COVID-19 MARCH 11 UPDATE
This page will be our central location of all updates related to the COVID-19 outbreak. We believe in a God who calls us to be without fear or trembling. We also are regarding this situation with the utmost wisdom and proactivity.
STATEMENT REGARDING CORONAVIRUS
March 11, 2020
We’ve been closely tracking the news of the coronavirus (COVID-19) both locally and globally. For many, the spread of this virus has caused fear and anxiety. Scripture, however, reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. This means we should avoid being overcome by panic while at the same time implementing wise, precautionary measures to keep us safe.
At this time, no restrictions have been recommended by local officials regarding public gatherings, as we don’t have any outbreaks reported here in Monroe County. Therefore, Calvary Assembly will be providing our usual 8am, 9:30am, & 11am services, as well as our regular weekly activities. If this changes, we will inform our community accordingly,
In the meantime, we are taking the following precautions and recommend you to consider the same:
DOORS
To minimize your need to touch door handles, our greeting team will hold exterior doors open to greet you. We will also be increasing how frequently we wipe down handles throughout the facility.
GREETING
When greeting people, we invite you to fist bump, elbow bump, or wave. During services, we will skip our greet-your-neighbor time in service.
CHILD CHECK IN STATIONS
Volunteers will help check your children in so that we only have volunteers touching the screens. They will be wiping down the check in surfaces with disinfectant wipes. We will also have hand sanitizer more available when possible, throughout the building.
KIDS CLASSROOMS
We will be cleaning our kids toys, especially the nursery, more frequently. If you are interested and available to help, we would deeply appreciate it. Please contact Melissa@rcalvary.org.
DONUTS AND BAGELS
We are asking everyone to take their donuts/bagels using a napkin or wax paper that we provide. We would ask that young children not take their own donuts at this time, and that adults help them.
CALVARY ASSEMBLY ONLINE
If you find yourself feeling sick, we encourage you to stay home and join our Livestream at live.rcalvary.org or facebook.com/rCalvary. We will stream both 9:30am & 11am services. You can also listen to our podcast here.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS SHOULD WE TAKE?
We encourage you to take some time to understand proper prevention measures to avoid spreading the virus by reading through the CDC recommendations here.
Here are some of the basic measures listed on the CDC website:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
This is a time that can remind us of important spiritual truths. Life is short and can be uncertain (James 4:14). Jesus has defeated death itself and that our ultimate goal is not a life of comfort, but an eternity in His presence (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). When you feel anxious, let it be a reminder to pray (1 Peter 5:7). Pray for healing for those who are sick, for guidance for those leading the safety of our country and around the world, and pray for those who may be isolated at this time (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
We are inviting our church to be a light in the darkness and do whatever we can to be a blessing in our community.
Prayerfully,
Pastor Bob & Pastor Jonathan
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ – Isaiah 41:10