Last Friday I closed the church building after a symptomatic (but not diagnosed) person had been in it for some time. On Saturday, after consulting with staff and Board President David Hawley and Vice-President Donna Yelverton, I agreed to rent the church building for daycare for children of Ochsner Health employees.

Ochsner’s daycare started last Monday at 5:30 a.m.

Of course Ochsner had a cleaning-crew come in on Sunday! The crew disinfected the classrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, hallways, and Fellowship hall. The cleaning crew now comes in every night after the daycare staff go home. Ochsner also has nursing staff on site every day to take the temperature of teachers and children before they are allowed into the daycare.

The church’s staff have limited permission to enter the church, and only into the church’s offices and the sanctuary. Members, friends, visitors, or other users may not enter the building or use the grounds until further notice.

The Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge is known as the “church that shows up.” And I have seen that you do. One way you are showing up in this pandemic is through your building as it houses the children of medical workers who are busy saving lives in this time of virus. Thank you for all of your ministries. You make an important difference in many lives.