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Guest User 4/16/20 Guest User 4/16/20

News: Impact Church Raises & Distributes Stimulus Funds To Local Small Businesses

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, small business owners are facing unprecedented economic disruption. “It’s important for us to think about how this pandemic is affecting entrepreneurs who put all they had into a dream. Small businesses are still waiting for CARES Act money to come through, while large hedge funds have already been funded. It makes no sense. At Impact Church, we aim to support as many businesses as we can with the help of private foundations, businesses, and the community,” said Bishop De’Andre Salter.

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J., April 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, small business owners are facing unprecedented economic disruption. "It's important for us to think about how this pandemic is affecting entrepreneurs who put all they had into a dream. Small businesses are still waiting for CARES Act money to come through, while large hedge funds have already been funded. It makes no sense. At Impact Church, we aim to support as many businesses as we can with the help of private foundations, businesses, and the community," said Bishop De'Andre Salter.

The Impact Christian Business Fellowship (ICBF) is Impact Church's missional business association created to help small business owners. To help ease current financial burdens, Bishop Salter donated $10,000 to the ICBF's emergency stimulus fund and along with donations from others in the community, has raised $15,000 so far. The goal is to raise a total of $100,000 for New Jersey businesses.

The ICBF has already sent stimulus grants to local small businesses ranging from $500 to $1,000 in hopes that entrepreneurs can keep their businesses afloat. These businesses include a painting contractor, barbershop, hair salon, education consultant and many others.

"I own a hair salon and I was forced to close my business on March 19th. I've applied for grants, SBA loans, and every other type of financial assistance that I can come across, but no funds have been released as of yet. I received an email from the ICBF with instructions on how to apply for a small business grant. Within 7 days, I received a check for $1,000. That check helped me pay my salon rent and a few other bills so I can stay in business," said Stacy Hammond, owner of TruBeauty Hair Studio & Hair Loss Center in Springfield, NJ.

With limited emergency funding, the ICBF is currently accepting donations through Impact Church's website where donors can contribute toward providing aid to more local businesses. Simply visit http://www.church4impact.com/give and select the Mission/Outreach category. All proceeds will be immediately distributed to New Jersey businesses who are in dire need of financial assistance.

For small business owners interested in joining the ICBF or receiving a stimulus grant, an application must be submitted at www.church4impact.com/ICBF. In addition to stimulus grants, the ICBF also offers mentoring, peer support, events, and training. In the near future, members will also get a listing in the business directory where Impact Church's members and friends will be encouraged to support in any way they can.

"It's my hope that there are other philanthropists, companies, and business leaders who will come alongside me and Impact Church in this act of generosity to help fellow entrepreneurs survive this crisis," said Bishop Salter.

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The Impact Christian Business Fellowship (ICBF) is a mission of Impact Church. Impact Church is a non-denominational Christian church located at 1253 New Market Avenue in South Plainfield, NJ where people are trained to be intentional with their time, talent, and money. Bishop De'Andre Salter serves as the Senior Pastor. For more information, visit http://www.church4impact.com or call (908) 222-9990.

Sherri Jones
908-222-9990 ext. 16
sjones@church4impact.com

Deandre Salter 4/16/20 Deandre Salter 4/16/20

Dr. Cynthia Salter-Lewis Shares How FACTS & FAITH Work Together to Reduce Your Coronavirus Fears

Everyday, we are learning more about the COVID-19 Coronavirus. With new facts there is also lots of misinformation which unfortunately, gets repeated. This, in turn, causes people to make ill-informed decisions concerning the virus. This kind of behavior embraces a spirit of fear and missing the revelation about having a sound mind.

Many of you know and have often used the scripture found in 2 Timothy 1:7:

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

God has given us a sound mind which allows us to think clearly as we navigate through this most difficult time. One key component of navigation is relying on the truth. The truth means everything to God and it should to us as well.

I’ve been approached with many concerns and questions and I want to answer them publicly in hopes that you will share with your family, friends and co-workers. I believe knowing the facts will help you remain safe and healthy, and it will allow you to embrace a sound mind.

Is it true that African-Americans and other people of color are disproportionately affected by COVID-19?

Yes. Unfortunately, early on the the African-American community was misinformed and circulated the myth that we were impervious to COVID-19. This could not be further from the truth. In some areas, African-Americans have accounted for 40-70% of COVID-19 deaths. The death rate is certainly higher in our community. Reasons for this include us living in high-density areas, misinformation early on, the disparity in health care, and, most of all, higher instances of comorbid diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart and lung disease.

I heard the Corona-virus can attach to your hair. Is this true?

Absolutely. Hair serves as a fomite to which the virus can attach. A fomite is anything that the virus can attach to that can be used as a vehicle to spread itself. For example, if COVID-19 gets in your hair, when you touch your face you can transmit the virus to yourself. So when you are running errands or at the grocery store, you should wear a hat or other head covering so that if someone coughs or sneezes, the viral respiratory droplets won’t get in your hair. If this happens, please wash your hair immediately.

Can the virus be transmitted from door handles and cell phones?

The bottom line is that high-touch objects like cell phones, door handles, elevator buttons, light switches, faucets, etc., can all serve as fomites for the virus. Even an ink pen serves as a powerful fomite to transmit the virus. That’s why you must continuously wipe and disinfect all high-touch objects as often as possible. NEVER use anyone else’s pen during this time.

How long is the virus stable on surfaces?

