Situation Update from Sonny Gallman 3-19-20

by | Mar 19, 2020 | Announcements | 0 comments

  1. All church-related activities are going to be cancelled at least until April 5th.  Our abbreviated worship service will be available on-line at 10:50 a.m. Sunday morning.

  2. The church office will be open Monday through Friday, from 1-5 pm

  3. Because avoiding contact is essential, I will be calling rather than making personal visits until the virus subsides.

  4. The church still has regular bills that must be paid.

Dear Central Family

I know that most of you, like me, are very worried by the sudden increase in coronavirus cases in our country. While our particular area is not an epicenter of an outbreak, that could change at any time. To that end, Jim Shoopman, our deacon chair, and I, have engaged the deacons in conversation about the best methods for being safe as a church, while still staying connected as a congregation. What you will see below is subject to change as we go forward. This will have a learning curve as we see what works and what does not.

  1. All church-related activities are going to be cancelled at least until April 5th. This includes Sunday School, worship, Bible studies, book club, Wednesday night dinners, Griefshare and our monthly activities, including crafts and communion at nursing homes. Instead, we will be recording a small worship service on Saturday afternoons, which will be posted on Sunday mornings at 10:50. We will have hymns, prayer, and a sermon each week. There will be less than 10 people in the sanctuary at all times that recording takes place. We will send out information about how to access the weekly video as we move through this week. If you know of someone who does not use a computer, let them know we will make sermon notes and worship guides available at the church office.
  2. The church office will be open Monday through Friday, from 1-5 pm, so that Gwen can sort mail, and conduct any church business that needs to take place. She will be the only one allowed in the office. If you have urgent church business, you will need to use hand sanitizer before entering, and you will need to remain in the lobby. Calls to the church will be forwarded to her phone in the morning, so if you have a need during normal business hours, Gwen can be reached at the church phone number, 386-255-2588.
  3. Because avoiding contact is essential, I will not be making personal visits until the virus subsides. I have committed to calling at least 5 people everyday to remain connected, including those who are sick. I highly encourage you to make phone calls regularly to each other. Churches are all about relationship, and while we cannot be physically together as a church for a while, we can choose to work extra hard on staying connected.
  4. Despite the fact that we cannot meet together, the church still has regular bills that must be paid. We are making every attempt to limit our utility expense during this time, but we are counting on you to continue to be faithful in giving to the church. Your gift is very important, and very appreciated. There are three ways that you can give to Central:
    1. You can simply send in your tithe check to the church office for it to be deposited. The church’s address is 152 Fairview Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32114.
    2.  You can set up a direct deposit between your bank and the church’s bank. This is a direct deposit between banks, and there is no charge for the transaction. To do this, you will need to make contact with our Treasurer, Peggy Griffis, and she can help you set that up.
    3. If you would rather pay by credit or debit card, you can go to the church website, centralbc.org. On the front page, there is a button across the top that says, “Give now.” This method allows you to use your debit card to contribute. Each interaction using this method costs the church about $.35, so it is best to make several smaller contributions at once, instead of spread out.

These are times that likely none of us ever imagined we would see. Taking the potential this virus has seriously, and balancing that with churches’ need to remain connected to one another is hard. Not every decision we will make will be the right one, but the staff and the deacons are making every attempt to be helpful to you. It is my sincere hope that this time away from each other will strengthen our commitment to the life of this church, and that each of us will commit ourselves to being the hands and feet of Christ together, adapting with the circumstances to be a support to one another. Let us commit to pray for each other, for those who are falling victim to the virus, to those who are unable to see loved ones, for those who have lost loved ones, and for God’s healing presence to be upon us all in this time.

Please be on the lookout for more information as it comes available. May God bless each one of you, and your families.

Blessings

Sonny