The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) offices in Cary will remain closed to the public until further notice in an announcement made Wednesday, March 25.
The majority of convention staff, with the exception of a limited number of personnel, will continue to work remotely to maintain business operations.
The original building closure was planned to last for two weeks beginning Tuesday, March 17 and continuing through Tuesday, March 31.
Previous operational announcements are included below.
Operational announcement from March 18
Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) officials informed its staff on Wednesday, March 18, that a Cary-based staff member had experienced secondary exposure with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Therefore, out of an abundance of caution, BSCNC leaders are further restricting access to the Baptist Building in Cary from 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 18, until 7:30 a.m., Thursday, March 26, to further limit potential exposure and to disinfect the building in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These measures are in addition to enhanced cleaning protocols that have already been implemented.
While most staff had already been working remotely since Tuesday, March 17, the remainder of staff – with very limited exceptions – are now being required to work remotely, as well. BSCNC offices remain closed to the public through Tuesday, March 31, in accordance with previous operational announcements.
Additionally, all Cary-based BSCNC staff have also been instructed to cancel all in-person individual and group ministry appointments scheduled through the end of the day on Wednesday, March 25. Cary-based staff are required to utilize technology for any meetings that are scheduled through March 25.
Previous operational announcement from March 16, 2020
Previously, on Monday, March 16, convention leaders announced that the Baptist Building would be closed to the public and operate with limited staff onsite through Tuesday, March 31. Most BSCNC staff members were given the opportunity to work remotely, if possible. All convention staff are continuing to follow their regular daily work schedules from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All meetings between convention staff and non-BSCNC staff members scheduled to take place at the Baptist Building between now and March 31 will be canceled, rescheduled or conducted utilizing technology.
In addition, convention staff members are also evaluating all BSCNC-sponsored meetings, events, conferences, trainings and gatherings scheduled across the state from now until the end of April and will make determinations about potential cancelations or postponements of those events as soon as possible. Notices about any event cancelation or postponement will be communicated to registered event attendees and through other official BSCNC communications channels.
Additionally, the disaster relief ministry of N.C. Baptists on Mission (NCBM) is making preliminary plans and preparations to help meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those impacted by the coronavirus. NCBM officials are engaged in ongoing conversations with public health, government, church and ministry leaders on the local, state and national levels in an effort to coordinate disaster relief efforts. More information on NCBM’s response will be posted online as they become available at baptistsonmission.org/coronavirus.
Members of the BSCNC’s executive leadership team implemented these changes with the following guiding principles in mind: to prevent further spread and impact of the coronavirus; to protect the health, safety and well-being of convention staff, constituents and their families; to provide the safest possible work environment for convention staff; and to continue to fulfill the state convention’s mission to assist the churches in their divinely appointed mission.
“We are implementing these measures out of an abundance of caution and in the best interests of our staff, constituents and broader community,” said BSCNC Executive Director-Treasurer Milton A. Hollifield Jr. “I want to assure all North Carolina Baptists that convention staff will be available to receive and respond to the requests and needs of our churches during the two-week period that the Baptist Building will be closed to the public.”
In response to the impact of COVID-19 in the state, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) offices in Cary will be closed to the public and operate with limited staff onsite beginning Tuesday, March 17 and continuing through March 31. Most BSCNC staff members have also been given the option to work remotely, if possible. All convention staff will continue to follow their regular daily work schedules from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
All meetings between convention staff and non-BSCNC staff members scheduled to take place at the Baptist Building between now and Tuesday, March 31, will be canceled, rescheduled or conducted utilizing technology.
In addition, convention staff members are also evaluating all BSCNC-sponsored meetings, events, conferences, trainings and gatherings scheduled across the state from now until the end of April and will make determinations about potential cancelations or postponements of those events as soon as possible. Notices about any event cancelation or postponement will be communicated to registered event attendees and through other official BSCNC communications channels.
Additionally, the disaster relief ministry of N.C. Baptists on Mission (NCBM) is making preliminary plans and preparations to help meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those impacted by the coronavirus. NCBM officials are engaged in ongoing conversations with public health, government, church and ministry leaders on the local, state and national levels in an effort to coordinate disaster relief efforts. More information on NCBM’s response will be posted online as they become available at baptistsonmission.org/coronavirus.
Members of the BSCNC’s executive leadership team implemented these changes with the following guiding principles in mind: to prevent further spread and impact of the coronavirus; to protect the health, safety and well-being of convention staff, constituents and their families; to provide the safest possible work environment for convention staff; and to continue to fulfill the state convention’s mission to assist the churches in their divinely appointed mission.
“We are implementing these measures out of an abundance of caution and in the best interests of our staff, constituents and broader community,” said BSCNC Executive Director-Treasurer Milton A. Hollifield Jr. “I want to assure all North Carolina Baptists that convention staff will be available to receive and respond to the requests and needs of our churches during the two-week period that the Baptist Building will be closed to the public.”
Only full- and part-time BSCNC Cary-based employees will be permitted inside the Baptist Building between now and March 31. Convention staff who are deployed are discouraged from coming to the building. BSCNC contract workers are prohibited from coming to the building.
Hollifield, other BSCNC executive leaders, their ministry assistants, the switchboard operator and certain other staff members will continue to work from the BSCNC offices during the two-week period that the Baptist Building is closed to the public.
All convention staff members who elect to work remotely have been provided the necessary equipment, resources, software and hardware to fulfill their job functions and responsibilities outside of the Baptist Building.
