We want you to be encouraged and connected.

Celebrate the 9th Anniversary of Pastor Stanley and First Lady Carolyn Eley with Macedonia Baptist Church.

Surprise them with your presence as they honor the Lord for the gift of their Pastor. Pastor Eley faithfully and formerly served New Berean as Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent and Associate Pastor.

Periodically, the Virginia Department of Health will present updated information for the residents and guests of the state of Virginia. As a means to minister to the family and friends of New Berean, below is the most recent update on the COVID 19 vaccination distributions.

If you planning to get your shot, login to the VDH site here and fill out the form and get registered.

COVID Vaccinations Registration Site

(Click on the above link to the VDH website on COVID Vaccinations)

VDH COVID-19 Vaccine Phase 1a In Depth (PDF Document)

While the supply is limited, COVID-19 vaccine will be provided to specific groups of people over a number of phases. Virginia guidance was adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations that aim to (1) decrease COVID-19 deaths and serious disease, (2) preserve functioning of society, and (3) reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities.

Virginia’s Phase 1a: Vaccinate Healthcare Personnel and Residents of Long Term Care Facilities

Definition of Healthcare Personnel (HCP)

See pages 7-9 of Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response. HCP include:

• Behavioral health providers
• Community health workers
• Dental assistants, hygienists, dentists
• EMT/first responders serving as EMT extenders
• Environmental services staff
• Healthcare trainees
• Home health workers
• Human service providers
• Laboratorians
• Mortuary service providers (e.g. morticians/funeral home staff)

• Nurses, nursing assistants
• Optometrists
• Personal care aides
• Pharmacists, pharmacy techs and staff
• Physicians, physician assistants
• Public-facing public health workers
• Radiological techs (and other diagnostic/therapeutic techs)
• Respiratory, physical, speech and occupational techs
• Social workers

HCP by Order of Risk

To the extent possible, vaccination opportunities should first be aimed at those at greater risk before those at less risk. However, opportunities to vaccinate other HCP efficiently and quickly should not be missed.

1. Those who directly engage in the care of or interact with patients known or suspected of COVID-19, or who have direct exposure to potentially infectious materials from patients known or suspected to be infected with COVID-19.
2. Healthcare personnel who interact with patients at higher risk for infection due to the patients’ individual risk factors but are not known or suspected to be infected with COVID-19 (dialysis, residential care facilities and EMS.)
3. Employees and contracted personnel not otherwise vaccinated per the above categories whose duties may require access to clinical settings at health system facilities or who are critical to the ongoing operations of health system facilities.
4. Healthcare personnel who interact with patients not known or suspected to be infected with COVID-19.

How HCP Can Access Vaccination

Healthcare systems and local health departments are working collaboratively to vaccinate healthcare personnel.

• The ability to schedule appointments will depend on the supply of vaccine available.

HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS are vaccinating their staff. Many are vaccinating non-health system staff as well.

LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS are compiling lists of healthcare providers who are not affiliated with a hospital or health system and are reaching out to those groups as quickly as possible.

INFORMATION FOR HEALTHCARE EMPLOYERS

• Determine which of your employees are at high risk for exposure to COVID-19.
• If you haven’t yet been contacted by a health system or local health department, contact your local health department. If unable to get in contact with the local health department, contact the VDH COVID-19 Call Center at 877-ASK-VDH3 (877-275-8343) for assistance.

Residents and Staff within Long Term Care settings

Definition of Long-Term Care Facilities by Order of Risk

1. Skilled nursing facilities
2. In-patient hospice facilities
3. Assisted living facilities
4. Residential care communities; e.g., programs of all-inclusive care for the elderly, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, religious nonmedical health care institutions, etc.
5. Intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities
6. State veterans homes
7. Other adult care homes, family care homes, group homes

Long-Term Care staff include:

• All staffing working in facilities listed above
• Home health workers (e.g., nursing, respiratory therapists, health aides) who enter the need to go into the homes of individuals with chronic, complex conditions and/or disabilities to deliver nursing and/or daily living care
• Home health providers who deliver health care services for older adults, people with disabilities, and others with chronic health conditions who live independently in the community with supports and services

How LTCF Staff and Residents Can Access Vaccination

In Virginia, most LTCF residents and staff will be vaccinated by CVS and Walgreens teams through the Federal LTCF Pharmacy Partnership program. A small number of facilities that were not included in the program will work with their local health districts to ensure vaccination of their staff and residents.

