Dear Mandarin/Longleaf Church,
We pray this finds each of you safe, healthy, and well as we are in the midst of this month of July. The Mandarin/Longleaf Relaunch team is working very hard to do no harm to each one of you and our community. The Relaunch team is also working very hard at bringing our worshipping bodies back to outdoor in-person worship as soon as possible but in a safe way.
It is also very important for you to know that we desire to be transparent in our decisions so that you understand the current decisions in the ever-changing context to which we are working in. As you are aware, this is a very fluid situation and will continue to be for some time to come.
Our Mandarin/Longleaf Relaunch team is working very hard to research the present data and utilize the wisdom and expertise of our health care professionals to determine the most appropriate response to the spread of COVID-19. We thank you for your patience through this uncertain time. Our ultimate goal is to do no harm by keeping our church community safe.
Here are some of the changes since our last Relaunch team’s publication:
General Information
- The recent upturn in COVID-19 case counts across our local counties and state have forced us to reevaluate our previously communicated plan and proposed timeline.
- Updated guidance from the Florida Conference is now strongly encouraging churches to remain virtual at this time. Many churches in our Florida Conference have ceased in-person worship and are now worshipping only online.
- Mandates in parts of our local area (Jacksonville) are now requiring masks to be worn in public settings.
- Push back a few weeks to early August for the beginning of in-person Outdoor Worship
- Prior to moving into Phase 2 (Outdoor Worship) or any of the subsequent phases, the relaunch team will be monitoring the following criteria for stabilization or decrease over the course of 14 days in our surrounding counties (Clay, Duval, St. Johns):
- Hospitalizations
- Case Count
- Deaths
These numbers must stabilize or decrease for a 14-day period prior to entry into each phase. However, we must remember that guidance or mandates from the Florida Conference, The St. Johns County School District (Longleaf Campus), the individual counties or the State of Florida may supersede the criteria and plan at any time.
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