From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — In response to increased COVID cases at First Baptist Church Trussville, the church is encouraging parishioners to take precautions.
“While there are no current state mandates for churches, we will continue strict cleaning and increase visibility of our ongoing safety precautions at all entrances,” FBCT said in a statement. “We will encourage those who come on campus to be aware of their social distance and consider wearing masks while going through our campus.”
Some events have been postponed since several members tested positive for the coronavirus. The Men on Mission Trip and Children’s Camp are among those events.
The church recently wrapped up its 200th-anniversary celebrations. There were several large gatherings celebrating the bicentennial.
This Sunday, the church will offer services online and in-person at 9:15 and 10:45. You can watch on Facebook, YouTube, and at fbctrussville.org/live.
Below is the letter from First Baptist Church Trussville to its congregation:
Dear First Family:
I hope your summer days are going well and you are enjoying the daily rain showers! Well, here we go again. Just when we thought things were settling down and life was getting back to normal, Covid 19 has come back for another visit. Please be assured that we are aware of what is taking place and trying to find a balance between taking precautions and living life as normal as possible. We are also aware that any precautions that are made will be too extreme for some and not enough for others. Due to this, we encourage each of you to do what is best for you.
When you arrive on campus, you will of course experience a clean environment that will be constantly prepared for your arrival. Mask and hand sanitizers will be available for you at each entrance. Because both the vaccinated and not-yet vaccinated are being infected, we would encourage you to practice physical distancing as much as possible. However, even with these precautions, which have become our new normal, it will still be necessary for some of you to stay at home. We certainly embrace this and we will be working with each of your classes so that you can utilize zoom to stay connected with your small group. Of course, you can worship with us each week as we celebrate God’s goodness together through several different avenues.
I encourage you to pray for one another during these days. Thank you for your prayers, love and support for your leadership team as we strive daily to navigate these uncharted waters. First Baptist Church has survived a lot during the past 200 years and we will not only survive this but thrive! The best days are ahead of us and God will continue to do what only He can! Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 NIV)
ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
The majority of counties in Alabama are in the “very high risk” category for coronavirus infections, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH).
The ADPH bases the risk level of each county on the number of new cases each day. The number of new cases each day is calculated with a rolling seven-day average.
Those living in areas colored in red are encouraged to follow guidelines:
- People at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19, including people 65 or older and people with heart disease, diabetes, other chronic diseases, or weakened immune systems, should exercise extreme caution and stay at home if at all possible. People who work or live with high-risk people should be especially careful to try to reduce their chances of getting the virus.
- Maintain social distancing in public settings.
- Wear face coverings when social distancing is not possible.
- Work from home, if possible. If not, maintain a 6 ft. distance from others.
- Avoid groups of more than 20 people.
- Avoid all unnecessary travel.
- Use takeout, pickup or delivery from restaurants, instead of dining in.
- Avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, nursing homes, or other residential care facilities.
- Wear face coverings when visiting with friends or family when within 6 ft. of people outside your household.
- Hold online worship services, if possible.
With the recent increase in coronavirus infections and deaths, authorities nationwide are urging people to get vaccinated. An estimated 96.2% of deaths in Alabama from COVID-19 in the past three months have occurred in people who were not fully vaccinated, Gov. Kay Ivey said.
State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said, “COVID-19 vaccines are our best defense in preventing serious disease as well as deaths, and this is especially important as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads. While it is possible to get any strain of the virus, infected people are much less likely to experience complications or hospitalizations if fully vaccinated.”
