April 6th Update

We have received some bit of good news as of recent, and we would like to share the response from the Governor's office.  This has to do with our ability to meet in small groups, such as bible study, TUMI, and other small meeting opportunities at our FRF Office.  Please keep in mind that we still need to coordinate our group meeting times, so we humbly ask that you contact us ahead of time to schedule.  We would greatly enjoy seeing you here and do not want to turn anyone away.  This is the letter we would like to share:  (Full details here "DHSS Mandate")

Dear Network Family:

I’m following up to my note I sent to you on Saturday, March 28th, concerning the

new COVID-19 Health Mandates that Governor Dunleavy announced on Friday

March 27th.

I emailed the Governor’s office and asked the following question: Under Health

Mandate 12, may our pastors and their staff or volunteers, as long as they

practice social distancing, with no more than 10 gathered, serve their

communities as an "essential business?" The basic question: Are churches

"essential business?"

Here is the unedited answer from Bryan J. Fisher, Incident Commander:

Bill,

If your constituents can comply with Health Mandate 011 and 012, under

"Alaska's Essential Services and Critical Infrastructure" Attachment A, Section

II., b., 6., 20. All other businesses that can maintain Social Distancing

Requirements (defined below) and prohibit congregations of no more than 10

people in the business at a time (including employees), and

III. SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS. a. “Social Distancing Requirements”

includes maintaining at least six-foot social distancing from other

individuals, washing hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as

frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol,

covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands), regularly

cleaning high-touch surfaces, and not shaking hands, they can continue their

Work.

Regards,

Bryan J. Fisher

Incident Commander

Alaska State Emergency Operations Center/Unified Command

AK-DHSEM-20-Z-004

2020 COVID-19 Response

State Coordinating Officer

FEMA-3446-EM-AK

Basically, what this means for our churches, if you want to assemble a small

team of less than 10 persons, a combination of paid staff and volunteers,

practicing the strict standards of social distancing and sanitizing, you may be

in your building together executing the “essential services” of your work.

If your local Mayor or City Manager gives you mandates that are stricter than those

of the Governor, you need to carefully follow the local recommendations and

mandates. If your local official recommendations and mandates are not as

restrictive, you need to follow the Governor’s recommendations and mandates.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. You are in my thoughts

and prayers.

Sincerely in Christ,

Bill Welch

What does this mean?  Well it means we can once again meet in small gatherings! Good news indeed.  Remember to stay safe, keep our hands washed and faces covered if possible.  

With this in mind, we sincerely look forward to hearing from you, and remember that Jesus our Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever.  No matter what trials come, it is for our good and His Glory.  Let us join together in worship, study and praise.

God bless and see you soon!

FRF Team