COVID 19 Announcement

Church Life Updates

Sunday, August 9, 2020

Our existing in-person services and ministries will continue as is but following are some of the additional ministries we are planning to add in-person as we go into the fall:

  • Sunday morning nursery for age 2 and under - resuming August 16 with pre-registration (closing at the end of the day Friday).
  • Children’s Sunday School (limited classes starting September 13) - a virtual program will continue to be available
  • Titus 2 and Home Fellowship groups
  • Sunday Evening Service – resuming September 13
  • Adult Sunday School – classes rotating to meet every other week – likely beginning September 13

Additional details will follow in the coming weeks.

Friday, June 28, 2020

In light of the governor’s appeal and the Tarrant County executive order, the elders have agreed on the following changes at CBC, effective this Sunday:

  • For all who attend the Sunday Worship services in person, face masks will be required when 6’ physical distancing is impossible. Practically, that means we will all wear face coverings as we enter the buildings until we are seated for the service, and again from the time we leave our seats until we have exited the building. Of course, you can leave your mask on during the service, but it is not required. If you forget to bring a mask, we will have some available. If you are unable to wear a mask or choose not to, please plan to join us by live stream.
  • The children’s classes we had planned to open this Sunday are postponed indefinitely.
  • For all who attend mid-week ministries in person, face masks will also be required when 6’ physical distancing is impossible. The various ministries will communicate details with those involved before next week’s gatherings.

Thank you for your understanding and compliance as we seek to shepherd the flock at CBC. Although this is not what we would have chosen, we are grateful we can still come together for worship. It’s a privilege we will never take for granted again. And by following these added precautions, we hope to protect this privilege.


Friday, June 19, 2020

Please note a change of schedule: Beginning on Sunday, June 28, our morning Worship Service times will now be 8:30 am and 10:45 am. Registration is required, and we ask that you attend the service and venue for which you are registered. Registration will open on the website on Thursday of each week.

Also beginning on Sunday, June 28, child care will be offered during the morning worship services for ages 4 and under by registration only. Registration for child care will close at the end of the day on Fridays.

We are thankful that mid-week ministries for our students and young adults are now able to resume with some modifications including encouraging physical distancing.

We are targeting opening additional Sunday morning classes, including Adult Sunday Schools, in some format this Fall.

Please see the church calendar for updated details: countrysidebible.org/calendar.


Wednesday, May 20, 2020

We will resume our in-person, on-site, morning Worship Services this Sunday, May 24 as follows:

  • Two identical morning worship services, both with overflow venues to ensure we accommodate physical distancing guidelines.
  • The service start times will change to 8:15 and 10:45, to allow time for our custodial staff to clean.
  • Registration is required so we can carefully manage the number of people in each service and venue (available to members and regular attenders starting on Wednesday and publicly available on the website Friday at 5:00pm)
  • There will be no nursery, children’s classes, other Sunday School classes or adult choir.
  • The bookstore, library, and prayer room will remain closed.
  • We are putting various other safeguards and protections in place to help care well for our church family.
  • Livestream will continue during both services.


Wednesday, April 29, 2020

On April 27, Governor Abbott released guidelines for Phase 1 to reopen Texas after the current executive order expires on April 30. The new guidelines allow certain businesses and organizations, including churches, to take steps toward resuming normal business this Friday, while practicing physical distancing (6-ft. separation) and other safeguards.

While we all look forward to being together again, the elders are committed to proceeding with an abundance of caution. The new guidelines for churches to meet in person also raise many logistical challenges for churches of our size. The elders have already had in-depth discussions about our “COVID Exit Strategy.” We had already determined that we would not meet in person on May 3 or May 10. We are eager to talk through the new recommendations and make plans for our church family to worship together again on campus. Our staff is reviewing the new guidelines and requirements, and at the elder meeting next Thursday we will outline a plan for the weeks following May 10.

We will announce the resuming of Sunday morning worship on campus at least a week in advance so you can know the plan, understand the guidelines and make necessary preparations. Also, for now, the rest of our ministries will continue to use the online platforms we have adopted under the COVID-19 response. We will communicate plans for resuming these ministries on campus as they become available.

We are grateful for your continued prayers for our leadership and your diligent, faithful care for the members of our church family.


Friday, March 27, 2020

Today, the elders spent the day meeting together via video conferencing to talk through plans for our church in the coming weeks.

