The human spirit will endure sickness;
but a broken spirit—who can bear?
An intelligent mind acquires knowledge,
and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
— Proverbs 18:14-15
In-person services have been cancelled.
The global pandemic has seriously affected all areas of our lives. COVID-19 is a completely different kind of disease that is extremely contagious. It is very dangerous for people aged 65 and up. It causes tiny blood clots throughout the body, even in otherwise asymptomatic patients. We don’t know why young people and children are less likely to get it. We don’t know why some otherwise healthy young people and children get extremely ill. We don’t know if immunity is permament. We will need to reimagine and restructure church services so IT IS SAFE!
Our current way to KEEP THINGS SAFE is to hold worship online. We are creating youtube videos every week which follow the usual order of service, and cataloging them here: Online Services
We are hoping to reinstate worship services in-person when King County moves to stage 3.
Resources:
Reopening/public gatherings
WA State Religious Guidelines for phases 1, 2, and 3
King County guidance for community organizations
CDC guidance for community and faith-based organizations
World Council of Churches guidance for churches
Church of the Brethren guidance for congregations
Church of the Brethren Checklist for Reopening Church (pdf)
COVID-19 and what we know about the disease
What Does COVID-19 do to the body?
Case Histories/superspreader events
Why do some COVID-19 patients infect many others, whereas most don’t spread the virus at all?
Churches Emerge as Major Sources of Coronavirus Cases (New York Times, July 8, 2020)
The Science Behind Orchestras’ Careful COVID Comeback (Wired, June 8, 2020)