The Apostle Paul tells us, “In humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). In order to live out this truth as we regather, let’s follow these guidelines that have been worked out in conjunction with Bethel Korean Church. You can read the rationale for these guidelines at the end of this post.

• Please do not attend if you have any symptoms of illness, or if you suspect you have been exposed to someone with the virus in the last few days.
• Please avoid shaking hands at this time.
• Please wear a mask covering your nose and mouth whenever you are within ten feet of others indoors. Yes, this will make singing more difficult. No, the mask won’t do much to protect you personally. But if you should happen to have the virus without symptoms, the mask will lower considerably the probability that you could infect others. We will have masks available Sunday morning for those who don’t own one. Please use them, take them home, wash them, and then bring them with you in subsequent weeks.
• Don’t be concerned with trying to keep masks on young children.
• If you feel a cough or sneeze coming on, please leave the sanctuary if possible. Please cough or sneeze into your elbow.
• We will sit in alternate rows in the sanctuary, leaving an empty row between each row in which we sit.
• Please leave two empty seats between your family and others sitting in your row.
• Although the latest CDC guidance says the chance of contracting the virus from contaminated surfaces is low, we will nevertheless clean surfaces before the service, and prop doors open so we don’t have to touch door handles.
• We will have hand sanitizer available at the entrance to the sanctuary.
• After the service, please exit through the Fellowship Hall. Weather permitting, please interact with each other outside.
• Please wash your hands regularly, for at least 20 seconds.
• For the time being, we will not have Sunday School, a nursery, or adult Core Seminar. All children will stay with their parents during the service. (Some Sunday School classes may begin meeting via Zoom.)
• For the time being, we will not have coffee available.
• Make the best decision for your family and loved ones. Some will attend. Others will participate via the stream. We honor all those decisions.

Rationale for these guidelines:

We continue to learn more about this virus every week. As of May 23, here are some of the important facts that have led us to issue the above guidelines. We will modify this post as more information becomes available:

• The elderly and those with certain pre-existing conditions are most vulnerable to this virus. Note that Bethel Korean Church has a considerably higher proportion of elderly than Desiring God Community Church, so we need to be especially careful with these brothers and sisters.
• For children, this virus is less serious than the seasonal flu. Furthermore, there are almost no known cases to date of the virus spreading from a child to a family member, much less from a child to someone outside the family.
• The virus spreads primarily by droplets breathed out. The number of such droplets expressed increases dramatically when sneezing or coughing. The number also increases substantially when singing.
• The virus spreads primarily indoors, when people have shared a space for a lengthy period of time. There are few known cases in which the virus has spread outdoors.
• It is possible to have the virus, have no symptoms, and still infect others.
• Rarely, someone will have the virus with no symptoms and be particularly contagious. These “super-spreaders” can end up infecting dozens of others. There have been cases in which super-spreaders have infected many others during religious services, or associated meetings (like choir practice). The possibility of such an event increases as the space is more confined and people are closer together. We will guard against such rare events by wearing masks and, when indoors, spreading out in the sanctuary which has very high ceilings and a large volume of air.