Some of you have seen this video (click here) where I reference a letter I sent to our Governor and local leaders. I read what I wrote to my fellow servant-leaders on our elder/deacon prayer time tonight and share with you as well for your prayers this week:
From: Phil Layton <[email protected]> Date: May 4, 2020 at 12:27:51 PM PDT
Dear Supervisor Parlin and County Health Officer Williams,
We are thankful for and supportive of last week's letter petitioning our governor, and would like to work together specifically on the statement "gatherings of individuals from different households should still be avoided where social distancing is not possible." As a church, I'd love to communicate on how we might cooperate with smaller gathering possibilities consistent with your recommended guidelines in your letter, whether indoor requirements, or also the possibility of outdoor gatherings (which are opening in other states with similar infection rates to our county).
I sent below to Governor Newsom but wanted to send to you also a request to keep in mind along with requests for businesses.
CHURCH NETWORK REQUEST FOR CLARITY ON SMALL GATHERINGS AND OUTDOOR OPTIONS
I am a pastor in El Dorado Country and part of a network of churches in our area. I know I speak for many of our pastors and congregations when I say we are often in prayer for you, thankful, and hopeful you will help us continue in our essential ministry to Californians in a way that meets social distancing guidelines.
SPECIFIC REQUEST: We understand mass gatherings of hundreds or thousands indoors are not on the table for the immediate future, but please give us some clarity and ability on numbers for smaller gatherings and guidelines for outdoor gatherings. For example, if 10 or 25 or eventually 50 were allowed to gather in certain settings with CDC / State protocols, that would greatly facilitate believers being able to fulfill the commands of their faith on a smaller scale (in our case, God's Word that commands many things in person that can't be done by video alone). If indoor gatherings of 100-250 will not be considered till later in the summer, please consider allowing us to meet in safe socially distanced numbers or outdoors perhaps with permits from local officials?...
Thank you for your input, your email has been received by Supervisor Parlin.
On Tue, Apr 28, 2020 at 11:50 AM Phil Layton <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear County Supervisors,
I am the pastor of Gold Country Baptist Church in Shingle Springs and want you to know that you and local and state leaders we regularly pray for including in our streamed services. We've sat in on your meetings with our kids for the map contests and many in our church are active with the county and community in many ways, which we hope to begin to resume soon.
Specifically regarding today's meeting agenda we would pray for and support the proposed letter asking
- if our county can begin to relax stay at home orders for the churches as well as local businesses moving towards Phase 2 of the national approach
- if EDC can move more quickly through the phased approach to allow church gatherings, and our church wants to work with whatever guidelines can be updated for our essential ministries to our community
We are thankful for you and hopeful and prayerful for God's wisdom and guidance in your meeting and appeal to our Governor. I personally pray that this will be a productive week and start of the next month for you and our county, and that God's mercies will continue to be evident and spreading in these times.
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