March
18
2020

Coronavirus Update: March 18, 2020

Pastors in the North Texas Conference received another communication from Michael McKee, Bishop of the North Texas Conference, on March 17th.  In his message, he provided the following guidance:    
  • "...all of the United Methodist churches in the NTC will be closed for worship or other gatherings for the next two Sundays, March 22 and March 29.  As we watch the news, we are all aware that this could be extended until April."  At FUMC Kemp and Becker UMC, we will:
    • Cancel all services and gatherings through the end of March.  
    • Explore other options to worship remotely (e.g. Facebook Live, Zoom, etc.)  More information will be forthcoming.
  • Please continue practicing the following precautions to reduce exposure:
    • Wipe down all common surfaces, such as pews, railings, doorknobs and other surfaces   
    • Use hand sanitizer and follow "gel-in/gel-out" procedures (I.e. use the sanitizer when entering and leaving different areas)
    • Practice social distancing, such as sitting 6 feet apart and refraining from hand shaking/hugs  
  • "...churches should pay close attention to recommendations from local health departments and school districts".  Click on the links below for:
  • (PDF of NTC churches that offer livestream services.) 
  • Click on the "Worship/Sermons 2020" page for audio versions of past FUMC Kemp sermons
Bishop McKee explains these precautions best, with "In this moment, the way that we as people of faith can do the most good and do no harm actually is to refrain from coming together. We are learning that the most effective way to slow the spread of the coronavirus in our communities is to practice “social distancing” – minimizing exposure to infected individuals by avoiding large public gatherings and maintaining 6 feet of space from others. Practicing social distancing can be a way for us to prevent further infections and literally save human lives."

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