.png){kind=logo}
Latest News & Updates from Eleven Sixteen Church
9-10-2020 Church Statement
More than six months have passed since COVID-19 became a major player on the world stage. At the beginning of this journey we were hopeful that this would be a short lived phenomenon, and normalcy expediently reestablished. We now have first hand experience of the longevity of a pandemic, and with that the challenge of planning ahead. After much prayer and many conversations with leaders, we have decided to delay all in-person, inside mass gatherings until 2021.
We will continue to strive and make the most of this time. Following the instructions of 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 to “ admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” Also being mindful to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
It’s with these teachings at the forefront, we decided to seize this season and try something not-so-new, a Home Church format! Hebrews 10:25 instructs us to "not neglect meeting together." Home Church gives us a unique opportunity to continue doing that, just in smaller circles, while keeping our focus on the mission and vision Jesus has given. These gatherings are not a secondhand substitute for a “real” Sunday experience, but rather an intimate Sunday gathering of its own merits. There are groups meeting both in person and virtually all over the CSRA, and already bearing fruit. Registration is open and available.
It is with confidence in the strength of our virtual Sunday Service, Home Church gatherings, and this community, that we believe this will be a period of growth in our relationships with each other and Jesus! Proverbs 13:4 states that “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” We look forward to gathering again in 2021 more richly supplied in spirit than ever before.
Be on the lookout for emails regarding outdoor activities this fall!
Sign up to Attend a Home Church
____________________________________________________________________
7-21-2020 Church Statement
As the CSRA continues to navigate reopening phases, we are maintaining focus on the mission and vision Jesus has given us. As we adapt to new ways to live out our faith, the health and safety of our church family and broader community are at the forefront of our minds. We have decided to move our Family Reunion Service to September 6th. This decision was not made lightly, but rather was based on prayer, recent COVID-19 data spikes, hospital capacity, results of our church survey, and the experiences of churches that have already re-opened. Additionally, it is not within our current capability to fully comply with CDC guidance to safely gather.
One of the core values of our church is diversity, and with that comes a welcomed variety of opinions and secondary positions. For some of you, this decision to postpone large gatherings makes perfect sense. For others, this may seem like an unnecessary precaution, political influence, or a perceived lack of faith from leadership. We as a leadership team have wrestled with all of that with the same frustration, trepidation, and disappointment; but our desire is to honor God and serve you well.
While we will exercise patience before resuming large gatherings, we have a unique opportunity to redeem this time and experiment with new methods that could produce abundant fruit. It is with great enthusiasm we are launching the Home Church experience this August! It is our hope that through Home Church we will look back on 2020 and think of it as a year that our church family became deeper connected to what it really means to evangelize and make disciples. We are ever grateful for the grace of God and the love of this community.
Make sure to watch Sunday Service on August 2nd at 10:30 am to hear more details about Home Church.
____________________________________________________________________
6-11-2020 Church Statement
To put it simply, we've missed you all. God made us for connection, and those connections give us strength, perspective, and purpose. The absence of being able to meet and embrace those community connections has not been easily filled by Zoom, and it's safe to say many of us are starting to feel the digital fatigue. In light of the reopening of our communities, we have decided to enter into Phase 2 of our plan towards a full reopening. Our goal of entering Phase 2 is to provide best fit solutions for all of our family members, while continuing to exercise caution and a loving respect for the medically fragile in our community. See the full outline of what Phase 2 entails below.
At this point in time, many of you may be curious when we will be back to "normal." While, we can not say with complete certainty when that will be, we can say our intention is for us to return corporately as a whole on August 9th for a Family Reunion Service! We will let you know more details about this exciting return service as the date draws near, or should anything happen that would result in us shifting these plans.
We look forward to gathering together soon.
PHASE 2
During this phase you have 3 ways to enjoy service:
1. Exclusively Online: Service will continue to be offered online with chat moderators ready to enagage and offer prayer.
2. Home Church Watch Party: Invite family or friends to join service in the comfort and security of a private home. If you would like to get connected with a family to watch service with email us at info@1116.church.
About Home Church: Throughout the Bible, believers worshiping together in homes is a prevalent practice. It wasn't until 313 AD, when Roman Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan that the public practice of Christianity was legalized. After which, Christians began to gather in large groups and build houses of worship. So as we begin to gather again in private homes, think of this not as a deviation from how we have been taught we "should" gather, but rather a return to biblical roots. Worshiping old-school for a season.
3. Socially Distanced On-site Service: Feel welcome to come and enjoy service with our essential team members in a socially distanced setting. No one exhibiting symptoms of illness will be permitted to enter. There will be no Kids ministry or nursery available at this time.
About Covid- 19 Symptoms: Fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, body aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, or runny nose. Should you have any of those symptoms within 24h hours please join us online from home.
____________________________________________________________________
4-29-2020 Church Statement
Dear Eleven Sixteen Family,
The need for believers to gather and worship together is as true today as it was during the time of Jesus's ministry. God made us for connection, and those connections give us strength, perspective, and purpose. Over the past few weeks we've had the unique opportunity to explore how the spirit of gathering can still exist on a digital platform.
