We should take steps to be informed and make prudent decisions based on this knowledge. In keeping with our E3 approach to Ministry, I will use this writing as an opportunity to Educate, Engage and Empower the Church to Live Life Well under the present circumstances.
Educate
There are many credible
informational resources available to inform us about the Novel Coronavirus and
COVID-19 including the international World Health Organization (WHO) and United
States Center for Disease Control (CDC). Additionally, State, County and other
local health organizations have been providing guidance on local and regional
implications of the virus. Your Doctor or insurance provider are excellent
resources for personal health advice. As with most things, caution and
discretion should be used before embracing information obtained through Social
Media and non-credible internet and media sources.
The virus causing this issue is
the Novel Coronavirus. It is Novel because it is a new strain of the virus. So,
while there have been other forms of the Coronavirus such as Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), this particular
strain is evidently new in human populations. The WHO name designation for
COVID-19 refers to COVI for the acronym of coronavirus, D for the
word disease, and 19 for the year of the outbreak.
Because this is a new strain of
the virus and resulting disease, there are no known vaccinations or
immunizations available. Most indications are that it could be 12-18 months
before a vaccination is developed, approved and widely available. There also
hasn’t been an opportunity for our bodies to develop a natural immunity to
fight off the disease.
Initial indications are that
COVID-19 seems to be more contagious than other viruses and as such can spread
more quickly. It spreads through close contact with someone who has been
infected with the virus. (Note – there are no indications, that I am aware of,
that would indicate this is an airborne disease) The incubation period for
Coronavirus is believed to be 1 – 14 days. This means that someone can have the
disease and not show any symptoms for up to 2-weeks, though typically symptoms
emerge in 5 – 10 days after exposure to the virus.
An Outbreak is the sudden rise in
the number of cases of a disease in a particular area. An Epidemic is the
spread of a disease over a larger geographic area or region. A Pandemic is the
global spread of the disease over many countries. The WHO declared COVID-19 a
global Pandemic on March 11th after the number of cases exceeded
100,000 and was found in over 100 Countries worldwide.
In spite of how contagious this
virus appears to be, reports are that in most cases (80 – 90%) the resulting
symptoms are mild to moderate. It is estimated that up to 20% may have the
virus and be asymptomatic, meaning that though they are carrying the virus they
never display any symptoms. To keep things in perspective, without diminishing
the importance of this Pandemic, there are slightly more than 327 Million
people living in the US and under 2500 cases reported to date. The number of
reported cases will likely rise as tests become more readily available, but it
is important to keep a proper perspective of the magnitude of this event.
You have likely heard that
COVID-19 has a higher mortality rate that the Flu. Reports on this vary
depending on timing and source, but conservative early estimates suggest the
Flu kills approximately 0.1% of those infected by it while COVID-19 kills
around 1%. This would make the mortality rate for COVID-19 approximately 10
times more lethal than the Flu. The vast majority of those who have succumb to
COVID-19 are the elderly (defined as above the age of 60) and those with
underlying medical conditions, especially conditions that impact or compromise the
immune and respiratory systems. So while the number of cases relative to the
size of the population is small, the consequences of its spread can be
significant, hence all of the concern and measures to constrain its dispersion.
You have likely also heard the
term Social Distancing in recent days and may be wondering what that means, how
does it work and what does it mean for you and the Church. In an effort to
contain and slow down the spread of the Coronavirus, Governments across the
globe have imposed Social Distancing measures. Because the virus spreads
through close personal contact, defined as 6 feet or less, Social Distancing
looks to minimize the opportunity for large groups of people to be in close
proximity to one another.
The most extreme form of Social
Distancing, a national Quarantine, has been deployed in Italy which has the
second highest reported cases of COVID-19 only behind China, which is where the
disease seems to have originated. Other more measured, but still severe Social
Distancing measures, include cancelling events with large crowds such as major
sporting events, the likes of which we saw in every active major US sport as of
earlier this week, cancelling school, etc. Other more modest Social Distancing
measures include employees working from home where possible, not shaking hands,
etc.
Engage
Epidemiologist (Medical experts in
the field of disease & outbreaks) and Government officials responsible for
public health and safety have several recommendations and steps they recommend
to both protect yourself and slow down the spread of COVID-19, the most basic of
which is exercise good personal hygiene with frequent and thorough hand washing
(20 seconds or longer).
