COVID-19 Church Announcement

Dear Shepherd of the Valley Community Members and Friends,
 
The spread of the COVID-19 “Coronavirus” is changing lives and neighborhoods around us as we speak. During these times of uncertainty, it’s important to trust in the things that always carry us through life:

• we are not the center of the universe
• compassion for each other is the root of faith and goodness
• no matter what, we will not be alone

 
Because COVID-19 is persistent, easily-spread, and can be present in a carrier who otherwise shows no symptoms, we are called to live out faithful ethics in a different way during this time. Medical officials have told us that there is no sure way to prevent the virus from expanding. They have asked that we maintain enough distance from each other to slow the spread to a level they can cope with. This is especially important for the most vulnerable among us: those of advanced age, other illnesses, or with compromised immune systems.
 
The people Shepherd of the Valley are committed to caring for people at highest risk for negative effects from COVID-19. Our church council met last weekend and unanimously affirmed that the health of the Boise community—particularly the most vulnerable among us—lies at the center of our call to serve faithfully at this time.
 
As of right now, we are taking the following steps:

1. All gatherings at Shepherd of the Valley have been suspended. This includes Sunday worship, Wednesday night worship, all meetings, and all groups. This will continue as long as COVID-19 remains at pandemic levels.
2. We have spoken to our people in the worship context and asked them to have an eye out for their neighbors, to serve whenever and however possible, and to refrain from hoarding and other practices which seek to protect the self at the expense of others.
3. Beginning this weekend, we will offer worship online available for viewing and participation throughout the week.
4. Beginning next week, we will start submitting content to our website on a much more frequent basis, shifting our community context from physical to virtual space.
5. We will also shift daily church operations from primarily administrative and geared towards face-to-face contact to primarily service-oriented and geared towards the immediate needs of the people around us. We have always quietly been hub in our neighborhood for food, assistance, and support. We’re going to make that even more obvious and central to our mission in this time of need.

 
We invite you to visit this space often, not just to see what you can receive here but also to see how you can help. We hope you will find many opportunities for both.
 
Blessings during this time. If you want to talk or need assistance, call the church office at 208.362.1112.
 
Pastor Dave​