March 11, 2020

 
Dear family and friends,
 
I told you this past Sunday that, as a staff we would be talking about any and all steps to keep everyone in our community safe and healthy in the coronavirus world we now live in. This was the topic of our discussion at our weekly staff meeting yesterday.
 
This Coronavirus situation is not something we want to overreact to, and we don’t want to underreact either. 
 
We do believe the following measures will keep us all safer:
 
WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN - The number one action we can take is to frequently wash our hands for 20 seconds with soap and water.  No disinfectant alone is more effective than simple hand-washing.    
 
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP YOUR HABIT OF COMING TO CHURCH!!             Unless . . .
 
-       You’ve recently experienced symptoms associated with the flu or common cold (coughing, headaches, chills, unexplained rash) – then take a couple Sundays off.
 
-       You’ve just visited one of the countries where the coronavirus has been more prevalent: China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Hong Kong or Japan – also take a couple Sundays off. 
 
-       You have a compromised immune system or other underlying health issue. 
 
IN NO WAY do we want to cause you unnecessary fear or anxiety and we respect whatever choice you make.
 
If you do decide to stay at home, please join us LIVE on YouTube at 10:30AM every Sunday . . . and then that video of the service stays on-line so you can watch it later if you choose.  You can hear the audible at our web site: www.clairemontemmanuel.com. 
 
 
MEASURES WE’RE TAKING at Clairemont Emmanuel to make sure our environments are clean and safe for you and your family:
 
-DEEP CLEANING THE BATHROOMS and OTHER ROOMS, including light switches and doorknobs
 
-WE HAVE POSTED SIGNS in the bathrooms reminding people to wash their hands
 
-On Sunday mornings, we will continue to offer coffee but for now (at least through Easter) we will not be offering snacks.
 
-ELBOW GREETINGS – This may be a bit of a challenge as most of us are so in the habit of shaking hands, but we’ll go for it – again, at least through Easter.
 
Some have inquired:
 
GIVING – If you’re interested, you can send your offering in via check to Clairemont Emmanuel (2610 Galveston St, San Diego, CA 92110) or, if you’d like, you can sign up to give on-line.  You can give via credit or debit card (but know that 2.5% is charged to the church to process each transaction).  Just go to our website and click on the “GIVING” button on the top right of our home page to sign up.
 
Please continue to use common sense and follow medical advice and we will stay on top of things here and inform you if and when changes happen. 
 
 
A reminder of what I said this past Sunday: there are some definite spiritual lessons for us to remember through all of this:
 
1.   God is sovereign over the days of your life. He will not call you home until He has completed what He wants to do through you here on this earth.   
 
2.   All our lives are brief and uncertain.  In one paraphrase, Psalm 39:4 says, “O Lord, . . . let me realize how quickly my life will pass.”  We all need to live like we’re leaving this life soon. 
 
3.   When people around us are faced with their mortality, they just may be more responsive to the Good News and so ask God to give you boldness to talk to your friends.
 
4.   Know that you have a pastoral team of people here at Clairemont Emmanuel who love you and pray for you and want to serve you.    
 
I do think this is a good opportunity for us to pray for each other and also for all our health care workers, first responders or anyone that works with the physical and mental health professions and who does medical research. 
 
Will you please take a moment right now and pray for ones you know.  Thank you.    
 
Sincerely,
 
Pastor Kenny