Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
in all your ways submit to him, and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
The Word of God exhorts us to trust in Him at all times and not rely solely on our own instincts and judgements. We are however to use God-given wisdom and common sense as we navigate our way through life, particularly during times when we face challenges and concerns, as we are now. The COVID – 19 pandemic threatens on a world-wide scale; it is a concern we must take seriously – we are well advised to listen to/ heed the advice of our health officials.
As Elders at Valley we are aware of the current threat and are in discussion as to any possible response we might need to make as a local church. Should our region be exposed to community spread of the virus we are prepared to respond appropriately.
At this point, we would encourage you to:
PRAY for wisdom as we all make choices to protect ourselves and the people we care about; pray especially for those who are ‘high risk’. Pray for those who are ill and for those who have lost a loved one to this disease. Pray for our government leaders and health care officials and those on the front lines, our doctors and nurses and support staff. While we cannot escape the consequences of living in a fallen world, we can call out to God for mercy and grace and we can be a calm voice amidst the growing sense of panic we are seeing around us, for we trust the One who is the Sovereign Ruler of this world.
Exercise good judgment in what information you take in and how you respond; verify facts (not everything you hear or read on the internet may be accurate). Use caution and sound judgment, but don’t panic!
WASH YOUR HANDS! Practice good preventative measures to help protect yourself and others. Remember we are still in flu season; it is important to continue good hygiene practices.
If you’re not feeling well, stay home and follow up appropriately, particularly if you have reason to believe you may have been exposed to the virus – call your health care provider or 8-1-1.
As we seek to limit contact/ social interaction, recognize some may not be comfortable with a hand shake or embrace; those choices must be respected – no one is going to be offended if you ‘put up a stop sign’ or choose to create a little extra space between you and the person beside you or choose to wear a face mask for protection.
Watch out for one another; regularly check in with friends and neighbors, particularly those who may be alone/ vulnerable.
Should we need to consider suspending our Coffee Time or lunches or Small Groups or even our Worship Gathering, we will take the appropriate measures at the appropriate time, seeking to exercise an abundance of caution. If any such decisions are made, we will do our best to communicate with everyone. We would encourage you to continue to faithfully support the church, even if there is a disruption in our gatherings.
Each of us will make our own choices regarding social distancing. While we need interaction with others, we must act wisely given the severity of the current threat.
If you become ill and need support contact a friend at Valley or any of our Elders.
Friends, these are scary times, but…we have One who is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you…in God I trust and am not afraid. (Psalm 56:3-4)
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense. (Isaiah 12:2)
Information that may be helpful to you:
HealthLinkBC: www.healthlinkbc.ca/
Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
World Health Organization: www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
As Elders at Valley we are aware of the current threat and are in discussion as to any possible response we might need to make as a local church. Should our region be exposed to community spread of the virus we are prepared to respond appropriately.
At this point, we would encourage you to:
PRAY for wisdom as we all make choices to protect ourselves and the people we care about; pray especially for those who are ‘high risk’. Pray for those who are ill and for those who have lost a loved one to this disease. Pray for our government leaders and health care officials and those on the front lines, our doctors and nurses and support staff. While we cannot escape the consequences of living in a fallen world, we can call out to God for mercy and grace and we can be a calm voice amidst the growing sense of panic we are seeing around us, for we trust the One who is the Sovereign Ruler of this world.
Exercise good judgment in what information you take in and how you respond; verify facts (not everything you hear or read on the internet may be accurate). Use caution and sound judgment, but don’t panic!
WASH YOUR HANDS! Practice good preventative measures to help protect yourself and others. Remember we are still in flu season; it is important to continue good hygiene practices.
If you’re not feeling well, stay home and follow up appropriately, particularly if you have reason to believe you may have been exposed to the virus – call your health care provider or 8-1-1.
As we seek to limit contact/ social interaction, recognize some may not be comfortable with a hand shake or embrace; those choices must be respected – no one is going to be offended if you ‘put up a stop sign’ or choose to create a little extra space between you and the person beside you or choose to wear a face mask for protection.
Watch out for one another; regularly check in with friends and neighbors, particularly those who may be alone/ vulnerable.
Should we need to consider suspending our Coffee Time or lunches or Small Groups or even our Worship Gathering, we will take the appropriate measures at the appropriate time, seeking to exercise an abundance of caution. If any such decisions are made, we will do our best to communicate with everyone. We would encourage you to continue to faithfully support the church, even if there is a disruption in our gatherings.
Each of us will make our own choices regarding social distancing. While we need interaction with others, we must act wisely given the severity of the current threat.
If you become ill and need support contact a friend at Valley or any of our Elders.
Friends, these are scary times, but…we have One who is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you…in God I trust and am not afraid. (Psalm 56:3-4)
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense. (Isaiah 12:2)
Information that may be helpful to you:
HealthLinkBC: www.healthlinkbc.ca/
Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
World Health Organization: www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
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