VDH COVID-19 Vaccine Phase 1b In Depth (PDF Document)

While the supply is limited, COVID-19 vaccine will be provided to specific groups of people over a number of phases. Virginia guidance was adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations that aim to (1) decrease COVID-19 deaths and serious disease, (2) preserve functioning of society, and (3) reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities.

Virginia’s Phase 1b: Vaccinate Frontline Essential Workers, People Aged 65 years and Older, People Living in Correctional Facilities, Homeless Shelters and Migrant Labor Camps, and People aged 16 through 64 years with a High Risk Medical Condition or Disability that Increases Their Risk of Severe Illness from COVID-19

Frontline Essential Workers

Definition of Frontline Essential Workers

Workers who are in sectors essential to the functioning of society, are at substantially higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and cannot work remotely. Frontline Essential Workers include:

• Police, Fire, and Hazmat
• Corrections and homeless shelter workers
• Childcare/PreK-12 Teachers/Staff
• Food and Agriculture (including veterinarians)
• Manufacturing

• Grocery store workers
• Public transit workers
• Mail carriers (USPS and private)
• Officials needed to maintain continuity of government (including judges and public facing judicial workers)

For definitions of the occupational groups of the frontline essential workers listed above, see pages 9-16 of Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response.

Frontline Essential Workers by Order of Vaccination Planning

Because there is not sufficient supply at this time to vaccinate everyone in Phase 1b at the same time, local health districts will reach out to engage the Frontline Essential Worker groups in vaccination planning in the following order:

1. Police, Fire, and Hazmat
2. Corrections and homeless shelter workers
3. Childcare/PreK-12 Teachers/Staff
4. Food and Agriculture (including veterinarians)
5. Manufacturing
6. Grocery store workers
7. Public transit workers
8. Mail carriers (USPS and private)
9. Officials needed to maintain continuity of government (including judges and public facing judicial workers)

Overlap of vaccination of groups is expected to ensure people in Phase 1b are vaccinated as quickly and efficiently as possible. Opportunities to vaccinate Frontline Essential Workers should not be missed.

How Frontline Essential Workers Can Access Vaccination

Local health departments, pharmacies, healthcare systems, and employer-based occupational health units are working collaboratively to vaccinate frontline essential workers. Frontline essential workers may be most likely to receive the vaccine through employer-based vaccination clinics. Others will get it through their local health department or through arrangements with pharmacies and healthcare providers. Information will be coming out from local health departments, employers, and healthcare providers about how and when you can receive your COVID-19 vaccine. The ability to schedule appointments will depend on the supply of vaccine available.

People Aged 65 years and Older

The risk for severe illness with COVID-19 increases with age, with older adults at highest risk. Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe, or they may even die. The goal of vaccinating this population is to decrease the burden of disease and death caused by COVID-19. During Phase 1b, roughly half of each local health district’s allocation of doses should be used for this population.

How Persons Aged 65 years and Older Can Access Vaccination

Many of the people who are included in Phase 1b because of their age will be offered the vaccine through their healthcare provider. Others in this category will be able to access vaccination through their local health department or through arrangements with healthcare systems and pharmacies.

People Aged 16 through 64 years with Certain Conditions or Disabilities that Increases Their Risk of Severe Illness from COVID-19

This group is included in Phase 1b because they are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, which can result in hospitalization and death. The goal of vaccinating this population is to decrease the burden of disease and death caused by COVID-19.