GTAM has proactively taken certain
measures to maintain a healthy physical environment in which to worship. Some
measures already in place include:
·
Hand Sanitizing dispensers in all public spaces
including at the main entrance, both Men & Women’s restrooms, all Kingdom
Kidz classrooms and the Live Life Well Multi-Purpose room
·
Touch free soap and paper towel dispensers in
both Men & Women’s restrooms
·
Training and protocols for Kingdom Kidz
volunteers on how to handle children that may have an illness
·
Guidance provided to our staff and volunteers to
stay home if not feeling well
·
Cleaning guidelines for the Church facility
before and after services
GTAM is known for how we
unconditionally love people wherever life finds them to where God wants them to
be. This love is frequently expressed through gestures of warmth and compassion
such as hugs and handshakes. While many may be comfortable continuing with this
practice in the current climate, many are not for a variety of reasons. Our
consideration should be towards those who may be uncomfortable and not impose
upon them, even with our best intentions, something that may create unease. If
someone expresses uneasiness about a handshake or hug, we should respect and
honor that without judgment or making them feel awkward. We can continue to be
friendly, kind, warm and supportive in other ways.
As the Pastor of GTAM, under these
circumstances, I believe it is important that I model the behavior that is
expected. Historically, I have been comfortable initiating gestures of love
towards individuals we meet in the Ministry. Until we are beyond this season of
high sensitivity over concerns with the virus, I will respond to what I am
presented. If someone wants a hug, I will respond with a hug. If someone
extends a hand, I will respond with a handshake. If I do not get an indication
that physical contact in these forms is welcomed, I will respond as I normally
do with a bright smile and life giving words in the absence of any physical
contact. Our love will not be diminished in any way, even if how that love is
expressed changes!
Empower
On Wednesday of this week, March
11th, as a Social Distancing measure, the Governor of our state
imposed a ban on all public gatherings greater than 250 people,
including religious gatherings. Currently, regular Sunday service attendance at
GTAM does not meet this threshold and so we are not restricted by this Social
Distancing measure and will continue to conduct our services and Live Life Well
forums as scheduled.
However, we do have events
scheduled over the next 3-months where attendance levels may reach or exceed
this threshold including the Who’s That Lady (WTL) Walk-A-Thon scheduled for
March 21st, Easter service on April 12th and the WTL
Annual Conference May 29th – 31st. Given how fluid this
situation is, how quickly things change and new information is becoming
available, we will make a determination on how we will address these events as
the dates draw closer. We have decided to reschedule the Get Plugged In Fair
that was scheduled for after service tomorrow to a date TBD.
GTAM is a diverse worship
community! We are socio-economically diverse, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and
a multi-generational body. We have a Christian responsibility to look out for
our neighbor as we would ourselves and to protect the most vulnerable among us.
We strongly recommend that individuals from our fellowship that are at high
risk of exposure or whose exposure to this virus poses an exponential risk of
severe adverse outcomes utilize their best judgment and consult with their
medical providers to determine their best course of action. GTAM will be
here for you both now and into the future!
The E3 approach to Ministry is
intended to empower informed decisions that position us to Live Life Well and
to give us more control over our GTAM experience. For those that determine it
is best to not attend services, we are working on ways to deliver the service
experience to you in the most effective ways available to us. Because of
limited internet service to our current facilities, live broadcast of the
service through our LiveStream account is currently unavailable. However, we are
exploring ways to capture the services and then publish them shortly after
service concludes. I will share more on this as we learn and develop the
capabilities to do so. Alternatively, you can watch the services live through
the GTAM Facebook live broadcast, Sis. Shantail Miller’s Facebook live
broadcast or others in your GTAM network that frequently broadcast the services
live from their personal Facebook accounts.
Lastly, you can continue to extend
your financial support to the Ministry through a couple of remote giving
options:
2. Utilizing
your banks pay system to send contributions automatically to the church
Grace & Truth Apostolic Ministries
9425 S. 248th Street
Kent, WA 98030
In conclusion, it is important the
we make informed decisions and that while we are prudent, we are not paranoid
and that while we are prepared, we do not panic! “For God hath not given us
the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” II Timothy
1:7
It is important that while we are
under these protective measures, that we do what is reasonable to continue on
with our lives. I also encourage you to keep in mind, many of the measures in
place to contain the spread of this virus are temporary and do not reflect a
permanent state of things. We should not expect a permanent lifestyle of
distancing from one another. God created us to be social and we should resist
the temptation to make Social Distancing a permanent component of our lives.
I look forward to seeing those of
you who decide to join us in prayer, praise and worship tomorrow. We will
continue our Ministry series “Word Up” demonstrating the value, integrity and
infallibility of God’s word! For those unable to join us, please stay connected
through your Huddle Up groups and watching the services where you can. My
prayers are with all of us and my faith in God that we will emerge favorably through
this remains unshaken. All the best…
Michael H. Miller, Sr. Pastor
