Church Life During the Pandemic

Dear Meadowbrook-Poly Family,

The situation with the coronavirus continues to change on an hourly basis. Health officials counsel us to limit time in groups to slow the spread of the disease and to protect the most vulnerable among us. I have prayed hard about the best course of action for our church, and conferred with our leadership team. We have concluded that the safety and well being of our church family is our highest priority. Therefore, we have decided to suspend all church activities, including worship and Sunday school, effective March 13, 2020, and for the immediate future. We will monitor and assess the situation regularly and will communicate any changes.

Many outside groups depend on our facility for their meeting space. We are already in the process of contacting each of them to see what they want to do during this period. For those who want to continue using the building, we will accommodate them. 

Our office will also be open; staff will be at the church in the mornings next week, Monday through Thursday. We will keep you posted on that schedule as we proceed.

I realize that seeing all the closures - and the empty toilet paper aisles at the grocery store - can be scary. It's so important for us, as people of faith, to look at all of this with another lens. For the vast majority of us, "socially isolating" ourselves is done to protect others - the vulnerable ones among us. All those empty stadiums, shuttered Disneyland, and even our beautiful sanctuary standing empty are a testament to our willingness to help one another by slowing this virus's spread and giving medical professionals the chance to respond effectively as new cases come in at a more manageable rate. I think it's the compassionate thing to do. 

I encourage you to heed the advice of the CDC and medical professionals and to take common-sense precautions in daily life.  Something as simple as thorough (really thorough!) hand-washing can protect you really well. The reality is that we need to be in support of our wider community to control the spread of the virus. 

I acknowledge that suspending worship services and cancelling other on-campus activities will result in a temporary adverse impact--both spiritually and economically.  It is for this reason that your continued commitment is crucial to our ability to address the needs of our community and our beloved church. Your tithes will make all the difference for us through this time of uncertainty. 

Worshipping together gives us hope and strength. While we will not be gathering together for weekly worship and fellowship, we will provide worship at 10:50 on our Facebook live stream. If you miss the morning worship live, the link will be there for you to watch at your convenience. I will be available for pastoral care, and the prayer team will continue to pray for the needs of our church and community.  God is with us through every moment! 

Blessings,

Pastor Ginger