links for classes on Wednesday, April 1
studies start at 7:00 PM, begin joining at 6:45 PM
Our virtual gathering will be on the Zoom meeting platform. If you are on a computer or a laptop, simply click the Zoom link below. If you join the meeting on a tablet or smartphone, you will need to download the Zoom app for Apple or for Android.
Worship service begins at 10:30 on Sunday morning. You can begin joining the gathering at 10:00 by clicking this link:
Once you join the meeting you will be able to see and hear others who have gathered. If you want to be seen click the camera icon at the bottom of your screen. If you want to be heard (to add your voice when we sing) click the microphone icon and choose “dial in”.
Leaders of our congregation met on Friday evening to determine how we should respond to the request by city officials to limit large gatherings of people as a means of slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The plan as of now is to dismiss all regularly scheduled church assemblies for the rest of March. Thus, there will be no gatherings of our congregation beginning Sunday, March 15.
This virus seems to have minimal effect on the health of 80-85% of those exposed to it. However, the remaining 15-20% of the population whose immune system is low or who have chronic respiratory or heart problems are more vulnerable to the virus, and likely will need hospital care. For example, if 20,000 people in Midland were to contract the COVID-19 virus at once, at least 3,000 of them could need hospitalization. Eliminating large gatherings of people is unlikely to keep you from being exposed to the virus. What it is likely to do is to slow the spread of the virus so that there is not a huge surge of very sick people all at once that overwhelm the capacity of our local health system.
Our plan is for someone to be present in the church office most of the time during regular office hours. Please be alert for further information, adjustments, and updates as this situation unfolds. Feel free to contact elders or ministers with questions, concerns, or needs that you may have.
Interview of infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm (video)
Interview of infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm (written)
“Flattening the Curve” of infection. (video)
