Dear Earth Ministry community,
I’m writing with an important update about Earth Ministry’s upcoming events, in light of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Seattle area.
Yesterday, King County Public Health asked for those who “can feasibly avoid bringing large groups of people together, consider postponing events and gatherings.” Given this recommendation, we feel that it is prudent to cancel Earth Ministry’s trivia contest on March 14 out of consideration for the health of our community. Other events will be postponed or canceled on a case-by-case basis as the situation evolves.
Rest assured that we made this decision in consultation with public health officials, elected leaders, and our faith partners to best understand current risks and respond appropriately. Our top priority is to ensure the wellbeing of our community, and ensuring that the virus isn’t transmitted further is crucial to protecting the most vulnerable among us.
The trivia contest was Earth Ministry’s spring fundraiser, and not hosting it will have an impact on our ability to continue our good work for people and the planet.
Our goal was to raise $20,000 from the event — we hope that you will show your support of Earth Ministry by making a contribution to help us reach our fundraising goal. Thank you for continuing to empower our work.
In the meantime, we encourage you to care for yourself and others during this uncertain time. It’s important to remember that we are a community of faith, and that care and concern for our neighbors is one of our core values. We can all do our part by remaining calm and stopping the spread of fear and misinformation. If you are healthy, considering offering to help those who are homebound by delivering groceries, supplies, or medications to their doorstep. We must also strongly reject anti-Asian discrimination. The risk of coronavirus is not at all connected with race, ethnicity, or nationality. Stigma will not help to fight the illness, and we encourage all of our members to call out this racist narrative whenever you encounter it.
Now more than ever we need to ensure that the social fabric that connects us remains whole. Relationships with each other form the heart of the Earth Ministry community, and I’m grateful that you are part of it. If you have any questions or concerns about Earth Ministry’s response to COVID-19, please feel free to reach out to me. I look forward to seeing you at another Earth Ministry event in the future.
Yours,
LeeAnne