Our primary concern and our focus are to honor the Lord by continuing to care for and minister to our church body during the unfamiliar and unsettling days we are experiencing. In light of this, please make note of the below changes and opportunities to connect:

  • We are grateful to be able to continue many of the ministries of the church via technology, but on-site ministries and events have been suspended until further notice. After the restrictions for Southlake and Tarrant County have been lifted, the elders will determine the timeline for resuming these ministries in a manner that poses the least risk to those involved.
  • We are making plans for our Easter Weekend services. Our Good Friday communion service will be live streamed on April 10 at 5:00 pm. The Resurrection Sunday service will be live streamed on April 12 at 10:30 am. We’ll share more details on Sunday.
  • Our Sunday morning worship will continue to be live-streamed at 10:30 am. Please join us at www.countrysidebible.org/media.
  • Please also join us Sunday evening online for an informal time of teaching, encouragement and Bible Study. Beginning this Sunday, we will be streaming live from our website starting at 6:00 pm. You can also join on Facebook and YouTube.

At the end of the service this Sunday morning, Pastor Tom will take a few minutes to update you on the elders’ discussion and additional plans we are making to ensure our church family stays connected with the ability to care for one another.


Tuesday, March 24, 2020

In keeping with the Tarrant County Stay at Home Order, the church campus is currently closed to the public. We will continue to:

  • Maintain remote office hours on Tuesday-Friday, 9:00-5:00. Please do not hesitate to contact the church staff at 817-488-5381 or cbcstaff@countrysidebible.org.
  • Live stream our Sunday morning worship service at 10:30.
  • Work to keep us all connected as we adapt our communication and ongoing ministries to these unique days through the use of the various available technologies.

Please pray for the elders as they meet on Friday to discuss these and other issues in the life of the church. May we all continue to actively and appropriately engage in the lives of others in our body and in our communities as we have opportunity.


Sunday, March 15, 2020

In keeping with the government's request and school closures, the elders have agreed to cancel all Countryside ministries and church events through March 30. We will continue to live stream a Sunday morning worship service at 10:30.

The elders will evaluate subsequent meetings on March 27 and provide an update at that time.

We plan for the church office to remain open during our normal office hours (T-F, 9:00-5:00). Thank you for your understanding during these unique days.

Please continue to:

  • Pray for and encourage one another as you have opportunity, particularly those at greatest risk,
  • Pray for our government leadership, medical personnel, and all those in our communities affected by this pandemic,
  • Pray that the Lord would use this trial to refine the church and to draw many to Himself.

If you have particular prayer requests or needs, please do not hesitate to contact the church office:

  • 817-488-5381
  • cbcstaff@countrysidebible.org


Friday, March 13, 2020

Dear Countryside Family,

Please read this message carefully—our plans for this Sunday have changed.

The coronavirus pandemic is moving and evolving at a speed that is difficult for us all to keep up with. The elders and I intentionally waited until this afternoon to communicate our plans for Sunday, because we hoped that meant they would not need to be changed, since we had based our decision on the most up-to-date information.

However, this afternoon we learned that Tarrant County Public Health has issued new recommendations. They are recommending that any event over 250 people be canceled.

In light of these new guidelines, the elders and I considered several possible options. Our response was not out of the fear and panic that is so common but was carefully weighed and considered as stewards of Christ’s church. In a desire to respect our government’s request, to support our health professionals fighting this pandemic, and to protect those at highest risk in our church family, the elders have decided to take the following steps...

1. Cancel all our onsite services and ministries this Sunday, March 15

2. Livestream one service at 10:30 (https://countrysidebible.org//media)

The elders and I will meet Sunday afternoon to discuss plans for Sunday- and mid-week ministries moving forward. We will post all future updates on www.countrysidebible.org.

I hope you will join us via live stream Sunday morning at 10:30, and invite others to tune in as well. I plan to step away from Romans 12 and present a special message that I hope will encourage us all in these troubled times.

Please pray for the physical health and protection of our church family. But even more importantly, pray that none of us will miss the sanctifying influence God intends this trial to be in our lives. Pray for our rulers—at every level of government—to come to salvation and to have the wisdom to navigate this crisis. And pray that God will use this tiny virus to humble the pride of man, to bring individuals to repent and believe in His Son, and ultimately to glorify Himself.

In Christ,

Tom Pennington
Pastor-Teacher


Friday, March 13, 2020

Update for Sunday Ministries

In a desire to respect our government’s recommendation, to support our health professionals fighting the pandemic, and to protect those at highest risk in our church family, the elders have decided...

– To cancel all our onsite services and ministries this Sunday, March 15.

– To live stream one service at 10:30 am, the normal time of our second service.

– To meet as elders Sunday afternoon to discuss plans regarding our Sunday and mid-week ministries moving forward.

More information and future updates will be posted on our website.