Church Services Cancelled Until April

Secretariaat SDA Almere Bethanië

Hello my Beloved Bethanie Family:
After extensive conversation with the church board, a consensus has been reached that it is the best interest of the church family to close the Almere Bethanie Church, and suspend all services, until the end of the month of March. 
the Coronavirus has a fast spreading flu-like disease that attacks the lungs and one’s breathing. It can be spread from person to person, as well as from surface to person. The virus can live on the surface of an object for +12 hours. It can take 2 weeks to show any signs if sickness at all you become infected. 
The Dutch government has declared that there can be no more than 100 persons together at any given event. However, I have church members who work with schools and hospitals, who have told me that those institutions have declared that no more than 30 person can be together at any place in their facility. it is from this rule that universities have canceled class until further notice. As recently as of the morning of 12 March, it was noted that Almere had 200+ cases of the virus in that city. 
it is armed with this and other information that the I and the Board decided to close the church. 

I know this is challenging for us. For many of us, Sabbath rest is synonymous with Church worship and fellowship. It feels odd to not have a sermon, sing songs, or pray together within the church building. We feel sad about closing the church during this time. However, we would feel 1000 times worse if the church became the chemistry lab for the virus to spread further, if someone contracting the virus within our church. So the decision is to close the church until the end of March, and the beginning of April. 
We will be using the Facebook page to communicate church information. devotionals and other messages will be left on the Facebook page. We will also be leaving things to address health, for us to build our immune systems. 

Beloved, I would remind us all that, as Seventh-day Adventists, we have known, believed, and taught that someday this type of thing would happen. at this time we close the church for congregational and community safety. We are not being persecuted…yet. we should take this as a practice run. We should use this time to discover the multiple other ways that God wants to bless us on the sabbath, and use us to bless others. This would be an excellent time to consider implementing the small candle-group emphasis of Elder Ivette, Sr.Anika, and Sr Ellen. 

May God richly bless you during this time. Prayer for your fellow church members. I’ll see you on Facebook
We love you all

• Pastor Jason, Melissa, Abrielle, and Myla
• Board members:
• Elder Ravaldo Cambridge
• Elder Mitchell Tolud
• Elder Ivette Ricardo
• Secretaris Marhilva Wilsterman 
• Treasurer Judith Themen- Ackson
• Sabbath School Leader Anneke Tjon Ahin
• Family department Deborah Geijsvliet 
• Head deaconesses Silvida Westerink
• Head deacon Aysel Ricardo 
• Youth leader Lucinda Tholen
• Building manager Xiomar Elisabeth
• Mission department Ellen Martijn

For further coronavirus Covid-19 information in The Netherlands please visit Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu.