Grace Community Church's Mitigation Strategy for COVID-19

Church Family:  
As I am sure that you are aware, COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to spread across the globe and now across the USA.  The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday has now declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.  In situations like this, it is very easy to panic and live in fear of the headlines and the unknowns.  Let us not be a people who live in fear but instead in faith let us educate ourselves and follow proper interventions to help slow the transmission of the virus into our communities.

Within Grace Community Church we will be following and applying the CDC’s Mitigation Strategies for Communities.  We want to do our best to protect those within our congregation who are at increased risk for severe illness, including older adults and persons of any age with underlying health conditions.

Presently, the CDC encourages churches in our area to be in a “Preparedness Phase.” While we remain in this first phase of mitigation we are committed to the following:
1-   If you are a person of increased risk for severe illness then please consider staying at home and limiting social contact.  While at home if you are in need of any daily necessities we want to serve you well and keep you safe.  Please email Pastor Steve so that he can know of your need so that we as a church can help.
2-   If you are presently suffering from cold-like symptoms please stay at home.
3-   If you have traveled to a high-risk area or have had a moderate-high risk COVID 19 exposure, we ask you to please stay at home until the recommended 14 days have passed.  
4-   When we gather we commit to engage in personal protective measures like covering our mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze and washing our hands frequently while active socially.
5-   As a church we will be diligent in disinfecting frequently touched surfaces around the building including toys in the nursery.
6-   We have ensured that there are hand hygiene supplies available throughout the building. This includes not only hand sanitizer but also the more effective disinfecting agent – soap and water.
7-   Moving forward, these mitigation strategies will be moved up or down depending on the evolving local situation.
8-   We have already secured a web-based platform for us as a church to worship together from our homes.  This will be implemented if the CDC raises our Community Impact of Covid-19 to “Moderate.”
9-   We will remember that God is at hand, therefore we will not be anxious about anything, but in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we will pray for the Lord over all disease to eliminate the COVID-19 virus.  

Meanwhile, let us all proclaim hope to this world through the Gospel of Christ.

Prayerfully, Steve