COVID-19 Response

In troubling times like the one we are living in, God’s Word can give us comfort, hope and consolation.

“If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.” ⁃ Psalm 91:9-11 NLT

And Jesus said:

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” ⁃ John 14:1 NLT

I find these words consoling as I walk with Jesus through our current situation. If someone is a Christian, they are not guaranteed that they will never have to face things like sickness and death, but they no longer have to fear them. Jesus came to set us free from that fear. That’s what it says in the book of Hebrews.

“Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” ⁃ Hebrews 2:14-15

It is not a coincidence that God has been teaching us about Christian freedom lately through the letter of 1 Corinthians. Not only are we free from the fear of sickness and death, we are free to love God and others by choosing to limit our own freedom. What does that mean in reference to our current public health concerns?

Well, first it means, if you are feeling sick, it’s okay to stay home from church. Sure, you are free to go, but out of loving concern, please restrain your freedom for the sake of others.

If we are not feeling sick, the CDC recommends that we practice basic hygiene as a preventative means. That includes:

• Washing our hands regularly and thoroughly.
• If we sneeze or cough, covering it in a tissue, then throwing that tissue away. If no tissue is available, cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Again, if you are not feeling well, for the sake of others, please stay home.

As you may already know, Governor Baker declared a state of emergency. One of the reasons he did this was so that he could quickly respond to contain the COVID-19 virus in the event it was needed. The general population is considered to be at low risk. And public gatherings are allowed. In those public gatherings, practicing basic hygiene will help us preserve health. That said, we will continue to worship at our regularly scheduled times.

Please be assured that our facility is cleaned thoroughly daily. In addition to cleaning and disinfecting around the building, you will notice:

• Extra Hand Sanitizer pumps around the building
• Disinfectant wipes around the building
• All hard surfaces in the Nursery/Toddler room as well as door handles/stair railings are disinfected daily

We are friendly and loving people, but it is certainly understandable if someone chooses not to shake hands or hug someone as they usually would on a Sunday morning.

In summary, we are not going to give in to fear, but we are going to freely exercise our faith with wisdom, taking all necessary precautions. And if necessary, we will restrain our freedom for the sake of others. In all things we can remember that we can trust God and He will continue to care for those who take refuge in Him. I pray that we will all find our comfort, hope and consolation in him today and every day.

Love,

Pastor Chris