UPDATED MARCH 18, 2020
Dear friends,
The Northridge Board and the Community Pastors met again last night (Tuesday 17th March) via zoom to discuss our church’s next steps in response to the ongoing Corona virus (CV-19). We aim to keep you updated as best we can particularly considering the rapidly changing directives from NSW Health and guidelines from the government.
Sunday services
The Board unanimously decided to suspend Sunday services immediately and have asked the Community Pastors to establish online methods of sharing worship and the word together. You will hear more from your Community Pastors in this regard before the end of this week. Please be assured the Board has not made this decision lightly, but believe it is in the best interests of the Northridge Communities and the general public.
Life Groups
The Board also unanimously decided that all life groups should stop meeting in person (as it is very hard to carry out social distancing while 5-10 people are meeting in a room) and move immediately to a telephonic or online platform for meetings. All Life Group leaders have been informed of this decision. They are reviewing various options. If they have not already done so, your Life Group leaders will be contacting you shortly with their proposals for maintaining the important social connections of these groups.
Other groups
The leaders of groups that meet or minister to others under Northridge Vineyard Church are in the process of finding creative ways to stay connected. If you are in another group or ministry of Northridge you will be hearing from your leaders in the next week.
Staff working arrangements
We have instructed the staff to make all the necessary preparations to work from home as soon as possible. If you need to contact your Community Pastor or another member of staff, they will provide you with the appropriate channels to do this along with the contact details below. The Thornleigh office will be closed from Friday 20th March until further notice.
The Board’s heart
The Board’s heart is to support the directives of the Government as they are communicated as well as minimise the risk of spreading this virus through any of our church gatherings, as many of us are either in the particularly vulnerable group or have close connections to people who are in this group.
While Kath and I are deeply saddened by these tragic circumstances, we are also grieved not to be meeting together in person at our regular church gatherings. We are here to support one another. We want to hear from you about how we can best support you and how you are doing in all areas of your lives from family to work. We encourage you to have conversations through platforms such as skype or zoom, timely one-on-one phone calls, and use other online modes of connecting with each other to seek to bless and enrich our relationships both within the church and outside. We have already heard of some creative ways people are connecting and still adhering to the social distancing advice and look forward to hearing and sharing your ideas too.
We know that our God is here, is caring for us and will use even this situation to bless and bring good. If you have any queries about events or how to connect with Northridge please contact your Community Pastors. We are also wanting to ask you to continue supporting the Community Pastors and Northridge staff team in every way. The three Community teams are doing an incredible job to prepare for what lies ahead with a heart full of compassion and care for you all. Please continue to pray for the Board as it meets with the Community Pastors that collectively we may act with wisdom and compassion in this time as we respond to this evolving situation.
We send our love and prayers to the entire Northridge Community.
Yours,
Senior Pastors
Phil Henry [email protected]
Kath Henry [email protected]
Thornleigh Morning Community
Bonnie Giles [email protected]
Rob Giles [email protected]
Thornleigh Evening Community
Chris Gresham-Britt [email protected]
Jen Gresham-Britt [email protected]
Hornsby Community
Sarah Starr [email protected]
Andrew Starr [email protected]
Read next
During this pandemic, our communities will continue to meet digitally. For more information on live streams and other activities, please view:
