COVID-19 and Public Worship
March 13, 2020
Oak Forest UMC Family,
Yesterday, Bishop Paul Leeland, along with Bishop Hope Morgan Ward (of the NC Conference), informed church leaders of the following:
It is extremely important that we slow the rate of infection in order to allow our health care services to respond appropriately. If the infection rate increases too quickly, we may not have the health care support required for everyone needing treatment. Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of the North Carolina Conference and I agree that it is important to suspend public worship for the next two weeks, beginning today.
I have spoken with Associate Pastor Nikki Baten and members of the Administrative Council about our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the steps Oak Forest Church should take. We have decided, out of an abundance of caution, to follow the bishop’s directive and cancel worship services and activities for the next two weeks beginning Friday, March 13 through Thursday, March 26. This includes Spud Sunday and FOJ.
One of the most important things the church does is public worship. In answering the call to ministry, I said, “yes” to a lifelong commitment to leading public worship. Therefore, my decision to suspend public worship saddens me. We are not, however, making this decision from a place of fear, but based on advice from public health officials. Many of our members are part of the group that is most susceptible to the adverse risks of coronavirus. We want to do our part to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and loving our neighbor means caring for those who are vulnerable. By suspending our in-person gatherings this means we are lowering the risk of spreading the virus to one another, and then to others that we come in contact with outside of the church.
My favorite scripture comes from John 16:33. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Here Jesus removes any illusions that following Him brings with it days of comfort, convenience, and ease. At the same time, he gives us unshakeable hope that nothing—no fear, no hardship and especially no virus can halt God’s good purposes. I know, therefore, that the request being made by public health officials inconveniences us. If it costs us a little inconvenience to protect the most vulnerable people, then so be it. We will do our best to help.
Suspending public worship for two weeks does not mean, however, that we stop being the Church. We still need to stay connected to one another in other ways and live out our membership vows of prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. We will be moving to online services for the next two weeks. On the Oak Forest Facebook page, we’ll do a Facebook live service at 11 am this Sunday. We’ll email out a link for those who do not have Facebook.
Please continue to check on one another, and your neighbors, especially those most affected by this virus and the decisions around it. Please contact the Church if you have any needs. Be ready for ways to help, should the situation escalate. Be in prayer and be faithful to the Lord.
Please continue to check for updates from the Church as changes may come to this plan. We will email updates and post them to Facebook.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan Wilson
Oak Forest UMC Family,
Yesterday, Bishop Paul Leeland, along with Bishop Hope Morgan Ward (of the NC Conference), informed church leaders of the following:
It is extremely important that we slow the rate of infection in order to allow our health care services to respond appropriately. If the infection rate increases too quickly, we may not have the health care support required for everyone needing treatment. Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of the North Carolina Conference and I agree that it is important to suspend public worship for the next two weeks, beginning today.
I have spoken with Associate Pastor Nikki Baten and members of the Administrative Council about our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the steps Oak Forest Church should take. We have decided, out of an abundance of caution, to follow the bishop’s directive and cancel worship services and activities for the next two weeks beginning Friday, March 13 through Thursday, March 26. This includes Spud Sunday and FOJ.
One of the most important things the church does is public worship. In answering the call to ministry, I said, “yes” to a lifelong commitment to leading public worship. Therefore, my decision to suspend public worship saddens me. We are not, however, making this decision from a place of fear, but based on advice from public health officials. Many of our members are part of the group that is most susceptible to the adverse risks of coronavirus. We want to do our part to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and loving our neighbor means caring for those who are vulnerable. By suspending our in-person gatherings this means we are lowering the risk of spreading the virus to one another, and then to others that we come in contact with outside of the church.
My favorite scripture comes from John 16:33. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Here Jesus removes any illusions that following Him brings with it days of comfort, convenience, and ease. At the same time, he gives us unshakeable hope that nothing—no fear, no hardship and especially no virus can halt God’s good purposes. I know, therefore, that the request being made by public health officials inconveniences us. If it costs us a little inconvenience to protect the most vulnerable people, then so be it. We will do our best to help.
Suspending public worship for two weeks does not mean, however, that we stop being the Church. We still need to stay connected to one another in other ways and live out our membership vows of prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. We will be moving to online services for the next two weeks. On the Oak Forest Facebook page, we’ll do a Facebook live service at 11 am this Sunday. We’ll email out a link for those who do not have Facebook.
Please continue to check on one another, and your neighbors, especially those most affected by this virus and the decisions around it. Please contact the Church if you have any needs. Be ready for ways to help, should the situation escalate. Be in prayer and be faithful to the Lord.
Please continue to check for updates from the Church as changes may come to this plan. We will email updates and post them to Facebook.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Bryan Wilson
