Pastoral Letter (Updated 23 June 2020)
Greetings.
Praise the Lord that SSMC is be able to resume our in-person
Sunday Celebration service at our sanctuary from 5 July 2020.
We are thankful that the government is allowing churches to reopen for 'in-person' worship with the condition of observing to the Authorities' Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Failure to comply with these conditions may result in punitive action by the authorities against the Church.
Registration required for attending in-person Sunday Celebration
A key condition imposed is a restricted seating capacity which currently allows only 1/3 of our total capacity. As such, we need the cooperation of everyone to observe all the conditions to facilitate this transitional process of physically attending. Those who wish to attend the in-person Sunday Celebration will be required to register. Please read the important information below before you register. The link for the registration form is found at the end of this bulletin.
Currently the requirements and guidelines* are as follows (subject to changes & updates):
A: Those who are now ALLOWED to attend :
1. Children 12 years old & below are now allowed to attend if accompanied by parents/guardians. Family Group seatings (up to 6 persons) are provided.
2. Those 70 yrs & above are allowed but not encouraged to attend and will have special designated "higher risk" seats.
B: Those who are NOT ALLOWED to attend :
1. Pre-existing medical conditions eg. diabetes, cancer, hypertension, asthma, cirrhosis etc.
2. Symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, flu, breathing difficulty, lost of taste or smell etc.
3. Obesity with BMI of 40 and above.
(** A more comprehensive list is attached below)
C: If you do not fall into any of the above (B) categories and wish to attend 'in-person' Sunday Worship Service
1. MUST REGISTER ONLINE BEFOREHAND (google form below), as only a limited number of worshippers are currently allowed. Approval will be on a first-come-first-served basis. We are only allowing a max of 120 REGISTERED WORSHIPPERS for the month of July 2020.
2. Please BRING ALONG YOUR OWN FACE MASK, wear it and observe good personal hygiene at all times
3. Practice SOCIAL DISTANCING of 1.5 meter from each other, avoiding all physical contact.
4. Come early, REGISTERING using the SELangkah QR code via your smartphone including your temperature which will be taken. Those without smartphone, will be assisted in their registration.
5. Follow all DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGES and DESIGNATED SEATS within the Sanctuary. No moving of seats are allowed.
6. HAND SANITISERS will be made available at all entrances and exits.
Click here to watch this video guide for in-person Sunday Worship participation procedures.
Please Note:
SSMC wish to assure everyone that we have taken all the necessary preventive measures in accordance with guidelines issued by the relevant government authorities. However, notwithstanding our best efforts, we wish to convey that we cannot guarantee that any participant will not be exposed or infected with COVID-19 by attending in-person Sunday service. There will still be a risk of becoming exposed to and/or infected by COVID-19 as a result of the actions, omissions or negligence of individuals who failed to follow the conditions and guidelines as listed and other factors beyond our direct control.
Therefore, the decision to attend in-person Sunday Worship Service is a personal decision with a clear understanding of its implications. SSMC would encourage you to make that decision by considering all relevant factors including your personal health condition as well as that of your family members, even as we continue to pray for God's wisdom and protection over us and our loved ones.
Online Meetings Continue...
Online live streaming via Facebook of Sunday Worship Service will continue for the benefit of those who cannot come in person and for many others who have joined us from afar in these past months.
For those participating online, we invite you to join an after service fellowship via Zoom tinyurl.com/SSMCZOOM when you can interact "face-to-face" albeit virtually with other members
and the Pastoral team for a time of catching up and also sharing any prayer needs.
Other church meetings (e.g. Prayer, DG, Youth & Children's Church) will continue to be virtual gatherings until further notice.
God Bless
Ps Dr Ng Swee Ming
Watch this video guide for in-person Sunday Worship participation procedures.
MCO Needs Survey Form
With so much uncertainty in the air, the Church Leadership have decided to do a “Needs
Survey” among our own SSMC Church Members to try to identify individuals in our midst
who may need assistance either now or possibly later down the road.
This Preliminary
Needs Survey form hopefully will indicate how many may need assistance in the coming
weeks and months and as a Church what and how we can help. The Needs Survey forms will
be in English, Chinese and BM to cover the whole spectrum of our Church Membership.
If you are aware of any SSMC Church Member who may need assistance, please ask them to complete the form and sent back direct to Pastor or to any LT Member.
On-Going On-line Meetings / Services
1. SSMC Lunch-Time Zoom Devotional Hour (12.00noon, Mondays to Saturdays).
Starting, 2nd April, the Church Leadership initiated a daily devotional time open to all tolog in online and join us for a time of worship, short devotional, sharing of prayer needs and intercession.Topic: SSMC Zoom Lunch-Time Devotional Hour
Time: 12noon to 1pm, Mondays to Saturdays.
2. Weekly Tuesday Night Prayer Meeting (8.30pm)
This will continue as e-prayer meeting via Zoom. The Zoom ID invitation will be sent via whatsapp and once you have installed Zoom program/app into your smartphone, iPad, Notebook or PC, clicking the Zoom ID link will allow you to join the e-prayer meeting. As many people are returning to work and other regular activities, Tuesday Night e-prayer meetings will return to our previous 8.30 pm slot.
3. Discipleship Groups e-Meetings
It is good that some DGs continue to meet via Zoom, Skype, Hangout Meeting. While some DGs have yet to start explore e-meetings formats, I cannot emphasize enough the need to explore and embrace this new normal of e-meetings. There will be a steep learning curve which is to be expected but it’s doable and workable. If help and advise is needed, please feel free to contact Lam, Shih Shu or myself.
4. Sunday Church Celebration e-Service (10.00am).
Our Sunday Celebration e-Service complete with Worship, Intercession, Sermon, Announcement and Benediction will be conducted as Live Streaming via SSMC Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SSMethodistChurch/ or
https://www.ssmc.com.my/facebook )
SSMC Chinese Church Sunday e Service is also Live Streaming at https://www.facebook.com/芥菜籽的天空-101466574839913/
The SSMC Facebook Live Streaming will begin at our usual time - 10am.
5. Special Note on Gifts, Offerings & Pledges.
We ask that you continue to give faithfully as before but recommend that you utilise e-bank transfer or cash through ATM machine even if you attend the Sunday Celebrations in-person.
Church Bank Acc. : Sungai Way-Subang Methodist Church,
OCBC Account No: 707 201 9139.
However, you can still place your Gifts & Pledges
in the Offering Boxes located in the Sanctuary.
NB: For those giving pledge, after the transfer,
please WhatsApp the details to Jenifer Kwek (our Pledge Secretary)
at 012 210 1762. Please be assured your gifts are strictly P&C