COVID-19 Updates

Friday, April 3, 7:00 PM

Stay-At-Home Mandate Extended by Governor

Friday, Governor Holcomb extended the stay-at-home order another two weeks, which keeps it in force through April 20. He also extended the state public health emergency order through May 5. Executive Order 20-16 made it official that all K-12 schools in Indiana will finish the 2019-2020 school year via remote learning.

Here in Allen County, we still aren’t seeing any indication that the COVID-19 infection rate has begun to show signs of slowing down, as seen by the County Dept. of Health chart below.

(Source: Allen County Dept. of Health https://www.allencountyhealth.com/get-informed/covid-19/ April 3, 2020 – 7:00 pm)

Please continue to be diligent in conforming to the stay-at-home order and be vigilant in your prayers. Our God is listening, caring, and in complete control.

Monday, March 23, 5:15 PM

Stay-At-Home Mandate Issued by Governor

Today, our Governor issued a stay-at-home order beginning tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11:59 PM until 11:59 PM, Monday, April 6. [Click here to see the Q&A about this order.] Headwaters Church is therefore closing our physical church office and ministry staff will be working remotely. Phones and email will be monitored remotely during normal office hours (M-F 9am-4pm).

We encourage our church family to become familiar with the particulars of this mandate and act in accordance with it.  

---

Sunday, March 22, 8:40 AM

Church-Related Gatherings – Prohibited by County Health Commissioner

Yesterday the Allen County Health Commissioner released an order effective at 12:01 a.m. today prohibiting all church gatherings until April 11, 11:59 p.m. The order states,

“…no gatherings with an aggregate total of more than 10 individuals in a church building is permitted.”

You can read the full text of the order here.

Therefore, Headwaters Church status is as follows [with emphasis]:

Headwaters Church is suspending ALL church-related gatherings until further notice. In addition, all Headwaters church facilities will effectively be closed except for essential office operations.

---

Wednesday, March 18, 4:00 PM

INDIANA REPORTS OVER 10X INCREASE IN CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES IN UNDER ONE WEEK

As of noon last Friday, the Indiana State Department of Health reported a mere 12 confirmed COVID-19 cases. As of 3:15 PM today, the number of confirmed cases in Indiana is 193. So, we’re clearly still on the upward side of the trend, and we all need to remain vigilant in our attitudes and actions towards this disease.

 

---

Tuesday, March 17, 6:40 PM

Church-Related Gatherings

Not much change on this topic today – first, a restatement of what we announced yesterday:

Headwaters Church is suspending all non-essential church-related gatherings through at least March 21. In addition, all Headwaters church facilities will effectively be closed except for essential office operations.

We’re continuing to dialog with our ministry leaders on use of a common curriculum and the potential use of Zoom as an online tool for virtual/online meetings. We’re still developing our strategy and tactics for how to best use that tool. We ask for your patience as we finalize those plans. We should have more specifics about this for you during the day tomorrow (Wednesday).

Giving

Since giving via mail-in checks and via the new Church Center online giving platform will arrive throughout the week, we’ll tally the offering on Saturday and publish total giving for the week on Sunday morning. Thank you for your faithfulness.

 

---

Monday, March 16, 5:25 PM

INDIANA SEES OUR FIRST DEATH FROM COVID-19.

Indiana has today confirmed its first death due to COVID-19. This central-Indiana person was, like the great majority of other COVID-19 deaths, over 60 years old and had other serious health issues that compromised their body’s ability to fight the disease. Closer to home, the State of Indiana still reports that there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Allen County. However, there are three surrounding counties with one confirmed case each. All this is to say that the infection and death rates are still on an upward trajectory and getting nearer to us. So, we are compelled to do our best to protect those most vulnerable around us. To that end…

Church-Related Gatherings

Given this afternoon's comments by the Governor and other state officials of escalating concern and increasingly restrictive gathering guidance, Headwaters Church is suspending all non-essential church-related gatherings through at least March 21. In addition, all Headwaters church facilities will effectively be closed except for essential office operations.

We will provide initial guidance on options for having virtual/online ministry meetings late in the day tomorrow (Tuesday).

Sunday Worship Service – Available Online

Sunday’s message from John is available online via LiveStream and YouTube.

Giving

A hearty “thanks” to you intrepid givers who have used Church Center to give to Headwaters. Twenty-five of you have blazed the trail so far! As expected, this week’s giving is down substantially so far. Nonetheless, we’re confident that our church will remain faithful to giving even during this crisis and as we figure out alternative ways to give.

See earlier statements below for more information giving. If you have questions about giving during this time, please send them to Tim Williams.

Keep checking back!

(Sticky)

Please check the church web site regularly for further updates. We’re striving to provide at least a daily update via our web site and Facebook page as we learn more and as our plans for ministry in this new environment evolve.

Keep praying!

Please, please pray for our staff, Deacons, and Elders as we work to discern what’s best for our church and community. We need God’s wisdom to find the balance between overreacting and being cavalier about risks. Please be patient as we all work together to do ministry in new and creative ways.

