TLDR Summary: The present crisis is a call to trust in a power greater than ourselves. Sunday Services will continue with in-person gatherings, 10am & 5pm. If you are sick or have recently travelled from countries affected by Corona Virus COVID-19 please stay home and enjoy our live stream via our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/faithinchrist

The World Health Organization this week declared coronavirus (COVID-19) to be a global pandemic. Its director explained: “We’re deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear.”

One way people, companies and organisations around the world are responding to the coronavirus crisis is through “social distancing.”

The idea is to break potential chains of virus transmission by preventing infected people from coming in close contact with healthy people. The goal is to slow the spread of the virus, buying time for doctors to treat the flood of patients and researchers to develop vaccines and antiviral therapies. This can mean canceling conferences and events as well as encouraging people to avoid crowded public transport, postpone weddings, and reschedule other gatherings.

We in Faith in Christ Fellowship Macarthur, as responsible members of our community, are also doing our part. We are putting out there for members the following guidelines.

1. Take the everyday precautions advised by medical experts:
   • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
   • Take everyday preventive action:
     • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
     • If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
     • To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.
     • Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.
     • Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.
     • Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequentlytouched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets,faucets, sinks & cell phones)
     • Avoid crowds, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded, closed-in settings with little air circulation if there are people in the crowd who are sick.
     • Avoid all non-essential travel including plane trips, and especially avoid embarking on cruise ships.
     • If COVID-19 is spreading in your community, take extra measures to put distance between yourself and other people to further reduce your risk of being exposed to this new virus. Stay home as much as possible.
       
2. Watch for symptoms and emergency warning signs
   • Pay attention for potential COVID-19 symptoms including, fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor.
   • If your doctor sends you for COVID-19 testing, self-isolate while waiting for the result.
   • Inform Pastors and Elders so they can pray for you.
     
3. If you are feeling sick, please do not attend Services. Instead watch online via our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/faithinchrist

Above all do not fear and do not be alarmed. Do not participate in the panic activities that are gripping the world. The above measures are simply ways to do what we can and need to do. In the face of this pandemic, people feel that they are responsible for protecting themselves and those they care for.

The present crisis is a call to trust in a power greater than ourselves. There are no authorities to which we can turn in times of need.

God’s word calls us to submit to and depend on God because our Creator knows what is best for His creation. He knows that He can guide us more omnisciently than we can guide ourselves. He can meet our needs more omnipotently than we can. He can protect us from enemies we cannot see and provide infinite hope that transcends and redeems our finite world.

God is allowing and using this COVID-19 pandemic to teach us to trust Him more and grow our faith in Christ. May God’s protection be upon us all. Amen.

– Ps Nomer Velasco

More info https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov