Friends, I need your help. In this time when the COVID-19 virus has limited all of us from coming together as we would like, we must be patient with each other. All of us are going through this pandemic for the first time, and none of us can forecast the results of our actions in this time when normal rules do not apply.
Here's what we know about the virus. Close contact with any who has the virus increases the possibility of becoming infected with the virus, especially if the contact is over a matter of minutes. Wearing masks, washing hands for 20 seconds, and practicing safe social distancing dramatically reduces the chance of becoming infected.
We also know that gatherings inside of buildings for an extended time greatly increases the risk of infection. Thus, some of the places where infections have shown to be greater than the average rate and deadly is in elderly care facilities and in churches. Churches are second only to care facilities in the spread of the virus. We have even had cases in the Winchester District where the virus has appeared. Thus the caution the Healthy Church Teams have taken in suspending in-person worship.
That still does not rid us of the desire of gathering again. I realize that this need is greater for some, especially for those where the Sunday gathering was the one place they could socialize with others. I know your pain and I would like to offer several possible solutions not solve the problem but to mitigate or reduce the pain. But I need your input to do this. So, I am asking anyone who is interested in discussing alternatives to meeting on Sunday in regular gatherings during this time of isolation, please call me at 540-336-3794.
