COVID-19: How Long?
The short answer is, we don’t know.
Well, that would have been a short article if we stopped there! Obviously, many are wondering how long we plan to suspend our Sunday services at Table Rock Church. While we are praying it would be any day now that we can come back together, we are also making plans based upon the best information we have. Here are some of the factors we are paying careful attention to:
-
Centers for Disease Control: Just a little over a week ago, the CDC rapidly changed their recommendation on gathering sizes from no larger than a 1000, to under 500, to under 250, to under 50, and to under 10. Additionally, on 3/15/2020 the CDC issued guidance for mass gatherings (e.g. events like church), and recommended that events of 50+ people be suspended for at least 8 weeks. This rapid lowering of acceptable group sizes is unlikely to come up as quickly as it went down. Add to this the eight week recommendation (which would extend to May 9), and the CDC does not seem to be encouraging Sunday gatherings anytime soon.
-
Boise City: The City of Boise continues to shut down restaurant dining rooms and their own parks and facilities. As a group that rents a city property (The Train Depot), we have been told that the city has closed all facilities until May 9, meaning that at the moment the first time we could use the Depot again is May 10. As of March 24 at midnight, Mayor Lauren McLean has ordered all businesses and events to limit groups to less than ten people.
-
Boise Schools/Universities: BSU is now taking steps to ask any remaining students to leave campus facilities now that COVID–19 has been diagnosed in a student. As of March 24 the Idaho State Board of Education has required all Idaho schools to close until April 20.
-
National News: Major cities like New York and San Francisco continue to lock down their cities in ever increasing ways, and no cities are currently loosening restrictions.
Based upon this information we do not see a trajectory that will allow us to meet again soon, rather we see things staying the same for the foreseeable future if not getting more restrictive. At this time, we are making plans to resource and care for you virtually and without an in-person Sunday gathering potentially until May 10. That does not mean we will not find ways to meet with you in person, and we have many ways we plan to help Table Rock continue to be a community while we all are semi-isolated during this time. We pray that God will provide a way for us to meet sooner than this and are ready to be back together as soon as we get the go-ahead! We are even preparing alternate options if our ability to gather is only inhibited by the use of the Train Depot.
Please continue to pray with us that our leaders give us good guidance and guidelines in this season, and pray for the health of our friends, family, neighbors, and for our first responders, doctors, and nurses.
Waiting with expectation,
Ryan, Andrew, and Luke