A Letter to the Congregation
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE ELTHAM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SESSION
Re: Covid-19 13 th March 2020
We do not wish to be alarmist but neither do we want to be negligent as we face the global pandemic, COVID-19. We must be proactive in caring for the more vulnerable and in seeking to reduce greater levels of risk and inconvenience for the whole community.
Research seems to show that social distancing is the only effective way of slowing down a pandemic and reducing its overall impact. It is also important to start the process well before reports of infection reach Eltham or close by. In the light of that we have come up with three levels of social distancing and Level One starts now!
Level One: Reduce physical contact by refraining from hugs, kisses and handshakes. Some people have invented other fun ways of greeting each other which you are free to adopt. If you have a sore throat, headache or cough please stay away from church services, activities and small groups . Sunday sermons are always available on our website almost immediately after each service.
* We will do our best to provide single-use paper towels in the toilets instead of cloth towels and easily accessible hand sanitisers in various places. If you have spare sanitiser to donate that would be appreciated.
Level Two: The next step, maybe very soon, will be to shut down less essential gatherings like Growth Groups, Evergreens, Mainly Music and special one-off events like the Blokes’ Night. Slowing down the number of times we gather will slow down the potential of the virus spreading. Your group may choose to implement this before we make an official announcement.
Level Three: We will be attentive to recommendations from the Victorian Government and that may mean the need to shut down our Sunday morning services. If we get to this point, Don and Andy plan to video sermons (without an audience present) and upload them to the internet.
Your level of vulnerability: Those of us over 60 are classified as being in a higher risk group. If you are over 80 the level of danger is so high we want you to be extra careful about taking care of yourself and keeping away from church if you have the slightest worry. Please feel free to stay at home. Those with other vulnerabilities due to medical conditions also need to take extra precautions and take social distancing very seriously. Please err on the side of caution.
Caring for others: Let us be extra mindful of each other’s needs and how we can help the more vulnerable. This might mean offering to shop for someone or sharing some of our own resources. It might also include phone calls or even personal visits to help combat potential loneliness for those who choose to stay at home over the next weeks or months.
Impact on church finances: Over the last few years we have run our reserves down to the point where we have no flexibility left for a sudden dip in cash flow due to less giving from reduced attendances or even temporary closure of services. One answer to this current situation is for more people to use direct giving via the internet. We can help you work out how to do this if you have never done it before.
The banking details are:
Bank Name: Westpac
Account Name: Eltham Presbyterian Church
BSB: 033-058 Account Number: 380596
If you still want to keep giving by cash but can’t come to Sunday services, consider putting your usual amount aside each week until you return or even have a member of the Board of Management collect it in person regularly.
Pray: Please pray for God’s protection and for His mercy upon us as a congregation, the state of Victoria, our country and the world. While the majority who get the virus will only experience temporary inconvenience, pray especially for those in the high vulnerability categories. Pray that wise social distancing has a significant impact and pray for the scientists working on a vaccine. Pray for businesses and the world economy. In the end, pray that we accept what the Lord has ordained us to journey through in these uncertain times and that our faith will be strengthened no matter what comes.
In Christ,
The EPC Session.
Psalm 62:8
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
