Update 27 April 2020

The Australian Government has launched a new voluntary coronavirus app, COVIDSafe. The app is an important public health initiative that has the potential to keep you, your family and your community safe from further spread of the coronavirus through early notification of possible exposure. 

Once installed and running the app uses bluetooth to look for other phones that also have the app installed. It then makes a digital handshake, noting the time date and duration of contact. This information is ONLY stored in the app on the users phone;  no-one, not even the user can access it.  

If the user is diagnosed with COVID-19, and agrees to share their app information, they will be directed to upload their information and, ONLY then will the relevant health authorities will be able to access the information about who has been in close contact with another app user for more than 15 minutes. 

Please consider downloading this app – available for iPhone and android phones.

Click on the links below for more info.

Media Release
FAQ’S 

Update 24 April 2020

Click on the link below for this week’s BUV Support Hub updates:

• Weekly message from DOMM, Rev Daniel Bullock  –  Connection and Community 
• New devotion series – “Church – Remember who you are”
• Current Government restrictions 
• Baptist Insurance Update
• Financial Assistance  – URGENT : JobKeeper deadlines looming 
• BUV 2019 Statistical Survey 
• Global Interaction May Mission Month 
• BUV Prayer Calendar 
• Safe Church Update
• The Marriage Course online – with Bill & Julia Brown 
• Free Online Professional Standards Workshop – Resilience for Pastoral Leaders 
• Updated resources 
• Monash University’s Living with COVID-19 survey 
• May Gathering (Nourish, Members’ Dinner) Cancelled 
• Stories of unprecedented love in action 

Update 22 April 2020

Current advice re Places of Worship and livestreaming services from The Department of Health and Human Services website is : 

Are places of worship closed?

All places of worship, of all denominations, must now be closed.  If it is possible to do so, ceremonies and services can still be recorded or broadcast live from the place of worship for viewing online. You are allowed to have people on site to record and live stream services, however, you must ensure those people maintain physical distancing by keeping at least 1.5 metres between each other at all times.

Places of worship may be opened for the purposes of conducting weddings and funerals, but there are strict limits on the number of people who can attend.

• For weddings, only the couple getting married, the celebrant and two witnesses may attend – a total of no more than five people.
• For funerals, no more than 10 mourners may attend in person. Both weddings and funerals can be live-streamed if desired.
• Places of worship can continue to be opened for the purposes of hosting essential public support services such as food banks, help for the homeless or other essential activities, ensuring appropriate physical distancing is maintained by keeping at least 1.5 metres between everyone at all times.

Can I still live-stream performances from my venue without an audience?

Yes. You can put on live-streamed performances, without a live audience, at your venue if you’d like to continue to operate as a music venue, for example. However, you will need to ensure that the performers and technicians involved maintain physical distancing by keeping at least 1.5 metres between each other at all times.

Source: DHHS FAQ 

Update 17 April 2020

Click on the link below for this week’s BUV COVID-19 updates:

• Weekly message from DOMM, Rev Daniel Bullock – Questions to be asking during this time 
• Government restrictions – back to indoor gathering restrictions – no change for us 
• Financial Assistance  – URGENT : JobKeeper deadlines looming 
• BUV Prayer Initiatives  
• Free Safe Church Online resources and videos 
• The Marriage Course online for Pastors and spouses – with Bill & Julia Brown 
• Free Sanctuary Mental Health Resource  
• Free Online Professional Standards Workshop – Resilience for Pastoral Leaders 
• Updated resources 
• May Gathering (Nourish, Members’ Dinner) Cancelled 
• New devotion series starts next week – “Church – Remember who you are”
• Stories of unprecedented love in action 

Update 9 April 11am

Click on the link below for this week’s BUV COVID-19 updates:

• Weekly message from the DOMM, Rev Daniel Bullock
• Easter Message from the Prime Minister
• Free song & video
• Government restrictions – Places of Worship at Easter 
• JobKeeper Payment for charities 
• BUV – Prayer Week and April Prayer Calendar 
• Free Online Professional Standards Workshop – Resilience for Pastoral Leaders 
• Wellbeing Resources 
• Updated resources 
• Stories of Unprecedented Love in Action

Update 8 April 3:00pm

Registered charities will be eligible for the JobKeeper payment if their revenue declines by 15 per cent.
Josh Frydenberg announced on April 5th that “Charities that are registered with the national regulator will be eligible for the Morrison Government’s $130 billion JobKeeper Payment if they have suffered a 15 per cent decline in turnover as a result of the coronavirus. Legislation to be introduced into the Parliament this week will include a concessional test for ACNC registered charities given the benefit they provide to the Australian community. A reduced threshold at which a charity is considered to be substantially affected by the coronavirus, as compared to businesses and other not-for-profits, will support a sector which is expected to have a significant increase in demand for its services.”
Click here to see Treasury website.

Update 4 April 9:00pm 

AT THE 2PM NATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY the Prime Minister announced: “National Cabinet has decided to expand those able to conduct religious services, particularly over the Easter period. That doesn’t mean places of worship are open,  but that priests and those formally involved in conducting the services’ will now be classified as essential workers.”. He also said that the 2 person restriction would be relaxed so that more people could be involved in producing the services. 

The PM’s latest press release stated that, “Churches and other places of worship, will be considered places of work so that services can be live streamed to the community. This will ensure that religious services, including Easter services, remain accessible to congregations. National Cabinet agreed that providing access to services is important for a sense of continuity and social connection.

Services may be conducted and live streamed providing only essential staff are present, the venue/facility remains closed to the public, and social distancing principles are adhered to.

Any church wishing to conduct religious services, including Easter services, must use the minimum number of participants required to deliver and live stream the service, which may include a priest, attendants, organist, videographer and sound recordist.”

We advise using the 5 person rule as per previous advice and adhering to social distancing and hygiene rules. We also advise to still maintain only 2 people on screen at any one time.

“]View PM’s statement here[/button]

Update 3 April 12pm

Click on the link below for this week’s BUV COVID-19 updates:

• Weekly message from the DOMM, Rev Daniel Bullock
• Stories of Unprecedented Love in Action
• Government restrictions
• Pastoral Care During the COVID-19 pandemic
• Preparing for the future 
• Government Assistance – JobKeeper Payment
• BUV – Prayer Week and April Prayer Calendar 
• Safe Church update 
• Updated resources 

Update 2 April 4:30pm

Church Finances
In this update:
• JobKeeper Payment Scheme
• Government help for your Church
 – Commonwealth
 – State
• Government help for individuals
• Church action