COVID-19 UPDATE

Updates as of 7.22.21

This will be a longer than usual note, on the heels of more notes than we usually send.

But hopefully these words will function as a type of roadmap for what could be 6 weeks or so of ministry disruption. (I can't even tell right now if that is crazy pessimistic or crazy optimistic!)

For some time now, we have been hearing about one person a month having COVID in our church, maybe less. In the last week and a half...we are hearing about a person every single day. It has been a startling and sudden change in circumstances.

Here is how we are going to be making decisions in these days --

1. We are tasked with making our church as safe as we possibly can. It part of being shepherds in a church.
2. We will make adjustments to mitigate the exposure to and spread of the virus.
3. We recognize that all of us are bone weary and soul tired of COVID and all its many implications.
4. We will in our planning and routine do all we can to model and encourage best practices in this season.
5. We will do everything we can to keep our ministries as open and active as we can.

So what does that look like specifically?

1. For this coming week we will again not have Sunday School.

This is the hard one. But pausing Sunday School eliminates the gathering in smaller classrooms and reduces the total amount of time spent in church by half. We will evaluate this decision each week as we try to return to Sunday School as soon as possible.

We will let you know by Wednesday at noon, what we feel is the best choice for the week to come. I know the unknown is frustrating, but we can't/don't want to make a blanket decision for the entire season when we just can't see very far into the future.

Michael will be sending a note to all our teachers about these changes. Feel free to contact either of us with questions.

2. We will have Children's Church and Preschool as scheduled.

We will work to ensure physical distancing and other practices to make this as safe as we possible can while we continue to offer these important ministries.

3. Our midweek ministries will continue to meet.

This includes Women of Prayer, youth Wednesday nights, choir, and Children's ministry. Some groups may move to a larger room to help us space ourselves out.

Men's and Women's Bible studies were already scheduled to take a break for the month of August. We plan to resume these groups as scheduled in September.

Dear church, I know that "the good hand of God is upon us" even in the middle of these days. We continue to pray that we will see our God do great and mighty things in us and through us in these days.

Pastor Tim