Corona Virus Information 

Preventive Measures for Congregations

1. If you have a cold stay home. If you have a cold, but must go out, cover your mouth with a TISSUE EVERY TIME you cough or sneeze. Use a new tissue each time.  
2. Stress frequent hand WASHING for 20 seconds with soap and water. Teach that WETTING the hands is NOT sanitary.
3. ​Use an alcohol-based Hand Sanitizer. Do sanitizer giveaways.
​4. Do not touch your face, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
​5. Disinfect high touch items, i.e. handrails, microphones…
​6. Fist-bump instead of shaking hands.
​7. Teach congregations to be “hug-less” and love more. 
​8. Remember, divine protection and divine precaution are both biblical.
​9. Model these behaviors for children so they understand what precautions to take.
​10. Update your contact list.
Online Technology Ministry Resources

Dear CME Family,

​The Communication and Information Technology (CIT) Connectional Department is sharing recommended free and discounted communication and technology resources for local churches to use through this season of social distancing due to the COVID-19 virus. This information is available online here. If you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to email cit@thecmechurch.org.

GENERAL ONLINE RESOURCES

On behalf of the denomination, CIT has acquired free (and discounted) technology tools and resources from Google Suite, Microsoft, and Zoom. These partnerships were brokered through the CME Church’s partnership with TechSoup.

​Google: Google is offering the enterprise version to G Suite for nonprofits. This includes free access to advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing capabilities like meetings with up to 250 participants per call and live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a domain. 

​The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church has an enterprise G Suite for the denomination. If you are interested in a shared drive for your congregation and email address on <thecmechurch.org> domain, please email cit@thecmechurch.org.  

Read more here about Google for NonProfits,


Microsoft: Microsoft is offering Teams for free. Teams is a collaboration tool with chat, video calling, personal and team file storage, and more. Read more here.​

WhatsApp: WhatsApp is a freeware, cross-platform messaging and Voice over IP service owned by Facebook, Inc. It allows users to send text messages and voice messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other media. Sign up here for WhatsApp.

Platforms for Streaming.

​Commonly used and widely accessible platforms for video-conferencing and live-streaming include Facebook Live, Google Hangout, Periscope, Skype, YouTube and Zoom.

​Use Facebook Live to Stream Your Church Event

Ministry Brand is providing a free webinar and Tech resources for live streaming, emergency communications, & giving. Sign up today for the March 17, 2020 2 PM Webinar here. 

VideoConference / Telephone Conference Calls

Zoom:
Zoom combines video and audio conferencing, simple online meetings, and group messaging into one platform. Zoom meetings run on mobile and desktop devices and in hardware-equipped conference rooms. Imagine using Zoom for your training where you can present and share your screen!
Zoom can be secured by IT for the denomination at discount rates through our partnership with TechSoup! CIT an administrative fee to TechSoup and an annual subscription fee for Zoom. 

​A one year Zoom Pro subscription with access to discounted rates is $75 per host for the discounted annual subscription. The regular monthly subscription is $14.95 or $180 per year, 

The Zoom Meetings Business Plan provides access to a 50 percent discount on a one-year subscription for new subscribers for 10 hosts. – $99.95 per year for each host! The month fee is $19.99 per month or $240 per year.  

The fee may increase slightly to cover the cost of the administrative fees being charged to the denomination,

FreeConferenceCalls: Receive a FreeConferenceCall.com account instantly with just an e-mail and password. Once you sign up, you will be provided with a Dial-in Number and Access Code for immediate conferencing, and an Online Meeting ID for hosting meetings with Screen Sharing and Video Conferencing. Your account is available to you 24/7 and there is no need to schedule or make any reservations. Each audio conference can accommodate 1,000 callers on an unlimited number of free conference calls. 

Slack: Slack is a collaboration app that already has a free version, but they are now offering webinars and one-on-one consultations to help you navigate your own transition to a remote workforce. Read more here.


WORSHIP

One License: One License is offering free licensing through April 15. They license hundred of music publishers, typically for hymnals, choral arrangements and other traditional music. You must have a Podcast / Streaming License to stream worship services that include music from their list of publishers. You can sign up for a new license or, if you already have an Annual Reprint License (only to print/project music or lyrics), you can add the Podcast / Streaming License to your account. Read more here.

Outreach: Beginning March 20, Outreach Digital is offering a free solution for streaming your church’s services online, including chat, notes, and the Bible. This allows you to stream from your church’s website without needing to use Facebook. Read more here.

​

Online Giving Solutions

Givelify
 
Tithe.ly

EasyTithe

PayPal

Pushpay

 
Free Adobe Creative Cloud tools for Students K-12 and in Two and Four-Year Colleges

Adobe is offering Creative Cloud tools to students through May 31, 2020.


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In the Service of the Lord,

Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick

Bishop Thomas L Brown, Sr., Chair of the College of Bishops

Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, Secretary of the College of Bishops

Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
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