COVID-19 Update Mar 11, 2020 | Events, News Worship on Sunday had its amusing side as congregants lived with the new reality of not shaking hands. Waves, elbow bumps, toe taps, and curtsies were all witnessed. How are we responding to public health concerns related to the Coronavirus? The Church Council and Church Staff, with guidance from our Health Team and resources shared by the UCC and CDC, are monitoring the situation and creating contingency plans. “We will operate not from a place of fear, but with the best information available,” said Senior Minister Scott Jones on Sunday. First, if you are ill, please refrain from attending church. We also understand that some people will choose, because of underlying health issues, not to attend church for the time being. We intend to be better about posting online content throughout the week and sharing at least the sermon on Facebook Live for those who are only able to be with us in spirit. Hospitals and nursing homes are limiting or prohibiting visitors, so some of our normal pastoral care functions are already curtailed. However, we intend to step up our contact with those who live home alone. And we stand ready to support any people who have to quarantine who may need food and supplies brought to them. Some people may be experiencing heightened anxiety and need pastoral care, please reach out to us if you do. We encourage everyone to practice the best health safety habits–hand washing, not touching their face, and maintaining safe distances from other people. We have stocked the church with hand sanitizer and tissues and our cleaning service is being more diligent about wiping down door handles. We will take other precautions in the future if needed and based upon recommendations from public health officials. We will use all of our communication methods to inform you of any changes to schedules and programs if they arise. For now all of our scheduled programming remains in place.
