Harvest House International Church (HHI) is rolling-out a Coronavirus (Covid-19) awareness campaign, a development that saw the church use its members who are health practitioners on Sunday to sensitive congregants on the pandemic that has claimed lives worldwide.
To date, the country has only two confirmed cases in Victoria Falls and Harare, of the deadly disease which broke out late last year in China before spreading all over the world.
The Harare patient succumbed to the disease on Monday.
Healthcare workers, who included doctors and nurses were afforded some time before the preaching of the word to give awareness talks on Covid-19 across the church’s branches dotted around Bulawayo.
Congregants who also observed a social distance of at least one metre were taken through the causes, symptoms and preventive measures against Covid-19.
HHI, a member of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), has since taken measures to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.
In a circular sent to branches, by one the leaders of the church, Senior Reverend Sarah Nyathi, advised the church to split services into not more than hundred congregants including preachers.
“The size of the choir will be reduced to only 13 members made up of 10 singers and three instrumentalists, who will also be spaced at 1 metre apart on the stage,” said Nyathi.
“Microphones, instruments and chairs will be sanitised before the next service. It may be necessary to place microphones on stands instead of holding them with bare hands. Offering baskets will be placed in front of the church for members to go and give individually.”
The church, which has since suspended until further notice, evangelism outreaches, said members with flu-like symptoms should stay at home until they recover but they should advise their service pastors and care network leaders of their reasons for not going to church.
“Children’s Church Ministry (CCM) has been closed with immediate effect as we do not have enough space for social distancing in the halls,” she said.
“Parents are free to leave their children at home for the time being.”
Meanwhile, EFZ which has encouraged churches to promote awareness and preventive on the pandemic warned against the spreading of unverified information.
“Let us avoid spreading panic and falsehoods on social media,” said the EFZ.