It depends on the surface in question. There was a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on March 17, 2020 that evaluated this concern. It found that the virus can remain stable for days depending on the surface or the object. For example, COVID-19 lives 3 hours on paper, 4 hours on cooper, 24 hours on cardboard, 48 hours on stainless steel or wood, and 72 hours on plastic. Other studies have shown that the virus also lives on porous things like money and clothes. However, thus far, the duration varies from study to study.

WE MUST remind ourselves to regularly wipe down counter tops with soap, disinfectant, or bleach. Spray your cardboard boxes with Lysol when they get delivered and wash clothes often - especially any outfit that you wear out of the house. Lastly, if someone hands you a piece of paper, sanitize or wash your hands immediately. AVOID touching your face at all costs because that’s how the virus enters.

All of the hand sanitizers are gone from the stores, what should I do?

The good thing is that COVID-19 can be easily destroyed by the action of germ sanitizer, pure alcohol, detergent, or even soap. If the stores are out of alcohol-based sanitizers, wipe your surfaces and wash your hands with any of the other cleaners I listed above. Plain water will not destroy the virus. However, the mechanical motion of washing your hands adds to the destruction of the virus when used with soap. That’s why you must perform the mechanical motion of hand washing for at least 20 seconds. Most people wash only the palm of their hands. Don’t forget to also wash the back of your hands, between your fingers , and your wrist. You should be able to cover all of these areas in 20 seconds.

How should I protect myself when leaving the house?

Always wear a face-covering when leaving the house. Even if you don’t have a mask, a scarf or face covering should be secured over the top and to the bridge of the nose. It has been found that you can literally catch or spread COVID-19 approximately 2 feet with just talking/breathing. So we now know that COVID-19 can be transmitted without even coughing or sneezing. Currently, our care pastors, Dan and Graham, are leading an effort to send a couple of masks to each household. I will ensure they are properly sanitized and packaged and will give instructions in a later post on how to clean and reuse your mask.

You should also wear gloves. However, be careful because gloves can give you a false sense of security, especially if you touch your face a lot. Therefore, as you are handling items, you need to continually use a sanitizer even on your gloves throughout your shopping.

How do I remove my gloves without getting contaminated?

Most individuals who are not medically trained to remove gloves do so in a contaminated way. However, there is no need to worry because whenever you remove your gloves, ALWAYS immediately wash or sanitize your hands thoroughly. This will destroy any viral particles that may be on your hand from improper glove removal.

I hope these tips help ease your fears!

God Bless You,

Dr. Cynthia Salter-Lewis

Guest User 3/23/20 Guest User 3/23/20

Church 2.0: What This Means For You & Your Family

Impact Family, we will combat fear in this season with faith. Don’t miss your moment to plant faith seeds in your family and friends so you can see the fruits of these moments in the future.

Impact Family,

First, let me say, I miss you. I am humbled and amazed at the favor that rests on this house. Just as I talked about at yesterday’s online service, we will combat fear in this season with faith. Don’t miss your moment to plant faith seeds in your family and friends so you can see the fruits of these moments in the future.

THE CHURCH DOORS ARE STILL OPEN ONLINE

We are thankful the State of New Jersey is taking string measures to flatten the curve of COVID-19 by restricting gatherings and business operations. While it may not be easy, the doctors in our congregation have assured me it is 100% necessary to prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed. I don’t know when we can gather again. We will only do so when it is prudent since your health is my #1 priority. So, let’s embrace church 2.0 online!

Church4impact.com is now the campus where we gather for fellowship, small groups, prayer meetings, worship, serving, giving, and growing. Visit our site regularly to discover the new content and connections that ensure we walk through this storm together.

We owe a big thanks to Pastor Shawn and his team (Kollette, Marquis, Renardo, Ryan Ali Jr.), Dr. Salter-Lewis, and the musicians (Minister Brown, Elder Wendell, Karon, Andrew, Rock) and our staff (Sherri and Lanae) for sacrificing to make this happen.

THE PRIORITY OF PRAYER

Family, I can’t say it any simpler than this: God will get us good if we don’t make prayer our top response. We have seen far too many miracles and deliverances not to pray first. Prayer will draw us closer to God and each other. We are living out Isaiah 56:7 – God is calling us to the mountain to be a house of prayer…for all people. This also means all people in each house must pray. Use our corporate prayer connection points as a guide to establishing your home in prayer. I am especially challenging the men of the congregation to become prayer leaders at home. God made you first, so pray first!

Pastor Shamar is raising the temperature of prayer with the 30-day prayer focus, which begins today. Unprecedented times require unprecedented prayer. Each morning, visit our website with your family, read the Scripture, and pray the focus.

Also, be sure to join us for our early morning prayer call happening Monday-Friday at 7am and with additional options on Wednesday at 12pm and 6pm. There is no excuse – with so many prayer options, I expect to be with you in prayer each week.

I’ll also be sharing more in-depth words about the daily prayer focus on my Facebook page in my devotional series, “Hope Today.” Be sure to share and repost these devotionals to your friend circles.

We encourage you to submit your prayer requests regularly using the form on the website, sending an email to prayer@church4impact.com or using the LIVE PRAYER chat during Sunday Services.

We are most excited by the new Prayer Call Center that opened today. You and everyone you know can connect with a prayer partner at 1-877-380-9478. Our new intercessory prayer team is available from 8am to 8pm, Monday -Friday.

I celebrate the leadership of Pastor Shamar and his team for moving us to the next level in prayer.

YOUR WEEKLY CONNECTION POINTS

Here is a list of this week’s virtual opportunities for us to stay connected as one church with many houses:

MONDAY

30-Day Prayer Call - 7:00am