To God’s Beloveds in the Northwest Intermountain Synod,

We are living in interesting times. Any one of the issues we are actively dealing with would warrant the label “chaotic” and we are dealing with multiple issues at the same time. We are frazzled. We are fragile. We are forlorn.

Many of our congregational leaders are considering whether to suspend holding services for a time. Let me assure you that this is for the safety of the members of your congregational community. Let me further assure you that not one of these decisions is made lightly or without a great deal of emotional conflict and fervent prayer.

We have received a few inquiries regarding COVID-19, or Novel Coronavirus.

We currently have only a few folks in the synod (as far as I am aware) who have been affected by this, but I anticipate that number will rise.

Bishop Shelley Bryan Wee has done a LOT of work around this, as Seattle is Ground Zero for the coronavirus in the United States. I didn't see a reason to reinvent the wheel when she's done such a great job already.

Please remember: the very best way to protect yourself from this virus is to wash your hands as frequently as you can. If you cannot use soap and warm water, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good option. FYI: Vodka does NOT have the appropriate level of alcohol to effectively kill the virus, so be cautious of any "make your own hand sanitizer" recipes that are are floating around on social media.