COVID-19 (CORONAVIRUS) UPDATE

Dear Fullerton Free Church Family,

As we mentioned in services last Sunday, our church leadership is alert to and active in monitoring the global health crisis and spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We are deeply saddened by the loss of life of many around the world and pray for those who have fallen ill and those who are working tirelessly to care for others and minimize the impact of this virus. Please join us in those efforts to pray.

In a time of fear and panic in our world, we want to remind you that we are a church built on a confident expectation in our loving and faithful God that leads us to radiate peace to the world around us. We have a responsibility to remind one another that God is a refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. We aim to be a beacon of hope to those that are struggling during this season as well as be alert to opportunities to be used by God in blessing others.

We also want you to be reassured that we have a team of people considering the broad impact of the spread of the virus who are actively making plans as to our next steps as the situation evolves. We are carefully monitoring the crisis through reliable sources such as the CDC, Orange Country Health Care Agency and other local health agencies and are committed to staying informed each day. Here are some ways we are already responding to safeguard the health and safety of all who attend our church:

In our facilities…

• Our facilities team and custodial contractors have increased vigilance in the cleansing of touch surfaces where the coronavirus might reside. This effort includes restrooms, door handles, stair railings and countertops. You will also see additional hand sanitizer stations available around campus in strategic locations.
• Our preschool and kids ministry has increased sanitization of the playground and classrooms, including the cleaning of stair railings, tables, chairs and surfaces on a daily basis.

In our Sunday worship experiences…

• We are making available alternative means to engage in our worship experiences of community-building, the serving of communion, and the giving of offering.
• As of today, we have not yet made any changes to our schedule of ministry events nor our regular Sunday worship gatherings. But we are daily evaluating the possibility of producing our worship services in a way that would allow services to go on via our online Livestream capabilities. Should that be the case, we will of course communicate in advance through our eNews email distribution, FF— Mobile App push notifications, social media channels and our public website.
• If you are unable to attend one of our Sunday Worship services due to sickness, we want to remind you that you can continue to participate in live worship online via Livestream at our regular service times 9:19am and 11:11am.
 You can also view the services on Facebook Live.

In our staff…

• We are diligent to keep our staff informed via email communication and weekly staff meetings.
• We regularly remind our staff about the importance of vigilant personal hygiene such as the regular washing of hands, containing coughs and sneezes, minimizing contact with others, etc.
• We have asked staff who aren’t feeling well or have any symptoms of sickness to stay home and rest.
• We are also considering a plan to encourage staff to work remotely from home should our campus need to be closed.

In our city…

• We are encouraging our staff to think through ways that our ministries can be available to those in need through prayer, support, and resourcing.
• Should the situation worsen, we are developing a plan to invite our church to donate resources such as medical supplies, water, cleaning supplies, and food in anticipation of any assistance we can provide to those with greater needs in our city.
• Our counseling ministry led by Christopher Faris will be recording a seminar to help the community navigate fear and anxiety through this crisis by leaning into the peace that only God can provide. Stay tuned for a notification next week when that audio recording is available. We hope that you will share that with others.

Again, we are committed to staying informed and monitoring the coronavirus situation. Should the crisis become a greater challenge for our local community and further adjustments or measures need to be taken, we will communicate those matters in a timely manner. Please continue to look out for email updates.

We know that the uncertainty of this outbreak is creating anxiety in our workplaces, schools, and in day-to-day activities. In the midst of this, we remain confident in God’s unwavering presence and His careful attention to all that is happening. We trust God for His faithful care to us and, in all things, we will continue to seek and praise Him as His will is done.

God bless,
Fullerton Free Leadership