Recently, Georgia's Governor Brian Kemp, laid out a plan for the state to begin reopening various parts of the economy. In regards to places of worship the following statement was made: "I urge faith leaders to continue to help us in this effort and keep their congregations safe by heeding the advice of public health officials. Of course, online, call-in, or drive-in services remain good options for religious institutions.”
In accordance to these recommendations, we here at 1116 Church will continue to hold services exclusively online through May 10th. After which, we will begin a multi-phase process towards reopening our doors and gathering in-person. With the utmost care of our church family in mind, this process will be a slow progression, and completely flexible should the needs of our people, or the recommendations of the local authorities change.
Below is the tentative outline of this plan. As you read, many of you may wonder when we will move from phase to phase. At this point in time, with the information available, the answer is we don't know. We will continue to rely on the guidance of local authorities and the wisdom of our leaders to make those determinations. We would greatly appreciate your feedback as well. At the bottom of the plan is a link to a survey. Please take a moment and respond so our leadership team may know how to best serve everyone.
Eleven Sixteen Elder Team
PHASE 1
This phase will look very similar to our current service structure, exclusively offered online, except worship will be held live and a handful of essential team members coming onsite. Tentatively beginning May 17th.
PHASE 2
Service will continue to be offered primarily online with the Church site being open to essential team members. We have full confidence in our ability to equip people with the word in this manner.
The core value which our digital presence has struggled to fulfill however is Relationships. With the goal of reconnecting, our church family who are comfortable, will begin to gather in small groups and do life together again. These meetings will be encouraged to follow all social distancing and sanitizing procedures deemed necessary.
Some examples of how to reconnect:
-
Home church service
-
Having Meals Together
-
Grabbing coffee
-
Play-dates with kids
About home church: Throughout the Bible, believers worshiping together in homes is a prevalent practice. It wasn't until 313 AD, when Roman Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan that the public practice of Christianity was legalized. After which, Christians began to gather in large groups and build houses of worship. So as we begin to gather again in private homes, think of this not as a deviation from how we have been taught we "should" gather, but rather a return to biblical roots. Worshiping old-school for a season.
PHASE 3
We will continue to offer online services but also begin gathering together in person! While we are excited at the prospect of "returning to normal," we also acknowledge that there will probably need to be some alterations to how we used to gather. These changes may take the form of extra sanitizing, socially distanced services, multiple service times to keep the gatherings below a certain threshold, or offering safe spaces for our high-risk family members. Also, until full volunteer support is regained some areas such as Kid's Ministry may only be available in a limited capacity.
____________________________________________________________________
3-27-2020 Church Statement
Dear Eleven Sixteen Family,
As information regarding the Covid-19 pandemic continues to develop and change, we too must adjust accordingly. Thursday, March 26th, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order extending public school closures through April 24th. Additionally, across the state line into South Carolina, increased social distancing measures have been implemented. In accordance with these measures we will continue to gather exclusively online through Sunday, April 26th.
We've said it before, but it should be said again, the people of 1116 are truly exceptional! In the past couple weeks we've watched our church family gracefully and quickly adapt to connecting in new ways. The world may be changing around us but the DNA of Eleven Sixteen and our core values of Diversity, Relationships, Equipping, Authenticity, and Missions remain constant!
How to Join Live:
-
Go to the Church Hub at MY1116.INFO OR 1116 Facebook page.
-
Sit back in your favorite pajamas be ready to worship, pray, and learn!
-
Interact! We will have moderators ready to answer questions and reply to comments!
-
Check out "The Lobby" for prayer requests/needs and our Digital Communities for midweek connection.
Can't Make it Live?:
-
Go to the 1116 YouTube Channel.
-
Click the subscribe button.
-
Be ready for a recording of service to be available on Tuesday.
Struggling to Connect Digitally? If you are having challenges connecting to our online groups please let us know and we will work to help you get connected!
Eleven Sixteen Elder Team
____________________________________________________________________
3-19-2020 Church Statement
Dear Eleven Sixteen Family,
God made us for connection, and those connections give us strength, perspective, and purpose. We believe people matter more than programming--in that--church is more than an event you attend, it is a family of people who have a relationship with Jesus and pursue connections with the one another.
If that statement sounds familiar it's because that is the description of one of our core values: Relationships. Building a foundation of Christ-like relationships has always been at the very core of our DNA as a church, and now we are working to adapt and overcome the obstacles presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind we have developed a plan to support our church family for the next 3 weeks, and beyond if deemed necessary.
1116 Online Connection Plan
Duration: Now- April 13th. We will communicate further if it is determined we need to suspend our gatherings past this date.
The Hub 2.0: The Church Hub site has undergone a transformation to help you stay connected and live out our mission and core values. Check it out!
Sunday Service: Sunday service will be online only and available to stream live via Facebook, YouTube, and the Church Hub.
