Be Smart but Not Fearful

Trinity Wellsprings Church,

It’s a privilege to be your pastor during these challenging times for our nation and our world.  Let me counsel you, as Christians, to remember a couple important truths during the days and weeks ahead:

 (1) God’s providential, loving care over our world extends to his creatures even in the midst of the novel coronavirus. Our confessional heritage includes some rich insights including question #27 from the Heidelberg Catechism:

Question #27.  What do you understand by the providence of God?

Answer:  Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty—all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.

We are called to rest in God’s providential care, as nothing surprises God or causes God any anxiety whatsoever over the world in which he rules.

(2) We are gently invited to place our anxieties into the hands of our loving Father.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.      1 Peter 5:7, NIV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6, NIV

Though we should rest confidently in God’s providence, nevertheless, God understands our human tendency toward anxiety and gently invites us to turn to him in prayer and in faith.  Do not let your anxiety go “unchecked” during the days and weeks ahead. Do not let your anxiety wag the dog of your faith. That doesn’t mean you don’t take precautions or get informed, but it does mean that you may need to take a break (or several breaks!) from the 24-hour news cycle and/or social media in order to center your mind and heart on the “things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1b). Take a walk or do some yard work to remember God’s gentle invitation to replace our anxieties with strong prayers to the God of the Universe.

Pastor’s Response:

Finally, out of an abundance of caution and out of a genuine love for the seniors in our faith community, I have decided to self-quarantine due to my recent trip to Israel. Though I was super-excited to continue our series on the Sermon on the Mount this Sunday, Randy Gerry will be preaching this weekend (3/15/20) and I will be working from home during the next week.  I have also asked my fellow participants to Israel to self-quarantine from TWC activities until the 14-day window have passed.

Whether this is reasonable or simply an extremely cautious decision, I hope that it communicates the kind of love that I have for our elderly population in our church family.

As the responses from the state and federal governments continue to evolve, you are invited to check for updates on TWC’s website and Facebook page as we continue to monitor this developing situation.

Thankful to be with you on this road of discipleship,

Pastor Jason Carter

The virus COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019 and is currently dominating the news headlines over the last few weeks.

As the body of Christ, how do we respond to the novel coronavirus?  The short answer is: we want to “be smart but not fearful”.  The way of wisdom is neither succumb to hysteria nor capitulate to indifference.  Neither a hyper-anxious, fearful attitude towards the coronavirus nor an unprepared cavalier attitude towards it will do the body of Christ any good.

Medical Advice:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tell us there is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases includes:

• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Staying home when you are sick.
• Covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash.
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Following CDC’s recommendations for using a face mask.
  • People who are well should not wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of face masks is also crucial for health workers  and  people who are taking care of others in close settings (at home or in a healthcare facility).
• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
• Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 60 percent alcohol) if soap and water are not readily available.

Cases in Florida:

As of today, there are no known cases of coronavirus reported in Brevard County.  In the state of Florida, there have been 29 reported cases of Florida residents with coronavirus, with two deaths. The population of Florida was 21.3 million people in 2018.  In this map, you can observe that the closest known cases to Brevard County were two cases in Volusia County, both with people with a known history of international travel.

Church Response:

Since we are in regular contact with vulnerable people in our society and out of an abundance of caution, our church is taking the follow actions:

• The order of worship will remove the typical handshake greeting during all three services.
• The preacher will not be shaking hands in a line after the church service.
• Rather than passing the offering plates, people will be encouraged to give tithes & offerings at the conclusion of the service and/or take advantage of Trinity’s online giving option through the website https://trinitywellsprings.com/give/ or through the TWC church app.
• We will not be offering coffee, donuts, and juice in the fellowship hall.
• We will be regularly sanitizing all public areas.
• We have officially reminded our teachers in JAMLand to be extra vigilant about washing their hands and sanitizing the classrooms.
• We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the upcoming months with individualized and sealed pre-prepared packets containing both the bread and the juice which will be handled with people using plastic gloves.  (Trinity instituted similar measures two years ago during an especially robust flu season.)

Visitation:

Members of our pastoral staff and visitation team who visit our elderly or members in need will try to telephone ahead of a visit to ensure visitation is appropriate. This will apply to hospitals, care facilities, and homes.

Personal Care:

If you or a family member suspects you have been in contact with someone who has the virus, please take the appropriate action and quarantine yourself while contacting your doctor. The most obvious symptoms of the coronavirus are fever, persistent coughing, and shortness of breath. If you are displaying these symptoms, please take the sensible precaution of remaining at home and contacting your doctor.

As a church, we deeply appreciate your prayerful concern as we navigate these contemporary issues. Thank you for being willing to adopt this common-sense approach to minimizing possible healthcare issues. It is worth remembering that:

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Psalm 91:1-2

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Jason Carter, Lead Pastor and Scott Jordan, Executive Director for Worship and Administration