Loved ones, we are living in a unique situation with the spread of this novel coronavirus throughout the world. It was officially declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. We are fortunate, however, that the risk in Canada, and specifically in Ontario, is still relatively low. But we realize that the constant updates and news may cause anxiety for some. We caution against two extreme reactions to this pandemic: fear or carelessness.
There is already a lot of information online and in the news for you to gain more information about this novel virus, but there are two basic responses that a follower of Christ should maintain, characterized by faith and wisdom. Faith in God, knowing that He is in control of everything that happens in the universe and that He knows what He is doing, even if it may not make sense to us right now. Wisdom, on the other hand, means that we listen to the public health officials and put effort into ensuring that not only ourselves but those around us feel safe. In light of this, we are implementing the following procedures to ensure our people feel safe here at Renforth.
- Avoid handshaking and hugging – instead elbow bump, wave, or bow for greeting.
- Wash your hands often and use alcohol-based hand-sanitizer.
- Refrain from touching your face unless you have washed your hands.
- Ensure door handles are properly cleaned and sanitized in time for our Sunday gathering.
- We also encourage limiting travel during March break, if possible.
You can read more about how COVID-19 has affected Ontario here. In the meanwhile, we will continue to meet as usual, until the Ontario or Canadian public health officials provide any additional instructions for public gatherings. For a church with an average attendance of 40-60, we are at a very low risk, so we continue to maintain faith and wisdom in this situation.
Pastor Dave
On behalf of the Elder Team
Renforth Baptist Church