Coronavirus and closings, your thoughts?

ALAYMAN

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One of the neighboring states' governor (Kentucky) recently suggested churches no longer gather for a short-term time frame. My Ohio Governor, Mike Dewine, has made overtures to enact advisories (a little stronger language than recommendation) of a similar nature. This issue of the coronavirus is being politicized in many ways. Trying to sort through all the implications of that, what is your opinion and your Church's opinion/guidance about "social distancing" and such?
 
Are they suggesting that children stay home from school as well?
 
Are they suggesting that children stay home from school as well?

No, Dewine specifically said as of right now he does not recommend closing schools.
 
Chances are you'll get it.

Chance are you'll survive.

If you don't plan on surviving, at least let us know here on the forum so we all know what happened to you.

My question is will the body develop antibodies to fight it the next time we get it?
 
No, Dewine specifically said as of right now he does not recommend closing schools.

So close the places where people occasionally gather for an hour or two, and keep the petri dishes, where children congregate for hours every day, open. Wise man.

Trying to sort through all the implications of that, what is your opinion and your Church's opinion/guidance about "social distancing" and such?

They sent out an email with the usual common-sense precautions: keep your hands washed, limit bodily contact (i.e. no handshakes), etc. I noticed last night that the same instructions are displayed on the TV monitors around the foyer. We've had hand sanitizer dispenser around the building since the H1N1 outbreak, and they set up a few extra ones temporarily as well. (No excuse not to be clean and smelling like citrus!)

The sense is that it's a legit cause for concern (we are a big church, after all) but not a reason to panic.

Personally, I just keep things in perspective. Paul Bernardo killed more Canadians than COVID-19.
 
My question is will the body develop antibodies to fight it the next time we get it?

Possibly, if it's not like the flu virus, which mutates every season into something new. There'll likely be a vaccine sometime next year, too. (On the other hand, this coronavirus is a SARS variant, and there was never a vaccine or cure developed for SARS, although it was contained and there hasn't been a reported case since 2004.)
 
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One of the neighboring states' governor (Kentucky) recently suggested churches no longer gather for a short-term time frame. My Ohio Governor, Mike Dewine, has made overtures to enact advisories (a little stronger language than recommendation) of a similar nature. This issue of the coronavirus is being politicized in many ways. Trying to sort through all the implications of that, what is your opinion and your Church's opinion/guidance about "social distancing" and such?

They said that in Canada (at least my side of Canada) as well suggesting "virtual church" instead. In my church people who are sick pretty much stay home any ways (or they do fist bumps) and we haven't been doing the customary shaking hands for a while now - I think even before this covid-19 thing.
 
They said that in Canada (at least my side of Canada) as well suggesting "virtual church" instead.

So far, it's your part of the world. There hasn't been the suggestion here yet of cancelling church. Then again, the West Coast has been pretty hard hit, while Ottawa just got its first reported case yesterday.

In my church people who are sick pretty much stay home any ways (or they do fist bumps) and we haven't been doing the customary shaking hands for a while now - I think even before this covid-19 thing.

We stopped the handshakes (at least, the "greet five people around you" kind) more or less permanently during the H1N1 outbreak.
 
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Hopefully the Bars, and Casinos will close also …….
 
I won't be greeting anyone with a holy kiss, that's for sure.

I don't understand why they would suggest church closings and not school closings.
 
I won't be greeting anyone with a holy kiss, that's for sure.

I don't understand why they would suggest church closings and not school closings.
My teacher-wife just texted me and said that Governor dewine has canceled school in Ohio for the next couple of weeks until April. Haven't confirmed that as valid for being statewide yet.

okay after checking online it appears that he has declared that to be statewide.
 
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II don't understand why they would suggest church closings and not school closings.

Here in Ontario, it was announced today that all publicly funded schools will be closing for three weeks (including next week's spring break).

While it's good that all those students aren't cooped up in a big petri dish for hours on end, something tells me they won't be cooped up at home, either.
 
I heard on the radio this morning nearly a dozen Governors have suspended publicly funded schools, in their states, for up to 3 weeks.
 
There is a lot of controversy as to whether or not we need to take these extensive measures. Understanding that the "abundance of caution" rationale is most prudent, I do feel really bad as a sports nut for all of the people who are going to miss their senior seasons/tournaments, like March Madness and high school basketball.
 
It's not churches you have to think about. Weddings. There's a wedding I'm supposed to go to on the last Saturday of the month but public gatherings of more than 50 are banned now. They will have to downsize.
 
Why do you say it's not the churches you have to worry about?

A wedding can be reschedules or down scaled, but it's a one time event.

Churches are likely to suffer just as many small businesses will. Offerings are not likely to come in at nearly the same rate if people are not attending. Church staffs still need to eat. Churches still have to pay their mortgage, utilities, insurance ect. Those with outreach programs for the poor and needy are still needed. Missionaries are expecting their support so they can ew

Sadly I fear some members, when they get out of the habit of attending, may never return. At a time when prayer and church attendance should be up it is likely to be way down.
 
Why do you say it's not the churches you have to worry about?

A wedding can be reschedules or down scaled, but it's a one time event.

Churches are likely to suffer just as many small businesses will. Offerings are not likely to come in at nearly the same rate if people are not attending. Church staffs still need to eat. Churches still have to pay their mortgage, utilities, insurance ect. Those with outreach programs for the poor and needy are still needed. Missionaries are expecting their support so they can ew

Sadly I fear some members, when they get out of the habit of attending, may never return. At a time when prayer and church attendance should be up it is likely to be way down.

They are not sure how long the restrictions will last. They are saying 8 weeks but that could change. Even Trump is saying this could go into July or August and if that's so aside from down scaling weddings may have to be postponed to some time after.
 
Why do you say it's not the churches you have to worry about?

A wedding can be reschedules or down scaled, but it's a one time event.

Churches are likely to suffer just as many small businesses will. Offerings are not likely to come in at nearly the same rate if people are not attending. Church staffs still need to eat. Churches still have to pay their mortgage, utilities, insurance ect. Those with outreach programs for the poor and needy are still needed. Missionaries are expecting their support so they can ew

Sadly I fear some members, when they get out of the habit of attending, may never return. At a time when prayer and church attendance should be up it is likely to be way down.

Our church in all likelihood will not survive this. The pastors are hoping the tithes keep coming in while the services are shut down, because that's the only way they will keep the doors open. At the same time, I run an outreach program for the poor and needy and I'm trying to look ahead in case our income drops. I've already informed my board treasurer that starting next month, I will be taking a pay cut as a precautionary measure since the churches being shut down, etc. precludes my visiting them, which brings my workload down.

That said, I've said a number of times since this all started, "How many people are going to be off church for a few weeks, and when this is over, decide 'you know, I really don't miss those idiots at church!' and just quit?"
 
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