The list of medical conditions is updated routinely as new data become available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html

Healthcare providers may use clinical judgement to determine if a patient’s medical condition or disability warrants prioritization for vaccination.

How Persons Aged 16 through 64 Years with a High Risk Medical Condition or Disability Can Access Vaccination

Many of the people who are included in Phase 1b because of their age will be offered the vaccine through their healthcare provider. Others in this category will be able to access vaccination through their local health department or through arrangements with healthcare systems and pharmacies. Information will be coming out from local health departments and healthcare providers about how and when people in Phase 1b can receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

People Living in Correctional Facilities, Homeless Shelters, and Migrant Labor Camps

People living in correctional and detention facilities are at greater risk for COVID-19 because of close living arrangements with other people. People living in homeless shelters are at increased risk because homeless services are often provided in congregate settings, which could facilitate the spread of infection. Because many people who are experiencing homelessness are older adults or have underlying medical conditions, they may also be at increased risk for severe illness. Individuals in migrant labor camps may experience living arrangements or working conditions that put them at greater risk of getting COVID-19. Some migrant workers also have limited access to health care, as well as certain underlying medical conditions that put them at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, compared to the rest of the U.S. population.

How Persons Living in Correctional Facilities, Homeless Shelters, and Migrant Labor Camps Can Access Vaccination

The Department of Corrections, local and regional jails, and their occupational health programs will vaccinate staff and persons living in correctional facilities, with local health department assistance as needed. Those living in homeless shelters and migrant labor camps will receive the vaccine through their local health department or through arrangements with healthcare systems and pharmacies.

Sending our love for you in the name of our Lord and Father of our Savior Jesus Christ. We are encourage by you and your prayers and love as demonstrated towards one another. Your efforts of faith in calling one another, texting and sending greetings cards are the things our Lord looks at as evidence of us being found faithful.

As we remain focused and steadfast in the faith, we would like to share a few items of importance with you our members:

In our attempt to be a faithful, we have attempted to provide you with several opportunities of spiritual growth and service.

We also strongly encourage you as members of New Berean, to employ the services of the Deacon Family ministry to assist or aide you if we can. Provide feedback on ways we can keep you connected to the rest of the Berean family and pray, call, and reach out to one another as you can. Our normal is no longer normal so we all are exploring different methods to be a blessing.

Visit Us – We all have been inundated with all the information, misinformation, rumors and other reports as we process through the current pandemic but our responsibility as believers is to be found faithful (I Cor. 4:2). There is enough recklessness being displayed and as part of being a faithful steward, we will provided you with what the CDC (Center for Disease Control) website has specifically relevant to us.  

Pulpit Points is a library collection of messages formatted in Youtube mp4 for both listening and viewing. From the pulpit preaching ministry of Founder and Pastor Leroy E Ricks along with various of preachers, browse these recorded messages and expected to be encouraged, blessed instructed and challenged.

Pulpit Points (Audio Archive) is our library audio collection of messages from the pulpit preaching ministry of Pastor Leroy E Ricks along with various of preachers, browse these recorded messages

Ladies Mid-Week Zoom Bible Study Meeting – Ladies, members and guests are invited to join Sister Joan Jackson every Wednesday to take a walk through the scriptures. These lesson are designed to speak to the needs of our women using biblical principles, the precepts and commandments

Investing is good. We invest our time, energy and efforts with the intent of receiving a greater return. God has called us to invest in our children. There is a great gap existing between men and God. God’s word provides the tools, resources and instructions our children can use to gain a greater return value.

Introduction: The Christian race is not easy but demands that we endure and push past our tiredness in faithfully proclaiming the gospel as we move towards the finish line. Not for boasting but running in such a way as to win the prize, the eternal and incorruptible crowns that last forever.

The Message Points: I Corinthians 9:24-27

1. The Outset (Matthew 6:33) “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
2. The Outlook (Philippians 4:4) “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!“
3. The Outreach (2 Corinthians 5:20) “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”
4. The Outcome (2 Timothy 4:7-8) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.“