Ps. 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you - to guard you in all your ways.

 

---

 

Sunday, March 15, 5:00 PM

HEADWATERS CHURCH IS SUSPENDING ALL GATHERINGS THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY, MARCH 21.

Today marks our first "e-church" Sunday and the start of the second week of revised ministry amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Who would have thought we'd be here two weeks ago?

Small Group Gatherings

Over the next couple days, we will continue developing and begin to roll out our strategy for continuation of ministries via small gatherings and virtual/online meetings. We are also finalizing our recommendations for small group gatherings. At this point, we are committed to abiding by the State of Indiana’s Guidance Document for Gatherings, which I’ve included in part below:

• Non-essential gatherings of 250 people or more should be postponed or canceled. This includes any event or gathering of people who are in a single room or single space at the same time, such as an auditorium, cafeteria, church, stadium, arena, large conference room, or meeting hall. This would include gatherings such as concerts, conferences, social and community events.
• Smaller, non-essential gatherings held in venues which do not allow social distancing of six (6) feet per person should be postponed or canceled.
• If an event cannot be canceled or postponed, institute the following precautionary measures:
  •  Use phones or video conferencing to reduce the number attending and the need for close interactions;
  • Stagger activities or add frequency of an event to spread out attendance;
  • Encourage those in a high-risk group to not attend the event;
  • Recommend that attendees stay home if they have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms;
  • Practice social distancing, such as adding distance between where individuals sit or stand around tables, and also limit the number of people in lines;
  • Avoid direct physical contact with others, such as hand-shaking, holding hands, and hugging.
  • Event organizers should:
    • Explore alternative site design and set-up;
    • Prop doors open to avoid touching;
    • Increase ventilation within the facility;
    • Increase the number of hygiene stations;
    • Clean frequently touched surfaces, such as handrails and countertops, during the event.
  • For those who attend the event, recommend they take the following precautions to prevent possible transmission of the COVID-19 before, during, and after the event:
    • Wash hands often with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
    • Cough and sneeze into the elbow or into a tissue;
    • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

This guidance allows for small group gatherings, but makes gathering in any numbers a challenge for most spaces. 

One piece of advice worth considering comes from a Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine named Graham Medley. When asked about changing our mindset toward the spread of COVID-19, he said, “So, most people have a fear of acquiring the virus. I think a good way of doing it is to imagine that you do have the virus and change your behavior so that you’re not transmitting it. Don’t think about changing your behavior so that you won’t get it, think about changing your behavior so you don’t give it to somebody else.”

Stay tuned as we finalize our approach to this.

Sunday Worship Service – Available Online

Today’s message from John is available online via LiveStream and YouTube.

Giving

(Repeating this here as a “sticky” for those who haven’t read past statements.)

Here are three ways to give in lieu of our traditional offering collection at the end of Sunday services:

1. Bring a check to the church office: Although we’re not having our normal gatherings, the church office will remain open during regular hours, M-F, 9am – 4pm. Just swing by and drop off your gift.
2. Mail a check to Headwaters’ office: Mail your check to the church office at the address below.

1001 W Wallen Rd

Fort Wayne, IN 46825

If you use giving envelopes, either include your giving envelope with your gift or write your envelope number in the memo area of your check.

3. Give online: ***NEW***  Headwaters Church has (at long last) established online giving. If you’d like to give online, you can now do so here. You can also install and use the Church Center mobile app, which now includes a Give icon at the bottom of the main screen. Watch this video to learn more about giving online. If you don’t yet have the Church Center app, you can download it to your iPhone or Android phone via these links:

              

If you already have Church Center on your smartphone, the new Give icon will appear the next time you open the app.

Keep checking back!

(Sticky)

Please check the church web site regularly for further updates. We’re striving to provide at least a daily update via our web site and Facebook page as we learn more and as our plans for ministry in this new environment evolve.

Please watch today’s message from John for a comforting message and guidance as to how we might pray effectively during this unique time.

________________________________________

Saturday, March 14, 12:08 PM

HEADWATERS CHURCH IS SUSPENDING ALL GATHERINGS THROUGH AT LEAST SATURDAY, MARCH 21.

While we’re doing our best to protect one another from spread of the COVID-19 disease by suspending our gatherings, we hope to continue as many aspects of the ministry as we reasonably can. So, here’s some information about online viewing of John’s Sunday sermon and some news/instructions on how to remain faithful in your financial gifts to the ministry.

Sunday Worship Service – Online Only

Tomorrow (Sunday, March 15), will be our first “e-church Sunday” as we’re offering only a prerecorded sermon by John online via LiveStream and YouTube. Expect this sermon to be available to watch by 9:00 AM Sunday morning.

Giving

Here are three ways to give in lieu of our traditional offering collection at the end of Sunday services:

1. Bring a check to the church office: Although we’re not having our normal gatherings, the church office will remain open during regular hours, M-F, 9am – 4pm. Just swing by and drop off your gift.
2. Mail a check to Headwaters’ office: Mail your check to the church office at the address below.

1001 W Wallen Rd

Fort Wayne, IN 46825

If you use giving envelopes, either include your giving envelope with your gift or write your envelope number in the memo area of your check.

3. Give online: ***NEW***  Headwaters Church has (at long last) established online giving. If you’d like to give online, you can now do so here. You can also install and use the Church Center mobile app, which now includes a Give icon at the bottom of the main screen. Watch this video to learn more about giving online. If you don’t yet have the Church Center app, you can download it to your iPhone or Android phone via these links:

              

If you already have Church Center on your smartphone, the new Give icon will appear the next time you open the app.

Keep checking back here!

Please check the church web site (or Facebook page) regularly for further updates. We’re striving to provide at least a daily update as we learn more and as our plans for ministry in this new environment evolve.

Again, please pray for all who are affected by this outbreak of COVID-19. Let’s also pray for our national, state, and local leaders as they face difficult decisions, many of which will not be popular with those they’re intended to protect. Pray for our Staff, Deacons, volunteer ministry leaders, and Elders as we work together to create new ways of doing ministry without our main facilities. And let’s not forget our health care workers who place themselves at risk as they provide care to those in need. Finally, pray that God would work through this crisis, and through us to make his name great among the people.

Phil 4:5b-7  The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

________________________________________

Friday, March 13, 11:30 AM

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, HEADWATERS CHURCH IS SUSPENDING ALL GATHERINGS FOR AT LEAST ONE WEEK.

Unless you have been disconnected from modern civilization for the past several weeks, you have probably been inundated with news about the Coronavirus disease designated as COVID-19. Even in just the past week, concerns about COVID-19 have escalated from isolated travel bans to major event cancellations, broad institutional closures, and official designation by the World Health Organization (WHO) this past Wednesday as a global pandemic. Consequently, late Thursday afternoon, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb directed that there be no non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people.

Given all that, please consider the following:

First: Trust God. No matter what, God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He doesn’t change in his love for us or his promises to us, and He will see us through this to whatever end his good and perfect will has in store. Our part in all of this is to be faithful, not fearful - to persevere, not panic.

Second: Know the facts. As of Thursday, March 12 at 11:59 PM, the Indiana State Department of Health has reported twelve (12) positive cases of COVID-19 and zero (0) resulting deaths in the state in Indiana. The World Health Organization states, “Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others.”[1] So, while COVID-19 should be taken very seriously, it appears to be most dangerous primarily to those with compromised immune systems, such as senior citizens and those with certain preexisting health issues.

Third: React responsibly. Headwaters is taking responsible and reasonable measures to lessen risks relative to COVID-19. Here’s what we’re doing:

• Suspending all gatherings for at least the next week while we determine safe ways to continue ministries. We will have modified worship services online (via Livestream and YouTube) and will be developing facilities for holding virtual (online) ministry gatherings. (More on this in next few days.)
• Monitoring and responding to state and county department of health, and federal (CDC) notices and recommendations.
• Limiting missions and other ministry travel, particularly to large venue events and to or from locations known to be COVID-19 hot spots.
• Implementing preventive practices once we resume gatherings:
  • Social hygiene: Not shaking hands when greeting and maintaining two to three feet of personal space when interacting.
  • Hand hygiene: Urging frequent handwashing and ensuring that handwashing and hand sanitizing supplies are abundantly available at church facilities.
  • Church facility hygiene: Cleaning and sanitizing restrooms, nurseries and other high-concentration/trafficked areas frequently and thoroughly.
  • Respiratory etiquette: Covering mouth and nose with sleeve or arm when coughing or sneezing and using hand sanitizer after coughing or sneezing.
  • Voluntary isolation: Staying home when not feeling well, especially if experiencing any type of flu-like symptoms, or when someone you live with or recently visited displays flu-like symptoms.
  • Other cautionary measures such as changing how we dispense communion elements.
• Continuing communications with our congregation as we learn from reliable sources of changes in the nature of the disease, its spread, and best practices for minimizing risk.

Finally… and perhaps most importantly, we encourage prayer for all of those affected by this disease, both directly and indirectly and for wisdom as we make decisions on how to best minister to our church and community during this growing crisis.

Please check this web site frequently for further updates. We’ll do our best to provide at least a daily update as we learn more and as our plans for ministry in this new environment evolve.

Phil 4:5b-7  The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

________________________________________

Thursday, March 12, 2020, 9:30 PM

Late Thursday afternoon (3/12), Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has, out of an abundance of caution and in hope of slowing the spread of COVID-19, directed that there be no non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people. We are awaiting further details from the Indiana State Department of Health to determine the best courses of action. But, it’s now a certainty that most, if not all Headwaters Church gatherings will be affected by this news.Please check back to this web site Friday at noon for further updates.

Allen County Health Department Guidelines

(Indiana.gov) Indiana State Department of Health Guidelines