Hope Home Church

March 15, 2020

10:00am – 11:30am

Home-Group-Worship-Series image

View Sunday Service Locations (3/15/2020)

Hope would like to address the global - and now local - public health concern known as “the coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19).

Hope Presbyterian Church is a public gathering. Therefore we love our neighbor by slowing the spread of COVID-19. Certainly the media coverage and social media buzz can result in hysteria that is blown out of proportion. At the same time, this is a legitimate major public health concern. Unlike the common flu, this virus is new, and there's still a good deal to learn about it - precisely how it spreads, how contagious it is, how often disease is severe, and what the actual mortality rate is. The virus continues to spread in the U.S., and it's likely we'll have cases in our own neighborhoods before long.

Love of neighbor demands that we are proactive, and not reactive. That we are leaders in blessing our community. Therefore we are implementing the following practices in the following weeks to reduce the risks of virus transmission during our worship services and gatherings.

a/ Public worship

We have just learned that the Metro School is cancelling all classes and events until 3/27. This also means that we will not have access to the building for Sunday worship. We were anticipating this, and have made the following changes for Sunday worship for at least the next two weeks:

  1. We are a church of home groups - and so we will be utilizing our home group infrastructure for Sunday worship. We will simultaneously gather in our pre-existing home groups on Sunday at 10am.
  2. If we anticipate these gatherings will exceed ~25 people, they will divide to accommodate.
  3. Worship in each gathering will be led by leaders of the church, and a sermon from Pastor Joe will be live-streamed on our website starting at 10:35am.
  4. Home group gatherings will not include HopeKids classes or nursery care - so they will have all the life and texture of the 1st century church!
  5. For all who are not in a home group - members will be making personal invitations, in addition to the general invitation and meeting place information on our website.
  6. Tithe’s and offerings will be handled by our online and text options, so that home group leaders are not handling cash and checks.

b/ Stay home if you are sick.

This is absolutely vital - and in close calls (we’ve all been there!) play it safe.

c/ No shame.

If you are at higher risk for severe disease (older adults and anyone with underlying medical problems - heart disease, lung disease, immune compromise) do not feel shame if you choose to stay home for a few weeks. We will be live-streaming and posting sermons.

d/ Hand Gel.

We will increase access to hand gel (at least 60% alcohol) or ensure appropriate hand washing during our home group gatherings.

e/ Cleaning.

We are using Lysol (or similar EPA-registered household disinfectants) to clean hightouch surfaces before and after our home group gatherings.

These measures are not coming from a place of panic. Rather, a place of loving concern for our neighbor - especially the most vulnerable. Hospitals are already at capacity, so slowing outbreak and preventing a wave of cases in a short time frame will create (literal) space and care for those who need it most at our hospitals.