An Important Announcement from our Church Leaders, Staff, and Pastors about our response to the COVID-19/Coronavirus Pandemic:
We will be worshiping ONLINE ONLY for the next two Sundays (March 15 and March 22). We are suspending all in-person ministries and programs through March 28. The Preschool will continue to follow the Marion Country Public School directives. The church office will remain open with the regular hours.
As new information emerges related the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, our leadership has continued to assess this situation and discuss the best response for our congregation. Given the potential spread of the virus in our community and the number of active members in our congregation who are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19, our Executive Committee, Staff and Pastors came to this difficult but important decision this afternoon.
Pastor David will share this announcement and more through our Livestream (Facebook Live and YouTube) at 4:00 pm today. Further updates will be posted on social media and on our website:
https://www.fumcocala.org/pandemic-response/
Look for future announcements about our online worship experience through Facebook, YouTube and our website.
To help sustain our obligations through this pandemic, please continue your financial giving through our online giving (
https://www.fumcocala.org/give/
) or by sending contributions directly to the church office. If you are able to pay ahead on your pledge, or make an extra gift, during this time, we would be most appreciative.
In making this decision, we are acting to protect the most vulnerable among us. We are taking the advice of experts, such as Dr. Wes Wallace of University of North Carolina Medical School, who wrote recently to church leaders:
"For social distancing to be effective, it must begin early—so early that it may feel unneeded and silly. If we wait until its need is obvious, it is too late. The faith community has an important role to play in slowing the speed of disease transmission. Large gatherings of people are a petri dish for spreading the infection. For a period of time, I strongly urge our religious communities to suspend traditional services and gatherings and find other ways to practice and sustain our faith. Our witness and our example may save many lives, especially the lives of those at risk in our own congregations”
May God bless you and keep you.
Pastors Anne and David Fuquay
