News

Dear Serenity,

I imagine you are already aware of the COVID-19, Coronavirus. Your health and safety are important to all of us here at Serenity. Today, ADHS (Arizona Department of Health and Safety) held a webinar for faith-based organizations concerning the Coronavirus which I attended to see how to best respond during this time, and we are watching all of the updates from the news, ADHS, and the CDC. The state health department officials have given us helpful guidance on what responsible action we should take.

After meeting with our Response Team Chiefs and seeking guidance from our health professionals, Serenity Baptist Church will continue to worship. We will gather for worship on Sunday morning at our regular time of 10:30 am.

Following the state health department’s guidance, we will take extra precautions. Kid’s World, in the West Building where our children meet, surfaces’ will be cleaned with sanitizing solution before and after children use the space. We will be wiping down frequently touched objects (door handles and surfaces) and will have wipes available at the check-in area in the entryway.

I need to ask this: If any of you have an extra hand sanitizer bottle, would you please let me know? I would like to have some available in our entryway but everywhere is sold out. Thank you in advance!

We are asking that you take the following steps:

1. Most important! Pray! Pray for our President and all our leaders and health officials at this time. Pray for our hospital workers and medical staff to have energy and provision of equipment needed. Our whole nation is in great need of wisdom from the Lord!

2. If you or a family member/someone in your home is ill, please stay home and get well. The three main symptoms of COVID-19 are cough, fever, and shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms, please stay home for sure and contact your doctor.

If you or your family have a need, please let us know! If you are not able to get necessities, we want to serve one another and help those in need. We can all do this together! We are putting together a system for helping the elderly in our community and church who need help with simple errands and getting food. If you or someone you know needs this kind of assistance please contact the church at connect@serenitybaptist.church or 520-822-2026. Some folks are being encouraged to stay home and not run these kinds of errands so we want to make sure anyone who needs help will get it!

3. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the restroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Please sneeze and cough into a tissue or into your arm and then wash your hands.

4. If you have traveled to a high-alert area (current places China, Iran, South Korea, and looks like most or all of Europe), stay home and practice social distancing. https://www.cdc.gov/…/travele…/after-travel-precautions.html

5. We encourage you to greet one another without physical contact.

6. If you have a more vulnerable immune system or medical complications, or if you are over the age of 60, consider staying home from church and other mass gatherings of people and practice social distancing. Please do not feel guilty if you decide to stay home. We love you and want you to remain healthy.

We will continue to livestream our worship each Sunday on our Facebook page.

7. Be wise and responsible, but do not fear! Trust God and share Jesus. “Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine,” Isaiah 43:1.

This week, when you enter the church building, we will not have cookies or donuts. Please use hand sanitizer and/or wash your hands frequently. We will not be passing the offering plates but will have a designated location where you can give your tithe/offering.

Sunday night, our regularly scheduled pot faith will be postponed. We will still meet together for the Rooftop, but we will just not eat a meal together at this time.

Food ministry on Thursdays, weather permitting, will be held outside of the building. The amount of food coming in has gone down greatly from Caring Ministries. So we will remain in contact with Caring Ministries and let you know about any further changes and how we can overcome those to help those in need.

We are evaluating other activities as well e.g. youth group. Youth group will go on as scheduled with the extra precautions mentioned above. We will make changes if they become necessary.

Above all, trust God. He is good and sovereign through it all. Let us trust Jesus and point everyone we can to Him through this season.

In grace and peace,

Zachary Vaughan, Pastor