UPDATED March 12, 2020 at 4:30 p.m.  In cooperation with Governor Jay Inslee’s executive order on Thursday, March 12, Renton Church has moved to a status of Stage 3. This means that our church building will be closed and our worship service will move online. Please refer to the list below for a complete list of implications for our worship services this Saturday.

With the presence of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in King County, each of us must take precautionary measures for the peace of mind and continued health of the Renton community as well as our guests.

As news surrounding the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) continues to develop, the staff and leadership of Renton Church are taking prudent steps to keep our community healthy. The actions we’re taking are consistent with those of several of our large institutions and are out of an abundance of caution. We are continuing to monitor information released by the CDC, the State of Washington, King County, as well as other alerts for our area.

We will release updates on status changes through the church’s FacebookTwitter, and Instagram accounts, as well as the church website, the Monday Rewind email newsletter, and the robo call phone system.

Our hope is that these actions will help slow the spread of COVID-19 specifically to avoid overwhelming our local medical facilities.

Below, you’ll find our contingency plan with accompanying actions based on severity. This includes the implications for our worship service and planned activities for the coming weekend, March 14.

However, please note that this is an emerging, rapidly-evolving situation. Renton Church leadership may need to make adjustments to the action items below.

Worship Contingency Plan Now in Effect

  • All congregants will be directed toward online worship services; no worship services or activities will be available on Renton’s campus.
  • All giving will move online.
  • All facility use, including worship services, rehearsals, meetings, concerts, and facility rentals will be suspended until further notice.
  • All church-sponsored events (on and off-site) will be suspended until further notice.
  • The church office will be closed, and all contact will be directed through email and phone (425-226-0490).
  • The church leadership may consult with the Department of Health or appropriate health professionals regarding the steps required to move forward.

Personal Preparedness

There are many common-sense steps that you can take to limit the spread of COVID-19. For 80% of cases, it is a relatively mild illness that does not require hospitalization. While there is currently no way to eliminate COVID-19, we can slow down its spread and protect our vulnerable population by:

  • Washing your hands frequently with soap and water (singing the Happy Birthday song twice will ensure you’ve scrubbed long enough).
  • Not touching your face (mouth, nose, eyes) with your hands.
  • Staying home if you feel sick until the illness is resolved.
  • Covering all coughs and sneezes with a tissue and wash your hands thoroughly afterward.
  • Staying away from others who are ill when possible.

Meeting Remotely

We’ve been praying about the coronavirus epidemic for several weeks. We continue petitioning God on behalf of those afflicted with the coronavirus, those treating the sick, as well as those working toward a cure or a breakthrough in treatment. If you’d like to submit a prayer request, whether it’s related to coronavirus or not, send an email to [email protected]. To continue meetings that are important to the life of the church, we will have an audio/video conference call solution in place to allow people to come together from remote locations, should that be required.

Updated on March 12, 2019, at 10:35 AM