Dear Odyssey Church Members
Why have we suspended our Sunday meeting and Home Groups for a season?
On Wednesday 18th March, we advised the whole church by SMS that we have suspended all our Sunday gatherings in the hall until further notice. Although we are legally allowed meetings of up to 100 people at a time, we would rather err on the side of caution for the following reasons:
After being infected, it can take 5-6 days before you feel sick and symptoms appear, but you can still infect others during this time. The virus is very contagious, “more contagious than the flu,” * and there is no cure or vaccine at this time. Asymptomatic cases mean that many people who are infected are unaware they are carrying the virus. This means they could be passing the infection on without even being aware of doing so. Please watch *Why fighting the coronavirus depends on you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSQztKXR6k0.
We are in the third week since the first case was reported in South Africa. Italy and Spain saw a spike in their 3rd week and so “the next 2 weeks are critical if we want to see that curve flattened” (Michael Mol, ENCA, 18th March).
Slowing down the rate of infection (*‘flattening the curve’) is critical so that our health care systems are not overwhelmed. In Bergamo, northern Italy, where 70 critical cases were admitted per day, an Italian doctor spoke of the stress he experienced due to patients dying alone because they could not afford to offer relatives protective gear as these are needed by doctors. Professor Neil Ferguson of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Imperial College London, said on Radio 4 that “a radical approach works best, not a slow appeal.” Most countries in Europe that started with a slow appeal have moved to a more aggressive stance. And these are first world contexts! A medical doctor from the USA, in a BBC interview, said “aggressive social distancing…can help mitigate and even contain the virus…medical intervention cannot do that on its own.”
We need to take this pandemic seriously right now and not adopt a ‘wait and see’ stance. David Shukman, the science Editor for BBC News, said, “You’ve got an immediate problem right now and it’s escalating. Do whatever you can as soon as you can to suppress it. Worry about the future later…there is no simple solution to this, it is probably the toughest epidemic I’ve ever had to analyse. There is no way of playing it out without some serious downsides.”
Abraham “faced the fact that his body was as good as dead” (Rom. 4:19 NIV). Likewise, we need to ‘face the facts.’ This is not acting out of fear but rather, love. It’s not about me but the potential of those who are far more vulnerable being infected through me or someone else. Abraham also “did not weaken in faith” (4:19) but chose to trust in God’s promises. Mark van Pletsen, who leads LifeChangers church in the northern suburbs had this to say, “We want to be a church that respects the call for social distancing, but who refuse to move into social disconnecting.” To this end we will let you know shortly about how we will be using social media and other means to stay connected. Quoting Mark again, “This is not a time for the church to go quiet and into hiding but rather to be on the front foot actively looking for opportunities to bless and love our world. Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight who you need to be reaching out to and actively caring for at this time and make every effort to stay aware of the vulnerable, the at-risk and the lonely in and around your life. And finally, as you encounter people who may have questions regarding faith, church and Jesus, send them to our website where they will be able to get in touch with us.”
So, Odyssey is adopting an aggressive social distancing stance and we encourage you to do the same, where it is possible (some of you cannot work from home, etc.). Practice all the good procedures and habits being encouraged by health care professionals (here’s an idea: pray the Lord’s prayer every time you have to wash your hands using the classic ending “for yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.” It takes me 24 seconds and makes sure I’m doing the minimum 20 second recommendation. It’s also a helpful reminder to stay prayerful throughout the day).
Be mindful of misinformation (it is now illegal in this country to report or post fake news about Coronavirus), fearmongering through disinformation and being overwhelmed by fear or panic. Also be aware of ‘hyper-faith’ type teachings and calls in times like these, which ignore the realities and selectively cherry pick verses to justify their stance. Rather read the Psalms, Proverbs, Job (‘wisdom books’ of the OT) and books of the New Testament. By all means meditate on Scriptures like Psalm 91 and Philippians 4:4-9 at a time like this. Use helpful websites (like https://sacoronavirus.co.za; https://www.who.int/;) to stay informed in an accurate way that can inform your prayers and help you separate fact from fiction.
What’s next for Odyssey?
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23-25).
Let’s still ‘meet’ on Sundays in our homes as families and a greater online community as we tune into the Word and worship. We will be pre-recording and posting online so that we can stay encouraged and connected.
Stay strong in Him, focused in prayer and Scripture, and connected to one another.
Much love from Craig and Ockie