Welcome Home!

Modified Worship Services resume Sunday Morning, June 14, 2020 at 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., and 11:00 a.m.

Dear Friends in Christ,

We are delighted to share with you that modified worship services will begin at Barry Christian Church on Sunday, June 14, 2020 at: 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. 

Mayor Quinton Lucas has now permitted 50% capacity in buildings, which for our sanctuary is 125 persons; however, the required six-foot social distancing is still in effect.  This means that our sanctuary can only safely accommodate about 60 persons, which is why we are offering three services.  Families and those living in one household, of course; are permitted to sit close together.  Every other pew will be roped off to maintain social distance.  Because Covid-19 is an “asymptomatic” illness and the knowledge of who is a carrier is unknown, we are required to assemble with specific guidelines for the foreseeable future to help protect one another from the virus.

Please read, understand and help us abide by the following guidelines to help us offer the safest worship experience possible for our congregation’s families and friends.

Worship Service Reservations by the Thursday prior to each Sunday

Because social distancing requirements limit us to about 60 people per worship service, please call our Administrative Assistant, Carol Studebaker, in the office at: 816-436-0462 or e-mail Carol at: office@barrychristianchurch.com by 3:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to each Sunday.  Indicate which service you prefer to attend.  This will help us determine if a particular service has reached the sixty persons capacity, meaning your attendance at another service may be requested if that particular hour is already full.  Please leave a message if Carol cannot immediately pick up the telephone. 

Face Masks are to be worn during worship in the sanctuary

We are asking every worship attender to wear a cloth mask while attending worship in the Barry Christian Church sanctuary.  It has been determined that Covid-19 is most easily transmitted by water droplets from coughing, sneezing, singing and projected voices; thus, cloth masks provide a protective measure for all in attendance.  Please bring your own cloth masks, which can be washed.  A limited supply of cloth masks has been acquired for persons who may not already have their own. 

When the message is delivered, the pastor will not be wearing his mask because it is difficult for him to breath through the mask while speaking and his voice cannot be clearly heard through the mask, but the six-foot distance from others will be strictly maintained for everyone’s safety.

Escorted by Ushers

Please arrive several minutes before the start of the service so that ushers may greet you outside the front southeast and south-side main entrances to the sanctuary.  These ushers will provide you with a paper bulletin that will include hymns.  The solid double doors on the southwest side will remain closed.

Ushers inside the foyer will then seat you and will record your name to comply with recommended contact tracing guidelines. 

At the close of the service, ushers will also escort you out of the sanctuary to help maintain social distancing while departing the sanctuary.  Please take your paper bulletin with you rather than leaving it on the pew.

Sanitation of the Sanctuary Interior and Limited Access

Sanitation crews will wipe down commonly touched surfaces, such as door knobs, rails, bathroom fixtures, etc., before each service.  Hand sanitizer will be available on a table at the foyer entrance, although quantities are still difficult for us to purchase at the present time.  The Education Wing, stairwell and Fellowship Hall will not be accessible.

Please remain home if experiencing signs of illness and Services still recorded

If you are experiencing any symptoms of illness, we ask that you please remain at home and not attend services.  The Worship Services will still be recorded and posted on the this website in the green bar under “Sermons.” 

What We Will Experience in Modified Worship

Modified Worship Services will be shorter than we are accustomed to and will focus on worship through prayer, hymns of worship and the sharing of God’s word through the pastor’s message.  Hymns will be printed in the paper bulletin.  Hymnbooks will be stored.  Andrew and other soloist will provide special music.  

There will be no children’s moment, greeting time, Lord’s Supper or passing of offering trays.  We will refrain from handshakes and hugs.  All of this is to minimize touching of persons or common surfaces. 

We will ask worship attenders to visit with one another outside the building at the conclusion of the service, where the six-foot distancing can be maintained.

What Services will Not be Offered During Covid-19

For the foreseeable future, there will be no Sunday School Classes, Nursery Care, Coffee Fellowship or activities for the children and youth among us.   No transportation by the church van or personal vehicles will be provided.  There will be no choir practice or choir performance in worship.  

Yes, The Modifications to Worship are all awkward

This modified worship model will feel awkward.  However, I must emphasize as one who suffers from asthma and definitely knows first-hand the distress of not breathing properly; neither I nor you, would want to be the one who passes on a serious respiratory illness to another person.  Thus, we will strive to maintain the most reasonable and safe means of assembly possible as we are informed by the expertise of the medical professionals who are also members of our congregation.  In the meantime, we strive to care for one another in whatever ways are possible, while we may appreciate the opportunity to once again be present in the Lord’s house. 

Thank you for mailing in your tithes and offerings

We have been most grateful for the faithful mailing of your tithes and offerings through the U.S. Postal Service at:  1500 NW Barry Road Kansas City, MO  64155.   It would be most helpful to continue this way; however, an offering tray will also be provided on a table in the center of the foyer entrance.  Electronic contributions through this website are also possible.

Glad to be in the Lord’s House Once Again!

These have been most challenging of times as we’ve faced a crippling virus which has killed hundreds of thousands, sickened millions and stolen millions of jobs world-wide.  These have been wondrous times as private industry has sent astronauts to the International Space Station.  Yet, these are also troubling times as inhuman acts of violence have filled our streets.  May our faith in God and our ministries for one another offer hope for renewal and peace. 

I look forward to worshiping God once again with you, beginning Sunday, June 14^th at 8:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.  Appearing as “masked avengers” will seem awkward, but we are all striving to avenge a silent killer as we’ll also gather to offer praise to God.  As Psalm 122:1 declares: “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go to the LORD’s house!”

Rev. Dr. Dennis Patience,
Pastor