We said we would be in touch with ways we can support and encourage our community in this time, and here we are!

CONNECT

Coming to you live from your living room or porch or wherever, it’s Virtual Coffee with a Pastor! Join Kat or Brett Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10am and 2pm for an hour of coffee and conversation. The links to each gathering are below:

Tuesdays with Brett, 10am: https://zoom.us/j/972310574

Tuesdays with Kat, 2pm: https://zoom.us/j/938847777

Thursdays with Kat, 10am: https://zoom.us/j/286431910

Thursdays with Brett, 2pm: https://zoom.us/j/501655457

SERVE

We’ve heard from Lisa Martin at Forrest General,  Bethany Rigney at the Hattiesburg Clinic, and our partner Kelsey Steffens from the Give and Take Kitchen Foundation that there are 4 groups who could use our help – those working at the Cough and Fever Clinic, the ER nurses at Forrest General, the nurses working with non-Coronavirus patients at FGH, and students and families in Hattiesburg in need of meals. Here’s what we can do:

1. For the craftier among us, we can make face masks for the nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals who are treating and caring for patients. These masks can help prolong the effectiveness of medical grade masks by about 80 percent.

If you want to make masks, we’ve attached instructions HERE (I’ll add the photo Lisa sent with dimensions, etc.) and HERE is a link to video tutorial. A couple of notes from Lisa:

– 1st layer should be non-woven cotton (waterproof material is better, but cotton works),
– 2nd layer should be non-woven microfiber. 
– 3rd layer should be fine, woven cotton. 
– 4th layer a quilting broadcloth, leaving an opening at top to place a filter in. With 1/2 or 1 inch closures. 
– No elastic loops (they don’t keep in snug on the face). Ties can be made of the same material and should be 20-24 inches long.

2. We can also make small care packages for the nurses, doctors, and others at the Cough and Fever clinic and at Forrest General Hospital who are working long hours and putting in tremendous effort to keep us well.

As for the care packages, any small items are great. Think about what you might like to get if you were working long days:

– Small, Individually Wrapped Snacks
– Small, Individually Wrapped Cheese
– Chewing Gum
– Protein Bars
– Drinks (Water, Tea, Soda, etc.)
– Small or Travel Sized Bottles of Lotion
– A Thoughtful Note or Card (Kids art is nice too!)

3. The Give and Take Kitchen is need of volunteers between the ages of 18 and 60 to help serve meals at various locations. They are taking every precaution to keep people safe and healthy as they serve our neighbors who are in need of help. Please email Brett (brett@ubchm.org) if you’re willing to help out in this way, and he’ll connect you with Kelsey and Raigan at Give and Take.

When you’ve made your masks or gathered your care packages, you can drop them by the church or take them to Kat’s house. Coordinate with her first (kat@ubchm.org), as the hours she’s at the church office vary each day. Kat will coordinate with Lisa and Bethany in delivering your items to the hospital and clinic.

Thank you for your wilingness to help our neighbors who are caring for our community! If you have any questions, let us know.

As always, you belong.