March 15, 2020
Dear Church Family, This has been an interesting and historical week! The president declared a state of national emergency, we’ve witnessed school closings, sports suspended, colleges, universities and even seminaries closing campuses and going online for the remainder of the academic year. Governors have ordered public gatherings of over 250 to cease, concerts canceled and runs on stores as if the apocalypse has begun. What should be our response? First, and foremost, we must not panic. We should remain strong and confident in our trust in the grace and sufficiency of our God. We should take the necessary precautions, following the advice of healthcare professionals and guidelines provided by the CDC and our state and local Health Departments. As of Saturday, March 14, our mayor has closed city owned facilities to gatherings of 250 or more. He has also denied permits for gatherings of the same size.
Our Response:
Scripture commands “Do not be afraid” and “Love one another.” This must guide us in any response. While we want to protect ourselves from unnecessary risk, of greater concern is the need to protect others from risk. Love of neighbor demands we take wise and prudent steps. I will be meeting with the deacons this afternoon to consider or next steps. We most likely will be suspending services to some degree. We will use the church website, email and prayrchain to notify you of decisions. We are in uncharted waters with this pandemic. While the latest word from our local health officials is that there has not been a “communicated” case of COVID-19 in Tulsa County, that could change. We will continue to monitor news as it comes out and make decisions based on the best information available. I know several churches canceled services this weekend and have gone to live-streaming. Currently that is not an option for us, though we will be looking into that. For now we ask that you practice good health habits such as:
- Proper cough etiquette and hygiene – cover your mouth and nose with tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw the tissue away.
- Regularly wash your hands (simple, but the most effective and important practice).
- Social distancing (limiting physical contact with others).
Until this crisis is over we ask that you not shake hands or hug. This is good advice during cold and flu season anyway but especially now. This means that we will suspend the “welcome/greeting time” in our morning worship. For as long as we have services we recommend (based on CDC guidelines) that you do not attend services if you are in any of the these at-risk categories:
- Older adults (60 and above, especially if you have underlying health issues)
- People who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease.
- Immunosuppressive individuals (people with recent or upcoming surgeries; people on autoimmune treatments, including steroids; people with impaired heart, kidney or liver function; or people going through cancer treatment)
- Direct caregivers of at-risk individuals (non-medical personnel)
We trust your judgment concerning these things. Of course we would also ask that if you are sick you not come. Stay home and get well. Also, if you have traveled to an area affected by the Coronavirus in the past 14 days, or in close contact with someone with Corona flu-like symptoms in the past 14 days we ask that you not attend. This is one way to love your neighbor.
Above all, pray. Pray for those affected by this virus world-wide. Pray especially for those who have limited access to medical care. Pray for healthcare officials as they struggle to get a handle on this outbreak. Pray for local, state and national leaders that they make wise decisions for the benefit of all. Pray for the church that we demonstrate our confidence in the grace and power of God. Pray that we shine as a light in these dark times. This is not a time for us to shrink back in fear but for us to care for the sick, the dying and the troubled. God has not given to us a spirit of fear but of love, peace and a sound mind. May we be found faithful in being the hands and feet of Christ as we seek to love and serve our neighbor well.
With all my heart,
Pastor Rod