), please refrain from attending in person worship. We will continue to stream services online.
  • Greeters and ushers will be present outside and inside the church to assist with instructions, seating, and to answer any questions. Seating is spaced with proper social distancing taken into consideration. If needed, we have additional seating available in the Pulse.
  • Out of concern and care for others, we are asking attendees to wear masks while entering and exiting. If you do not have a mask, we will have some available.
  • Please don’t linger in the Lobby on entry or exit.
  • Lobby mailboxes are closed at this time.
  • Bulletins will be placed on chairs prior to service. Daily Bread devotionals and Annual Report copies will be available at the Welcome Desk as a self-serve option.
  • We request that you greet one another without handshakes or hugs and that you maintain proper social distancing of six feet from non-family members.
  • The offering plate will not be passed; instead, offering plates will be available in several locations with ushers standing by if assistance is needed.
  • There will be NO Children’s Ministry services; there will be a table in the lobby with materials provided by Miss Jess.
  • There will be NO nursery available. Room 208 will be available as a quiet room if you need to step out with your little one.
  • There will be NO School of Christian Living (adult) classes following worship.
 
GREEN PHASE UPDATE (6/12/2020):
 

 
YELLOW PHASE UPDATE (6/3/2020):

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We invite you to watch and listen to a message from Pastor Todd Witmer regarding the status and plans for reopening here at CABC. Above all else, may we continue to seek opportunities to connect with each other and our timeless God through all this. #CABC #Covid19

Posted by Christ's American Baptist Church on Friday, June 5, 2020

YELLOW PHASE UPDATE (5/22/2020):
 
The safety and health of our congregation is of utmost importance to us. Although York County has been moved to a Yellow Phase and smaller public gatherings are beginning to be possible, reopening CABC for worship services and other events will be delayed until we are allowed to meet in groups greater than 100 people.
 
We plan to continue with our online opportunities at this time; please check the church website for updates on those opportunities. If you have any questions, or need any help at this time, please contact the church office.
 
We love having your continued, faithful presence online and look forward to seeing our CABC family when we can gather in person again.
UPDATE (3/19/2020):
CABC will not be having in-house worship services on Sundays until further notice. Instead, we invite you to join us at 9:00am on Sunday mornings on our Facebook page. You do not need an account or login to view the church’s page and videos. If a box pops up asking for login credentials, simply select “not now” at the bottom, you will still be able to view the page. If you have any questions or need help with this before Sunday, please connect with Laura Courtney or the church office… we can help! We will be including the sermon videos on the website soon for those unable to tune in live or who prefer to check-in here on our website.
 
We appreciate your flexibility during this time, and seek to make the most of this opportunity to experiment with new technology to allow us to stay connected even when separated! 
UPDATE (3/17/2020):
CABC will not be having in-house worship services on Sundays until further notice. We will update here with ways you can tune in to watch a live stream or pre-recorded message each Sunday as we confirm those details this week. Currently, the church remains open during the week and staff will be in if you need anything. 
INITIAL RESPONSE (3/13/2020):
 
CABC leadership is following guidance from relevant authorities concerning the COVID-19 outbreak. Worship is planned for Sunday morning, but it will be minimal in some ways. If you don’t feel well, don’t feel comfortable gathering with a larger group, or may be in the most vulnerable or at increased risk of our population, please stay home. Depending on how many attendees we have Sunday, we will take steps to minimize the amount of people in one room. If you do stay home, all sermons are uploaded to the CABC website on Monday, so please catch up then!
 

We will have some additional changes for Sunday’s worship and, possibly, going forward for a period of time. Greeters will smile cheerfully, but not give hugs or handshakes; they will hold the doors for those coming in. Bulletins will be in a container–please help yourself; they will not be handed out.

Offering plates will not be passed—we will have the offering plates set where you can still access them for your tithes and offerings. If you choose not to come to worship, offering and tithe may still be mailed to the church, dropped by the church, or you can utilize our online giving portal, accessed through https://www.christabc.org/giving/. It is important to remember that CABC’s monthly expenses continue at their usual rate.

We will not have School of Christian Living or Children’s Ministry programming Sunday morning. All families should plan to sit together during our worship service. We will not have a fellowship time in the gym before or following worship service.

All non-essential gatherings will be postponed. All York County public schools have closed through March 29; CABC Preschool will be closed during this time and Wednesday night programs will not be held. There will be no Pulse Youth Dessert Auction tomorrow evening; it will be rescheduled. Financial Peace University, CYA’LL Luncheon, Women’s Bible Study, the Men’s Breakfast, the CABC Family Work Day and the Women’s Retreat are all on hold…we will keep you informed on when they will be rescheduled. Ministry meetings (for example Staff Relations, Missions, Women’s Ministry, etc.) will happen at the discretion of the leaders and those leaders will inform their committee members with updated meeting information.

Church staff is working to keep the facility as clean as possible and is conducting additional cleaning in high-traffic areas.

If you are staying home, and are in need of prayer or pastoral conversation, please feel free to contact the church (717-225-1876).

Finally, the best reminder from ABCOPAD (American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware):
  • Pray for those infected by the coronavirus around the world.
  • Pray with gratitude for those who care for them.
  • Pray with gratitude for health specialists and authorities who are combating the spread of infection.
  • Pray for government officials and leaders to have the wisdom necessary to make wise and informed decisions out of care for the public good, particularly to those most vulnerable.
  • Pray for all who at this time are feeling anxious.