Coronavirus Update – March 12, 2020
North Point Family.
Many of us have watched as Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has escalated throughout the world. This week the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared it a pandemic. This does not mean that it’s become more deadly; it just means that it has reached a level where it has affected enough people in enough countries to classify it as such. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is recommending all non-essential international travel cease. Even colleges and universities are taking necessary precautions, post-spring break travel, to ensure safety. The NCAA basketball is severely restricting the audience for March madness tournaments, and the NBA has suspended their season.
I realize many people have many different feelings towards the situation. Some are fearful, while others believe this has been blown out of proportion. Wherever you may land, the leadership team at North Point has a stewardship responsibility to engage this proactively.
First, as of March 11, the Minnesota Department of Health reports five positive tests out of 222 people tested. I am sure that the number will increase in the weeks ahead. You can stay up to date for Minnesota here: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/situation.html
Your health and safety at North Point Church are a priority. Here are some steps we are taking.
- First, we do not believe the situation requires us to cancel weekend worship services at this time. We will continue to meet on our regular Sunday, 10:15 am time, and we encourage you to attend.
- We provide our Facebook live simulcast on Sunday, and you can watch it at your convenience; you can find that here: https://www.facebook.com/NorthPointChurchMN/ We are also working on making the message available on YouTube.
- We will take extra measures to disinfect all areas, doorknobs, toys, and surfaces of North Point Church. We have plenty of toilet paper.
- If you have taken an international trip in the past two weeks, or boarded a cruise ship, or visited a city that has actively reported cases of COVID-19, we ask that you observe a two-week isolation period during the incubation phase to ensure you are safe. In other words, please enjoy our services online until the two-week incubation period is over.
- If you have any symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath, please stay home.
- We will limit handshaking, hugging, and any other direct contact in the coming weeks until the virus has subsided. This doesn’t mean we aren’t thrilled to see you or don’t love you. It is just a necessary precaution during this season.
- Please keep informed and get updates at cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html
Again, we have no reason to believe North Point Church is unsafe. However, we want you to know we care deeply for your health, and we are taking all known precautions to ensure this is a safe place for you and your family to worship with us this weekend. We genuinely want to see you!
In the meantime, let’s all follow the CDC recommendations and wash our hands frequently, cover our coughs and sneezes, clean items you are in direct contact with (such as a cellphone), and stay home when ill.
Should confirmed cases be reported, the conversation will change, and we will be in further communication with you.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and thank you for the ongoing privilege of serving you. We are praising God for a new member of God’s forever family that happened last week! Lives are being changed through Christ!
God bless,
North Point Church