More Big News...
the Coronavirus Edition, part 1
We do not want to be FEARFUL...but we do want to be FAITHFUL.
Friends,
By now we are all well aware of the wide-spread anxiousness being caused by the coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that the virus has reached a "pandemic" level and our President has declared that Sunday will be a national day of prayer. What has been a global concern is now becoming a local concern. Most of our national places of worship, and by that I mean our sports arenas and concert halls, have cancelled events and closed doors to limit the spread of this virus.
Your Prospect leaders are working to stay informed on the situation in hopes of guiding the
congregation’s response. We are receiving guidance from our Bishop and local authorities.
To that end, church leaders in our area and across the nation have begun discussions related to the future gatherings of our churches, specifically on Sunday mornings during for corporate worship. We know that the Governor's edict calls for the cancellation of all events with anticipated numbers above 250. This has forced area congregations like Crossroads UMC, Peoria FUMC, Northwoods Community, Grace Presbyterian and Bethany Baptist to cancel Sunday services. It would not require us to cancel services at Prospect.
While the “coronavirus” is certainly to be taken seriously, neither should we panic. We know that the situation is literally changing by the hour, so I will be contacting each of our Administrative Board and Staff members tomorrow morning to again discuss cancelling worship services and/or our other public gatherings (Bible studies, food pantry, congregational meetings, etc.).
If we do gather on Sunday, rest assured that we will take what precautions we can to limit
exposure to the virus. Here is a list of do’s and don’ts for us all:
- Wash your hands. Use soap. Wash for at least 20 seconds. (Try slowly and reflectively praying the Lord’s Prayer while you wash your hands)
- If you have pre-existing health issues are consider yourself at risk of an especially bad reaction to the coronavirus (or any flu virus), we STRONGLY encourage you to stay at home.
- If you have a sneeze or cough or are otherwise not feeling well, consider staying at home.
- Make use of the hand sanitizer stations and bathrooms that we have around the church
- Limit physical contact (NO hugs, handshakes, fist bumps or even elbow bumps on Sunday mornings)
We will attempt to record the 8:45 worship service this week (if we gather), and in coming weeks, in its entirety. This recording will be posted on our Prospect Facebook page (under videos). We are also looking into “livestream” options.
A medical doctor who has been involved with research and treatment of the coronavirus shared this information: “Covid-19 is not 'just another cold virus' nor does it have the apocalyptic case fatality rates of some early estimates. It will likely be worse than a typical influenza (flu).” Of course, the last thing we would want at Prospect is to spread the virus to anyone and we would rather "take a break for 1-2 weeks" than be a source of prolonging the virus' impact on our community.
So while we have not yet decided to cancel church worship services and other gatherings,
please know that I and your Ad Council take your health seriously. We will continue to monitor the reports coming from reputable sources and will react accordingly. Until then, please use appropriate caution (hand washing and limiting physical contact) and, if you aren’t feeling well or have been exposed to someone with the virus, please stay home.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I hope to see you in church on Sunday!
PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL AGAIN TOMORROW FOR AN UPDATE!
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Pastor Steve
The attachment below is Bishop Frank Beard's most recent letter to the Illinois Great Rivers Conference.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE...
So...to answer the age old question: WHO let the dogs out!