- A member of our church, Person A, tested positive for COVID-19 on June 15. (This person has been suffering from mild pneumonia for a long time).
- Through contact tracing, everyone who came into contact with Person A June 11 – 15 was identified and has been tested for COVID-19. Of these people, only one family member has tested positive so far. We are waiting on the results from one other test. Everyone else, including those in close proximity to Person A, has tested negative.
- One of our church staff visited Person A at their home, and on June 20, this staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
The church staff member who tested positive has been attending on-site worship services every Sunday. We have been strictly adhering to recommended safety precautions during our on-site worship services, including wearing masks at all times (making sure to wear them when singing praise or moving), providing hand sanitizer to all attendees, keeping six feet of separation between people, and disinfecting the worship setting before and after the service, so we do not expect to learn that the virus was spread at church.
However, out of an abundance of caution, we have taken the following steps:
1. Widen the contact tracing
We have individually contacted every person who attended the on-site worship service on Sunday, June 14, including the church members, pastors, and church staff who were present. We have instructed them all to be tested for COVID-19 and notify the church of the results.
2. No access to the church building for the time being
The Vision Center has been closed since Tuesday, June 16.
All church buildings, including the main building, will continue to be off-limits until further notice.
(However, one church staff member will be present for minimal church office operations and building safety management.)
3. Sunday worship is available online-only at 11 a.m
Starting on Sunday, June 21, because the church building is closed, instead of streaming the worship service live from church, each part of worship will be pre-recorded.
Church members can continue to worship at 11 a.m. using the YouTube link as usual.
Our church’s top priority is the safety of our church members and our community. As we learn the results from the ongoing COVID-19 testing, we may implement other measures to protect the health and safety of our community.
Our church will transparently and quickly inform our congregation of any updates through the small group leaders. In the meantime, please respect the privacy of those affected by this virus and refrain from careless words or unnecessary discussion so as not to cause further pain to the impacted families. Together, let’s pray for their health and for our church community to wisely deal with and overcome this difficult situation.