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SPUMC Guidelines - March 18, 2020
It is now clear this quarantine will remain in effect for several weeks at least. CDC guidelines recommend eight weeks, which would end on Mother’s Day, May 10. Bearing these things in mind, the following priorities guide our response:
1. Replace the cancellation/isolation mindset with a strategy of meeting and gathering in different ways (using new and old technology - and creatively adapting/leveraging new skill sets, technology and opportunities).
a. Beginning Sunday, March 29, we will Worship Sundays on Facebook Live (https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsOdessa/) at 8:30 am, followed by Adult Study Group at 10:00 (you can use the link without a Facebook account).
b. Meetings and Study Groups will continue meeting online using tools like Zoom (https://zoom.us/ which is free for up to 40 minutes for 100 people or less – and costs $15 monthly for longer meetings), by phone calls or conferencing, or other innovative, online methods.
c. Vicki Spence, our Family Life Coordinator, is checking in on our Sunday School teachers and asking them to check-in on the kids in their class. Our goal is to call, text, email and/or send mail weekly to each child and their family. The first packet with Lent activities will be mailed this week.
d. We encourage everyone to explore and experiment with other online gathering opportunities, using our creativity to connect with each other (online book groups, prayer gatherings, virtual dinner parties and game nights).
e. Although all meetings and gatherings at our building (both church-sponsored and outside group partners) have been cancelled, our church office remains open Mon-Thu from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
2. Intentionally connect with every member of the congregation at least weekly (and perhaps more often for our more vulnerable members), so that our necessary practices of social distancing do not also mean social and spiritual isolation.
a. Ellie Leuliette has organized a team of 14 caring callers who are checking in on our members and friends at least once a week! Thank you all so much!
b. We will continue to distribute our weekly bulletin and newsletter via email, mail, and through our website (http://www.stpaulsodessa.org/) and Facebook site (St. Paul’s UMC Odessa - https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsOdessa/).
Adjust to electronic (http://www.stpaulsodessa.org/VANCOOnlineGiving) and mail-in financial giving, as well as a broad range of financial strategies, including budget cuts and use of our reserves, in order to maintain staff and facilities through the end of this quarantine period.
Delaware Declaration of State of Emergency
World Health Organization (WHO): https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Delaware Division of Public Health: https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/epi/2019novelcoronavirus.html
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