COGWA cancels Sabbath services

At its website Church of God, a Worldwide Association (COGWA) has the following:

Statement From the Church on Cancelling Sabbath Services March 14, 2020

From Doug Horchak:

Dear Pastors,

The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has proven to be an extremely fluid situation, with circumstances changing by the hour. Taking all things into consideration, we (the Church administration team) have decided to ask all of our U.S. pastors to cancel meeting for Sabbath services tomorrow, March 14.

We realize this is very short notice. However, out of concern for the safety of the brethren—and given the mounting number of emergency declarations and restrictions from an increasing number of state and local governments throughout the country—we feel it is best to ask all of our U.S. congregations to cancel Sabbath services tomorrow.

Some of our pastors are already reporting local restrictions on meetings. For example, many area schools are being shut and our services are being canceled anyway. Various counties are also restricting meetings effective today. There are reports that President Trump will be declaring a national emergency this afternoon. This will further restrict our ability to hold services.

Given that we will not hold services in local congregations, we ask that all of you pastors to be sure to forward the “Statement From the Church on the Coronavirus” (sent to you yesterday) to members of your congregations via email.

The administration team will meet again on Monday, March 16, to further discuss the ongoing impact of the coronavirus outbreak and how it will affect our church services in the weeks that follow. From this meeting, we will develop further guidance and recommendations for all of our pastors early next week about the following Sabbaths, upcoming Passover and holy days.

This is NOT a surprise.

Actually, I looked for something like this earlier today at COGWA’s site and it was not there then. It is now. So, hence this post.

Yesterday, UCG has decided that COVID-19 is important enough to stop services around the world (seeUCG is suspending Sabbath services in the United States and abroad for at least the next two weekends).

Those interested in CCOG online services may wish to see the Letter to the Brethren that was sent out today: Letter to the Brethren: March 12, 2020. The recommended sermonette has to do with a prophetic aspect of COVID-19: COVID-19 Leading to 666?