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The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is now impacting all states in our territory. Therefore, the Mid-America Union Conference, in consultation with the leaders of our six conferences, is recommending immediate steps to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

While the MAUC office in Lincoln, Nebraska, is currently open, we are complying with the CDC guidelines limiting the size of public gatherings to 10 people until March 31. We have implemented a modified work schedule, which may change at any time if new recommendations are issued.

“Despite the uncertainties of this virus, we are greatly comforted when we remember that God is still in charge,” said MAUC president Gary Thurber. “And because He carries us in the palm of His hand we have nothing to fear. ‘I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears’” (Ps. 34:4).

BEING PREPARED

To date, seven states in Mid-America territory have declared a State of Emergency. Since the intensity of the outbreak may differ according to geographic region, response plans for churches, schools and other organizations may need individual adjustments.

Many entities are currently implementing remote operations. Throughout this situation, members are encouraged to continue supporting the ministries of their church by mailing tithes and offerings, or through AdventistGiving online. The Adventist Giving App is safe and simple to use and works well with both Android and Apple platforms, if your church is signed up.

“Mailing tithes and offerings is always appropriate,” said MAUC treasurer Troy Peoples. “If you don’t have a tithe envelope, please be sure to indicate on a separate piece of paper where funds should go.”

MAUC secretary Gil Webb stated that members should stay informed by monitoring information from reliable news sources, including local health authority announcements. “We encourage all to be in prayer for this situation, to use common sense and follow the recommendations of their local health authorities,” he said.

MAKING DECISIONS

Based on the current information, organizations can build criteria for deciding how to move forward:

1. The CDC states that their recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.
   1. Have you reviewed the recommendations of your local city and state health officials? What guidance have they given?
   2. If they give a mandate, you should follow their orders.
2. Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing.  When feasible, organizers should modify events to be virtual.

1. 1. Are you able to ascertain the level of concern from your constituents and the level of adherence to meet or not meet physically?
   2. Have you identified your vulnerable populations? Can you make contact with them to advise them not to attend your meeting?
   3. Are you able to arrange your meeting so that hand hygiene and social distancing can be done effectively?
   4. Is this a meeting that can be conducted virtually?
   5. What considerations need to be made for second and third level impacts of your decisions?

3. What virtual options do you have available to conduct operations?

1. 1. Should a policy for working remotely be established?
   2. Do you have the technology in place to conduct essential operations remotely?
   3. How long can/should you sustain remote operations?

ACTIONS OF OTHER CHURCH ENTITIES

Central States Conference

Dakota Conference

Iowa-Missouri Conference

Kansas-Nebraska Conference

Minnesota Conference

Rocky Mountain Conference

North American Division 

NAD administration, in consultation with leaders of the nine unions, has voted that all staff should cease all travels immediately, staff should work remotely, and has canceled or postponed all events and meetings until June 24, including the CALLED Pastors’ Family Convention [rescheduled for June 2022].

General Conference

As of March 15, the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters is asking employees to work remotely until March 30. Although the Pathways to Health event has been cancelled, General Conference session plans are still in place. Check for updates

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

World Health Organization 

CDC checklist for community and faith-based leaders

AdventHealth  

Adventist Risk Management

Example of  comprehensive plan for conferences 

Example of comprehensive plan for churches

—Brenda Dickerson; iStock photo; text reprinted from https://outlookmag.org/mid-america-union-offers-encouragement-and-resources-for-covid-19/

Denver, Colorado … As we go through a period of suspended church services, it is important for us to continue to remember the faithfulness of the Lord by returning our tithes and offerings. God is always faithful to His word and it is through giving that we express our love to Him and continue to move His work forward. Hebrews 10:23 NLT says: “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.”

Since we will not be meeting together as churches for a while, below are instructions as to how we can give electronically.

HOW DOES A CHURCH SIGN UP FOR ADVENTISTGIVING?

• Signing up with AdventistGiving is a fairly simple process.  The attached form just needs to be completed by the church treasurer and the pastor, and then it should be forwarded to [email protected].  She will sign it and forward it to the NAD to complete your registration.

HOW DO I GIVE THROUGH ADVENTISTGIVING?

• Giving through AdventistGiving is also easy.  Many churches have elected to put a link on their websites that will direct people to their AdventistGiving site, but donors can also donate directly through the adventistgiving.org website or through the AdventistGiving app that you can download from the App Store or Google Play.

ADVENTISTGIVING INSTRUCTIONS

• Go to adventistgiving.org and start typing typing the name of the church that you wish to donate to in the center box.
• As you type, a list of churches that match that name will appear.   The (Enrolled)at the end of the name tells you whether that church has signed up for AdventistGiving or not.
• Select the name of the church you wish to donate to.  You will be taken directly to the online Tithe & Offering envelope for that church.
• After filling out the envelope, hit continue.  You will then be asked to choose whether you wish to log in, register for an account, or continue as a guest.  If you choose “Guest”, you do have the option of giving anonymously, if you do not wish to receive a tax receipt.
• You may then pay with a credit or debit card, or with an electronic check.  We do want to mention that the fees are significantly lower for the conference with electronic checks as opposed to credit or debit cards.

—RMC Treasury

Denver, Colorado … What we would like to share is not a repeat of the instructions sent out by the CDC, but a special focus on our lifestyle. The reason that this is so important as it addresses the second stage of fighting this virus. The important precautions of social distancing, hand washing etc. are very important to protect us from the virus.  But if the virus gets past these precautions, we can still add an important layer of protection, especially to those most vulnerable. Our body has a powerful immune system but there are things that we can do to either enhance or decrease its effectiveness. The following are real, healthy lifestyle practices that each of us should take seriously.

These steps are especially valuable for those with preexisting conditions and are at high risk.  But you are not powerless, there are things you can do now to perhaps even save your life.

1. Avoid high fatty foods and sugar:

For many of us, our daily routine has changed, and we are probably under added stress.  It is easy to turn to comfort foods and just eat more than normal.  These two changes in our diet will reduce our immune system considerably.  This is not a time to ignore our most powerful ally.  Eat regular healthy meals, avoid refined foods (sugar) and don’t snack.

2. Eat high nutrient foods:
   1. Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially dark green vegies and bright fruits such as berries
   2. Eat more cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, kale and brussels sprouts, which activate the disease fighting white blood cells.

3. Get plenty of exercise:
   1. Exercise increase the circulation and gets the white blood cells out where they can fight the invaders, in this case the virus.
   2. Exercising outdoors is best because you get fresh air and sunlight as well. The Ultraviolet light kills viruses and increases the production of Vit. D, another disease fighter.

4. Vitamins can help, too:
   1. You can take vitamins like D3 or vitamin C or get it from the sun and the foods you eat.
   2. A few more supplements that are very powerful are n-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) and Zink that is toxic to the coronavirus.

Don’t just sit around and worry, follow good hygiene, get out and move, and start eating more whole plant foods in your diet.  And you will take a big bite out of this threat and just maybe you will have a healthier life because of it.

For an update on what you can do, see our Facebook page, check out the videos and comments.  or go to our website www.rmlc.online

—Rick Mautz, The Rocky Mountain Lifestyle Center

Denver, Colorado … While we have had to postpone our “Treasured” Mother/Daughter retreat March 29 due to COVID-19, the commitment of the women of the Rocky Mountain Conference can’t be stopped! When it comes to compassion, care, and service, things might just look a little different for a bit.

More than one of our women have posted on social media that they are willing to get groceries or other supplies for anyone who needs them. Others have suggested are already writing cards to send to shut-in elderly people. Still other women are sharing ideas for parents from great websites they’ve seen, including free art classes for kids, virtual museum tours and more,

You are welcome to join in our Thursday night Zoom Video Conference Bible study at 6:30 p.m. each Thursday –  https://zoom.us/j/197074881  At this point, we are still moving forward with our Women Called to Lead leadership training for all women to be held in Grand Junction April 24-25. More details can be found at www.rmcsda.org/women. We haven’t postponed or cancelled our commitment to living out loud for Jesus!

—DeeAnn Bragaw; photo supplied

Columbia, Maryland … Due to the rapidly changing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the administration of the North American Division (NAD) has elected to transition its corporate office in Columbia, Maryland, to a virtual operation. Starting at the end of business on March 17, 2020, and moving forward until March 30, 2020, all employees will be required to work from home, and all efforts are being made to ensure that day-to-day operations will continue without interruption. NAD administration will evaluate the situation on March 27, 2020, to decide if virtual operations need to be extended.

“We are confident God will be with His people during this time,” Daniel R. Jackson, NAD president, said to employees during the March 16 staff meeting announcing the transition to a virtual office.

Earlier, the administration announced the cancellation or postponement of all NAD-sponsored meetings and events, as well as travel for all NAD staff through June 24, 2020.

NAD leadership is urging all union and conference leaders in the division to carefully consider advisements given by their state and local governments regarding the safety of their communities.

Everyone plays an important role in helping to contain the spread of COVID-19. As Christians, we are called to treat all our neighbors with love and compassion. We must give prayerful thought to how we can be a compassionate blessing to those most impacted by this situation. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother’” (Zechariah 7:9, NKJV).

