March 13: COVID-19 Update
Dearest Third Family,
This is the church’s moment. Fear is descending on the world, but our faith in Jesus has prepared us to be courageous. Self-preservation is tempting, but our faith in Jesus has taught us to love and protect others first. Sunday after Sunday, we have talked about how the church is called by God to be a blessing to the life of the world, and now is our time to act.
This is all to say, we are prepared for just such a time as this – to uphold the promise of God’s love and protection in a chaotic world (Psalm 46.)
Here then, is how we are going to continue to love God and love our neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic:
Will we meet this Sunday?
No, at least for this Sunday. Earlier today (Friday morning), local officials from Richmond city and all adjoining counties publicly announced a local state of emergency due to the spread of the Coronavirus. That announcement included an urging to cancel all events over 250 people to help slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19. So after conferring with our team, with physicians, and with Dr. Danny Avula, Director of Public Health for Richmond City and Henrico County, we have decided to cancel all services at least for this Sunday.
We are putting together a guide for home worship, which also will include a pre-recorded sermon that you can view on your own. We’ll be sending that out likely tomorrow, and it will also be available on our website. We will update you as soon as possible for what we will do for coming Sunday services, but we strongly believe the wise and loving thing to do is to not meet in a large group this weekend.
But shouldn’t the church keep worshipping?
Yes! And we will. (Read more on how below.) Gathering for worship is central to our identity. God’s people have persisted in worship in all circumstances, including wartime, persecution and plague. And yet, we also know that this pandemic represents an unprecedented scenario in modern history, and we believe that we have a responsibility to act boldly to love our neighbor by refraining from gathering in large groups. We are not doing this out of fear! As those who know the Lord of the world, we must never respond to a crisis out of fear or self-protection. Our lives are forever secure in God’s hands! We are altering our plans not of out of fear but out of love. This is not to protect ourselves, but to protect others from risk; especially those among us and around us who are most vulnerable to this virus.
Then how will we worship?
This week, we’re providing what you need to worship in your home. In the weeks to come (pending all developments around the epidemic response and protocols), we plan to equip you to worship within safely sized communities. While we will be refraining from gathering in large groups for at least this Sunday, there has never been a time in which gathering in smaller groups is more important. In this moment of high anxiety and fear for so many, it’s essential that the church continue to gather in smaller groups to meditate on God’s Word, to pray and to support one another in love.
There is no strong epidemiological reason for us to cease meeting together in our homes and neighborhoods, as long as we dramatically change the way we interact with each other. We are preparing resources and protocols to equip you to meet in smaller communities. While we need time to prepare these and make sure we are safely equipping you, we are so grateful to God that this pandemic has come at a time when we have a strong parish group network that can facilitate worship in a moment such as this one. We will be sending out resources on that. Stay tuned.
What about other church programs and events?
Most all of our events and meetings are cancelled for the next two weeks. You will hear from a leader directly if your smaller meeting is still happening, following the recommended protocols. In the meantime, you can check our website for updates.
How can we love our neighbors in this moment?
This is an enormous opportunity for us to seek ways to care for the vulnerable among us, especially the elderly and the poor. This morning I spoke to Van-Neisha Johnson, Community Engagement Coordinator for Henrico County Public Schools, about how the church can serve families in our community who are most impacted by this crisis. We've also been in touch with Grady Hart, Community Partnerships Coordinator for Richmond Public Schools. Again, in very real ways, our Parish system of church is ideally constructed for this time.
We will be sending more information soon about what we can do and how to follow protocols while we do it, but we strongly encourage you to begin considering the elderly in your neighborhood or Parish and how you might serve them (offer to buy groceries, re-fill a prescription, etc.), or support working parents who need childcare now that schools are closed. As long as you keep appropriate social distance and follow protocols from authorities, there are innumerable ways we can provide for needs and bring hope to neighbors in this scary moment.
How should I feel?
We have the words of Jesus for this: Do not be afraid! We have a Father who holds our world and who holds us. Let love for neighbor cast out fear for your own safety. Pray this, read the word, and preach it to each other!
This is a remarkable opportunity for us to demonstrate the truth of what we believe, and to be people who do not act out of fear, self-preservation and panic, but with faithfulness, trust and love in the only thing that can hold us in life and in death – God, the maker of heaven and earth.
In love and in peace,
Corey