March 20, 2020, Covid-19 update

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding restrictions to public meetings to control the spread of Covid-19, the Diaconate has decided that we will suspend all services held at WSCCC premises. We are conscious of our social responsibility to play our part to address Covid-19, as well as our priority to main the safety of our members and of the community.

They will be in various forms, and your congregation’s leaders (pastors, deacons and other leaders) will inform you of how to access these services. However, it will take some time to get things right, so please be patient. The leaders are working hard on making sure we can stay connected as a church, worshipping together, even if it is not in one building.

We encourage you to keep meeting in smaller groups to share these worship services and fellowship together, of course taking seriously the hygiene and social distancing measures (4 sqm per person). Consider doing church services at home with your family, as well as with other families and friends. As a church in this difficult time, we must be committed to the growing community in creative new ways. We will also look for ways to continue ministry to your children under these new conditions.

The pastoral team and deacons are currently very busy working out how we continue our services and ministries off-site. Their responsibilities remain the same, but how they do it will change. Our pastoral team’s vision remains, under any conditions, faithful preaching of the gospel, growing Christians, pastoral care of members, unity of the church, and outreach with the gospel.

Please pray for the wisdom and perseverance of our leaders. If you need any specific pastoral help, we will attend to you as soon as possible. You can contact the pastors through the contact details on the congregation websites.

At this time we must remember not just our own wellbeing, but the welfare of those who are particularly struggling at this time. Some are elderly or ill, some are quarantined, others have lost their jobs. As Christians, we need to look beyond ourselves and our own church, but also around us. Can you offer to do the shopping for someone who has been quarantined? Can you provide essentials for our elderly, so they don’t get exposed to the virus? Can you donate to the needs of the needy on the streets?

And it is also important to note that our church still needs to pay our bills! We need to keep supporting our pastors, missionaries and the ongoing costs of the church. We continue our work to grow God’s kingdom around the world. For those of you who currently give offerings during a Sunday service, perhaps you might consider giving online.

For those who do give online, would you mind not forgetting? We do nevertheless understand the financial stresses for some people. However, it is up to each individual to make offerings from their hearts to God.

The Diaconate will regularly update our members about changes to our arrangements in response to Covid-19, as guided by the government. Subscribe below and updates will be emailed to you.

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Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:8-10