Good Evening Mosaic.
As COVID-19 has moved from something happening over there, to something happening here. We have watched businesses, organizations, universities, and events all having to figure out the best way forward. For all parties involved, there are difficult decisions. The things we do and take for granted as part of our daily life are being disrupted.
As churches across the city are making announcements (some to suspend large gatherings and others continuing on), some of you may be curious about what’s going on at Mosaic. There is this thing in our culture where people feel the need to speak on everything, it can be advantageous to be slow to speak. We have been watching the news, doing our best to understand all the intricacies, talking to medical professionals, and staying up to date with what local and state officials are suggesting.
That said, the plan for Sunday is to still gather corporately for worship at 10:00a at the Battery as usual. We will be watching and listening to many who understand these things much better than we do and if the need to change this decision arises in the next 36ish hours, we will let you all know as quickly as possible.
As we move forward over the next several weeks, we will continue to listen to the medical voices in our community and city as well as our elected officials to continue to evaluate how best to handle all of this and keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.
Currently, our local department of health has recommended gatherings of more than 500 folks to be canceled. Many across the country are recommending that gatherings of 100-150 or more should be canceled or to proceed with essential gatherings with an abundance of common-sense precautions. Our regular Sunday mornings would come just under that number and with many of our UAB and Samford students being out, we assume that we come well under that number to feel comfortable moving forward as is for the time being.
What are those common-sense precautions?
The Jefferson Country Health Department has made a list available of how they suggest preceding:
1. Urge anyone who is sick to stay home
2. Ask everyone to refrain from shaking hands. It is also discouraged using the fist bump. Rather use a means of greeting that does not involve hand contact, such as a friendly elbow bump or nod
3. Encourage people who are older and or have chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, heart disease, or active cancer to participate in the service remotely via Internet or other means.
4. Consider altering how you implement practices such as offerings and communion to minimize repeated hand contact with the same surfaces.
We also would add two other points. If you work around the above demographic that is quite susceptible or would happen to live with someone that falls under point three, even if you do not, feel free to sit these next few Sundays out.
If you also feel anxiety or worry over all of this and are worried to be a part of a larger gathering, there is no shame in staying home. Reach out to the pastoral staff, small group leaders, or the elders and their families to let us walk through that anxiety with you and pray alongside of you. The same is true if you find yourself sick. In this current culture, loneliness is already an issue and all of this can make it worse. We will do our best to check in with all of you the best we can, but don’t be afraid to reach out to us as well.
The idolatries that fester, even in a well-disciplined Christian heart, when we are confronted with nonstop news of terror and rumors, can only really be put to rest when we find ourselves surrounded by other believers to “set forth God’s praise, hear his Holy Word, and ask, for ourselves and others, those things that are necessary for our life and salvation” (The Book of Common Prayer).
We also will be making some minor changes to the coffee being served and how we receive communion.
We are not making these changes out of self-protection or fear. That is not the Christian posture. We are altering our behavior and preparing out of love. We are doing these things to protect others from risk.
As we gather whether on Sundays or in one another’s homes, use good hygiene and common practices that we should all be practicing already. We will go out of our way to sanitize and clean high touch areas and if you host a group in your home, we ask you diligently to do the same.
College students - if you are displaced because of your campus is closed, we have several families that would be willing to give you a place to stay. And, if you are someone that ends up needing to be quarantined or your job is paused and you are in need of financial help, we have resources available to help at this moment.
And speaking of resources, we are actively reaching out to schools and other ministries in Birmingham on how we can best help the children and families that will be most affected by all of this. We will let all of you know as soon as we have a list as well as dates and times if we end up collecting things. Times like these are hardest on those without the benefit of paid vacation or sick time. Pray for them and those that do not have family or community to care for them. If you know someone that needs assistance, please let us know so we can serve them as best we can. Our privilege is made evident in times like these and we believe the Christian thing to do is to leverage that privilege for the sake of others. After all, that is the gospel story. Jesus leveraged all authority and power to come so that we might have life and life abundant. A life free of fear and free of anxiety.
Let us end with these words from Dallas Willard: “This is our Father’s world, and humanity remains His project. Therefore, we are safe in God’s kingdom.”
Grace & Peace
