Clayton Church COVID-19 Update

Wednesday 18/03/2020 

 Dear Church,

We praise and thank God for your incredible patience and unity in Him during this time of uncertainty. Things are moving extremely quickly, and as we continue to follow the government and authorities’ updates concerning the spread of COVID-19, we are well aware that this situation will continue to impact not only the ways we gather as a church, but our daily lives.

As of this morning’s press conference (Wed 18th March 2020), the Prime Minister has issued a ban on non-essential indoor gatherings of 100 people or more and outdoor gatherings of 500 or more. We are expecting further guidelines and measures regarding smaller indoor gatherings by the end of this week and will communicate these as soon as we know.

At this stage, we are in a good place to embrace all the changes that are quickly happening. The church staff and some amazing volunteers are working hard to put together resources to help our community transition into the changes that are taking place. By Friday this week, we hope to send out more info about:

* What to expect with this Sunday’s service being live-streamed and our church meeting in small life group settings at home.
* How-to videos about live streaming, video conferencing into group discussions remotely, and how to join our Facebook community group.
* Discussion questions for groups to use.
* Materials and resources for your children.
* Guidelines to minimise the risk of COVID19.
* The support we will be providing newcomers who may walk into our church building on Sunday and those who are not yet part of a group.
* Links and resources that you might find useful.
*Answers to some FAQs.

As a reminder, please seek medical help and self-isolate if you:

* Are unwell or experiencing flu-like symptoms.
* Have recently returned from an affected area.
* Have been in contact with an infected person.
* Are worried because you fall into the category of vulnerable people (the elderly or those with compromised immune systems).

If you have been directly impacted or are unable to obtain essentials, please don’t delay in letting us know. Reach out to your Life Group communities or contact us directly at hello@claytonchurch.org.au. Our hope is to look out for one another and share our surplus. If you are not part of a group, you can register to join one.

The life group structure we already have in place will allow us to continue building our church community both online and in homes. We can still message one another, do video conferencing, and live-stream our services with the help of technology. So please stay connected, remember check in with one another and please join us in praying for the situation.