June 25, 2020

Dear Church Family,

I am alarmed to see that there is a spike in COVID-19 cases in Mississippi. As of the writing of this email, the Mississippi Department of Health is reporting 1,092 new cases of COVID-19. This is the largest single-day spike since the start of the pandemic and represents an escalating number of cases. There are 85 confirmed cases in Prentiss County.

Bishop Swanson, the Episcopal leader of the Mississippi Annual Conference, is encouraging congregations and pastors to prayerfully discern whether or not it is in the best interest of our congregation to have in-person worship. It is in this spirit that I send out this letter to you.

COVID-19 has already touched our church. We have lost Joann Goddard to COVID-19 already. My own family has been touched by COVID-19. Even those whose deaths and illnesses were not a result of the coronavirus have had their care radically altered by the pandemic. We continue to grieve over those we've lost during this period, The funerals of Billy Bennett and Joann Goddard, family members Whim Green, James McClure, Donna Riley have been the most difficult funeral occasions of my ministry the last few months as families have not been able to be with loved ones as they are dying. Funerals have been restricted gatherings. It’s painful and tough.

In light of these fears, I’m asking that you make an earnest and deliberative effort to pray. We are people of faith and that prayer is a powerful way to connect to the Triune God who has walked with all people through difficult days in the past and continues to do so today.

After consulting with medical doctors in our congregation, I have decided that we will have in-person worship this Sunday. We will continue to follow the social distancing protocols that we have been practicing the last two weeks of our in-person worship gatherings. I am asking that you give yourself the following test to determine if you should participate in this in-person gathering.

COVID-19 Safety Scale

If you (or someone in your household) score four points or greater, you should consider avoiding large in-person gatherings, such as church until the advent of an effective vaccine. If you score less than four, it is reasonable to attend large in-person gatherings with appropriate precautions, including face masks and some degree of social distancing.

• One point for age 60 or older
• One point for African American or Hispanic ethnicity
• One point for COPD or excessive smoking or vaping
• One point for hypertension/heart disease
• One point for active treatment for cancer/autoimmune disease
• One point for obesity (BMI greater than 30)
• One point for diabetes

Questionnaire for Each Potential Worship Attendee

If you (or someone in your household) answer yes to ANY of the questions below, you should watch worship on Facebook or a church website, on that particular Sunday, to avoid potentially infecting other church members.

• Do you have chills and temperature (greater than 100 degrees)?
• Have you taken any fever-reducing medicine in the past four to six hours?
• Do you have a cough?
• Do you have a sore throat?
• Are you experiencing shortness of breath?
• Are you experiencing any acute digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, loss of appetite or vomiting?
• Are you experiencing a loss of taste or smell?
• Have you been in contact with someone with or under investigation for COVID-19 in the past two weeks?

However, after this Sunday, June 28, we will suspend in-person worship until further notice as we assess the state of the COVID-19 pandemic. I will remain in continued conversation with Drs. Crecelius, McKinney, and Putnam about when we might return to in-person worship.

Remember, the General Rules of our Church are: 1) Do no harm, 2) Do good, 3) Stay in love by practicing His ordinances. These times are extraordinary but thanks be to God, we have an extraordinary God we worship. We remind ourselves that God is in control and that these trials are creating new ways for us to grow and strengthen our faith and find new ways of being in ministry with each other for the sake of the transformation of this world.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Tim

The Rev. Tim Sisk
Pastor
Booneville First UMC