Shortly after news of the first person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 in the U.S. circulated, Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky sent a letter to local churches and ministries encouraging them to take reasonable precautions. Over the year that followed, Greater Northwest Churches and ministries inhabited warranted caution, actively adapting to do no harm as the U.S. awaited vaccinations and grieved the loss of nearly 600k citizens.

In a pastoral letter on April 22, Bishop Elaine Stanovsky wrote to United Methodists across in the Greater Northwest Area, sharing her posture of hopeful caution as progress was being seen in the fight against the coronavirus. As she asked churches to “remain vigilant in their planning and decision-making processes,” Bishop Stanovsky also promised an update to the area’s COVID-19 guidelines by today, May 5.

That new guidance for local churches and ministries, titled Stepping forward safely in love and trust, is now available and goes into effect on May 17, 2021. The new framework builds upon, but replaces Reimagining Life Together. It acknowledges the continuing risk of disease, advances in science, and the increasing capacity of our local church leaders to manage the risk in their contexts.

This resource page is designed to support leaders as they make critical decisions in a situation that is quickly changing. We believe it essential that such decisions are made with the latest, fact-based information available to us.