COVID 19 A Pastoral Perspective

COVID-19 has been accompanied by a flood of misinformation from unreliable sources. Be
thoughtful about what you read or hear about the virus and make sure you are separating rumor
from fact before you act.
 While waiting for a vaccine for COVID-19, we need to learn to live with this virus and to rely on the
tools we have right now to slow the spread of this virus. That starts with the 3Ws: wear, wait and
wash.
o Face coverings that cover the mouth and nose help because people can have COVID-19 and
not know it yet and give it to others.
 In the past week, North Carolina has averaged about 16,800 tests per day, a
significant increase from a month ago when the average was approximately 7,500
tests per day.

o You are urged to get tested for COVID-19 if you have:
 Have been exposed to COVID-19, regardless of whether you are showing
symptoms.
 Work in high-risk settings
 Have attended a mass gathering
o If you have encounter someone diagnosed with COVID-19, you should stay home for at
least 14 days.

- This is not the time for us to go back until the positive count and cases began to decline
significantly and an adequate amount of testing is provided, we should not attempt to congregate.
Black Americans along with Latin Americans have recorded a higher percentage of COVID cases
and death than our share of the population.
- At this point I am recommending, along with the officers, that we not reopen until there is evidence
this virus is gone down dramatically. The pressure to reopen the churches is not coming as much
from parishioners as much as it is pastors feeling the financial strain because of members not
bringing and sending adequate offerings to the church. It takes just as much or more faith to stay
closed and trust God to supply our needs (Philippians 4:19) as it does to open and risk the health
and life of our members and community. The love of money is (still) the root of all evil. –1 Timothy
6:10. Our President, State Governors and other non-medical personnel should not be deciding the
course of action during a pandemic. Our doctors and health officials should be our source for the
course we take.
- If we are to utilize our facilities during this period, I would only recommend it be done so as a
“testing site.” The same as we are using our facilities to distribute commodities to the community.
This is a time when we can use what the Lord has provided us with to minister to our communities
as Christian churches. Let the community see us as God’s hand of love reaching out to help and
minister to them in their/our time of need.
The information from our County Health Department and other government health agencies is not provided
as a scare tactic. It is there to guide us in making informed decisions for our personal well-being and the
well-being of our communities. So, I am providing some information from our county below.
 Due to the need to focus increased efforts and personnel on contact tracing and monitoring,
effective immediately the Cleveland County Health Department will no longer report a COVID-19
case count on a daily basis. Instead, updates will be provided on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays on the county’s website and on the Cleveland County Health Department’s Facebook page.
“At this point, COVID-19 is widespread throughout the county, and we know there is community
transmission,” Cleveland County Health Department Deputy Director DeShay Oliver said. “It is less

important to know where there are new cases in the county now than it was in the beginning of the
pandemic. Therefore, we are now allocating resources away from daily reports and towards contact
tracing and monitoring. Any time people leave home and go to a public place, they should take
preventive measures and assume the virus is there. This includes wearing a cloth face covering,
waiting six feet apart and washing their hands.
 Daily cases report for the county as of today by zip code:
o 28020 Casar 2
o 28021 Cherryville 8
o 28073 Grover 11
o 28040 Ellenboro 0
o 28086 Kings Mountain 37
o 28090 Lawndale 7
o 28114 Mooresboro 4
o 28150 Shelby 84
o 28152 Boiling Springs 57 –Green Bethel is second highest in the county.

A clear purpose of many biblical principles is to prevent problems before they take place. Proverbs 22:3
states that “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and
suffers the consequences.” (New Living Translation)