Click here to read this statement on the NAD website; click here to read the previous statement from the NAD on COVID-19.

—NAD NewsPoints

Denver, Colorado … The coronavirus COVID19 pandemic is affecting all of us. The Rocky Mountain Conference recommends taking steps to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

“It’s amazing how quickly this world can change.  It’s of great comfort to know that God is in charge. He is still on the throne!  We will continue to share with our churches what is helpful concerning coronavirus. Please follow all local and state guidelines. Our church needs to be mindful of the whole population, not just our church community,” said Ed Barnett, RMC president.

“We need to closely monitor and follow guidelines of the local administrations. There is a wave of school closures, restrictions on holding public gatherings, and individuals over the age of 70 are being discouraged from attending any public events. Our pastors and local congregations are to take appropriate steps to recognize their local worship needs and options, as well as needs of the communities they serve,” he added.

Several states have declared a State of Emergency. While these mandates do not directly impact our congregations, as members of society, we must display careful vigilance for our people throughout the Rocky Mountain Conference. We must seek to cooperate with collective public health actions to help protect the health and wellness of our communities.

The situation touches all of our people and our communities, RMC leaders recognize. This is a time for all Seventh-day Adventist churches, schools and ministries within our territory to be proactive and prayerful as well as to take every-day preventative actions.

Several churches in Colorado are reviewing worship options, and a number of pastors offer worship participation via video-streaming. RMC is recommending that all churches refrain from potlucks and fellowship events. Without elaborating, we are in the midst of a developing crisis.

Cathy Kissner, RMC ACS director, recommends our church members in Colorado to log on to the State of Colorado information page. “This page carries information about the recommended actions by the State of Colorado for its population.  I feel this information should be shared with Pastors, schools, and day-care centers. The age also tracks the number of cases found per day.”https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/2019-novel-coronavirus

“Stay informed by watching news and information, including the local health authority announcements. Use common sense. We all are in this together,” commented Eric Nelson, RMC VP for administration.

Prayer is part of our response, as well. DeeAnn Bragaw, RMC prayer coordinator is inviting all to join in a special prayer event on Sunday morning, March 15, at 10 a.m. “We will be hosting a Rocky Mountain Conference Prayer FAITH OVER FEAR conference call to pray unitedly for our homes, churches, communities, and world in light of the coronavirus outbreak.  RMC president, Ed Barnett will be on the line, and together we’ll PRAY! Please spread the word and plan to join us at 605-468-8026 access code 1010801#.”

North American Division administration has released Guidance for Church in North America during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The leadership of the North American Division of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (NAD), in consultation with the leaders of the nine union conferences in the NAD, is providing some guidance for the churches and schools in our territories regarding the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

As Christians we have a responsibility to care for each other and ourselves. With the World Health Organization now declaring COVID-19 to be a pandemic, we should be seen as part of the solution rather than potentially becoming part of the problem.

In seeking to limit the potential impact of COVID-19, the NAD administration has voted that all staff should cease all travels immediately. Administration has prohibited work-related travel until June 24, 2020,” the statement says. Read the full statement here: https://www.nadadventist.org/news/nad-administration-provides-guidance-church-north-america-during-covid-19-pandemic

—RMCNews

Loveland, Colorado … Campion Academy is extending its spring break until March 30, says Don Reeder, principal. On March 13 he issued the following statement:

“With considerable deliberation and prayer, Campion Academy and HMS Richards Adventist School continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation. At this time, both schools are extending our Spring Break through March 27 and plan to resume classes on March 30. 

Campion Academy will not be holding any online classes during the week of March 23-27. To minimize exposure and to compensate for the extended Spring Break, the April home leave is canceled.

Currently canceled trips and school events for Campion Academy are listed below.

The COVID-19 responses from education systems are constantly evolving. We are continually assessing the situation and will be in communication with our parents and community frequently regarding further actions following Spring Break. Campion Academy will strive to provide updated information to parents in a timely manner for planning purposes. Please consistently monitor your email and our Facebook account, as we seek to keep you updated on all developments.

The following events and tours for Campion Academy are canceled:

• Academy Days – March 27 & 28
• Music Tour – April 15-19
• April Home Leave – April 23-27
• Spring Soccer and Baseball – all games and practices through April 6

Trips that are under review for possible cancellation or postponement are:

• Junior/Senior Banquet – April 12
• Senior Class Trip – April 22-28
• Moab Biology Trip – April 29-May 3

Please join us in doing all you can to maintain your health and praying for wisdom through these unprecedented events.”

—Campion Academy News