Digital Communities: Launching next week! Digital Communities are like small groups, but online via Zoom (a free online video chat platform). These groups are listed on the Hub and will be a place to catch up with friends, share struggles and joys, pray and serve one another, and talk about God’s Word. There will be no registration for these groups, so feel free to join any or all of them!
Needs & Prayer: On the Hub you will now find a space called "The Lobby." The Lobby is the place to hangout, post a need, ask for prayer, or just say hello. This space does not require a social media profile to utilize, so we are encouraging everyone to move our conversations to The Lobby so all can join in. The 1116 Needs Facebook Page can still be utilized in addition to The Lobby for needs requiring a quick response.
1116 Kids: Be on the look out for fun and interactive resources for you and your children at the beginning of each week! These resources will be emailed to parents directly.
1116 Students: Students are about going to Zoom too! Our Student Leaders will be in touch soon!
Struggling to Connect Digitally? If you are having challenges connecting to our online groups please let us know and we will work to help you get connected!
Eleven Sixteen Elder Team
____________________________________________________________________
3-13-2020 Pastor Jarrod Facebook Live Statement at 4:30 pm
Click Here to see recording of video.
Brief Points: The Elder Team, after much discussion and prayer, has decided to cancel Collide 2020, Big Group and Breakouts, and our Sunday gathering on campus this weekend. Refunds will be issued for those who paid for Collide. We will have a Facebook Live service this Sunday at 10:30 am. We are working our best to get you the latest updates and information. Please expect an email with all of the details tonight.
____________________________________________________________________
03-13-2020 Church Statement at 8:00 am
The leadership at Eleven Sixteen Church feel that it is important to let you know that we are monitoring the coverage surrounding COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, closely. We are committed to following any mandate that our federal, state, and/or local authorities may give that may affect our church gatherings. Yesterday, Governor Brian Kemp gave a response to the citizens in the state of Georgia concerning COVID-19 and gave instructions, which are summarized below:
He stated that the most vulnerable to the virus were the elderly with any underlying medical conditions. He strongly suggested that anyone who fits this demographic to not attend any large gatherings, including church.
He also left it to the discretion of local authorities to make decisions regarding the shutdown of large crowds including: schools, daycares, and religious gatherings. At this time, there has been no mandate that would require us to shutdown gatherings at Eleven Sixteen Church. We will continue to meet Sundays at 10:30 am and have our mid-week gatherings, until instructed by the authorities otherwise.
Even though no mandatory shutdown of large gatherings was issued locally, we are taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of those we lead at Eleven Sixteen Church by implementing a few simple procedures. First, we encourage you to give a fist-bump instead of handshakes or hugging. We are also increasing sanitization efforts of commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, handrails, and deep cleaning of common areas; activities which go a long way in preventing the spread of any potential virus or infections. Additionally, we are going to take a break from offering communion, coffee, and refreshments. You are more than welcome to bring your own coffee from home. According to the CDC, the risk of contracting COVID-19 is extremely low. We believe that with a few enhancements to the sanitization of our facilities, common sense, and God’s grace we will continue to be able to function as normally as possible.
If you or an immediate family member are considered part of a vulnerable population, we do encourage you to remain connected via our livestream of Sunday service which can be found on the Eleven Sixteen Facebook or YouTube. Please also stay in community through our 1116 Needs page on Facebook or by contacting any one of our leaders directly. We would love to know how we can serve you best during this challenging time.
With the current state of the world living in fear, this is a time for the church to continue to be source of hope. Our mindset is that …God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Our prayers are is …the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up (James 5:15). Our action is to not just …love in word or talk but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18).
Eleven Sixteen Elder Team
Jarrod Adkins,
P: 706-250-0070
Devon Harris
P: 706-951-2693
Harrison Taylor
P: 706-250-0694
____________________________________________________________________
03-11-2020 Church Statement
Dear Eleven Sixteen Family,
At Eleven Sixteen, we want to care for our congregation in all respects, including the physical well-being of our community. To that end, we are asking you, our congregants, to take precautions to keep yourself and others safe, especially considering recent developments with the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Please be mindful of the guidance from the Washington Department of Health and the CDC, including:
-
Stay home when you are sick.
-
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
-
While asymptomatic travelers from China are not mandated to observe a 14-day quarantine, we urge you to consider refraining from attending church events, classes and services until the 14-day time frame has been observed. We also ask that anyone returning from a high-alert area (currently South Korea, Iran, Italy, Japan) consider doing the same.
-
While you are out, you can stream live services on our Facebook page on Sundays at 10:30 am and access the recorded teaching video by Tuesday morning each week on our YouTube page.
The uncertainty of this outbreak is creating anxiety in our workplaces, schools, and day-to-day activities. Yet we remain certain of God’s steadfast presence and careful attention to all that is happening. Please join us in praying for those who are affected by this illness, as well as their caregivers and those who are working around the clock to minimize the impact of this virus.
In Psalm 46, we are reminded that it is God who is our refuge and strength, and our ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, let us not fear, but with confidence use this opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus through our prayers and our care for others.
Eleven Sixteen Elder Team
