A Word on Coronavirus

Connecting Purpose to EveryDay Life

"Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.+
Philippians 4:6-7
The Message

HERE’S WHAT WE’RE DOING AS A CHURCH:

  1. Trusting God: Viral disease is a fact of biological existence and part of creation. Keeping perspective and not panicking apply here, just as they do for all risks we face as creatures in a finite world. No matter how dire circumstances get, the Lord remains our refuge and strength, “an ever-present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). To trust in the Lord amid trouble is to experience and bear witness to the power of Christ.
  2. Praying: We must pray for the sick and the scared, for public health officials, for doctors and nurses, for researchers, and for caregivers. As Christians, we believe prayer has power, so we seek help from the Lord.
  3. Staying Informed: The media is aflame with daily updates and it’s impossible to read, absorb and respond to every news report, Tweet, or latest rumor. We’re following a reliable list of information for educational, planning and management purposes.
    • Public Health on COVID-19: The Canadian Public Health Agency for Disease Control’s up-to-date resources on coronavirus.
    • The US CDC Resources for Community and Faith-Based Organizations: The CDC has created resources specifically for faith-based organizations to respond to influenza pandemic, which are applicable in this situation. As a church, we’re utilizing this guidance as much as we can. I could not find a Canadian equivalent.
  4. Preparing: Because COVID-19 likely spreads like the cold and the flu, personal hygiene is very important among staff, volunteers, and participants in our services and those attending events in our church (washing hands, avoiding contact with the sick, staying home if you’re sick, and so on). We are implementing the Public Health recommendation for hand sanitizer stations in public places, ample supplies of tissue, and disposable gloves for cleaning crews. We’re also implementing Public Health recommendations on our routine cleaning practices to include all frequently touched surfaces in workplaces, Washrooms, and nurseries, including workstations, countertops, doorknobs, and toys. In addition to these practical steps, we’re also doing the following:
    • Our Pastor is reviewing weekly all of our efforts in response to COVID-19.
    • We’re in direct communication with local public health officials.
    • We’re reviewing all of our communication practices with the congregation and implementing appropriate communication when appropriate – like this email.
    • We’re adjusting our greeting practices in our weekend service and encouraging everyone to “Nod to your Neighbor” as a preferred greeting over handshake or other common physical greetings.

 

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

  1. Pray for our nation and those directly affected by COVID-19. Pray for the health care workers that are treating the sick and those public health administrators making difficult decisions. Pray that God would protect our community from further spread of the virus.
  2. Reflect Christ. In these anxious days, the church (all of us) can shine as a light of hope, care, faith, patience and prudence. We can demonstrate for the world how our faith provides true assurance against worry and fear.
  3. Practice recommended personal hygiene. Wash your hands frequently. Avoid contact with the sick. Stay home if you’re sick and enjoy our online service.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body. . . . Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
Matthew 6:25-27
New International Version
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