Letter from the Diaconate on March 11, 2020

The Diaconate would like to keep you informed regarding measures we’re taking to address the coronavirus. While some may choose to dismiss any concerns as hysteria, church leadership must be sensitive to both perceived and real threats.  Indeed, many of our faithful are in the high-risk population of 70+ years old.

Here’s some measures we are already implementing.

• We will try to have hand sanitizer available at both front and back entrances.
• We are suspending the greeting time at the beginning of worship, replacing hugs and handshakes with waves and smiles (social distancing).
• Pastoral visitation to nursing homes will be quite limited.
• We encourage anyone that has flu-like symptoms to stay at home.

There may be additional measures you can suggest.

Here’s some contingency measures.

• If local health officials recommend it, we will alter the way our 29^th Street Mission operates or temporarily close it.
• If we become included in a “containment zone” our congregation will not be able to congregate.  However, we will still be connected by phone, e-mail (firstbaptist1260@gmail.com) and Internet.  Dr Walker will continue to prepare and deliver weekly sermons.  These will be uploaded to our church website (fbcmarionia.org) and Facebook page (First Baptist Church of Marion).

We suggest that this would be the time to visit these sites if you have not already become familiar with them.  If you have any difficulties, we still have options to help you out.

We’re not happy that it may come to the point that some people decide to stay home.  But we must not put any of our folks at risk.