An Update on the Fall 2020 FTTA Term⎼⎼July 28, 2020

Much has changed since July 14th in our last posting concerning our intention in carrying out the upcoming term. Since then, the spread of COVID-19 in the US has increased greatly and the general population has proven to be dramatically less inclined to comply with the measures necessary to reduce it. This has caused the present situation to be even more serious compared to earlier this year in March when we made the decision to transition to our training remotely. Therefore, we no longer feel we can, in good conscience before the Lord, gather trainees into cohorts in various locations around the US as we had intended. Rather, we will fully conduct the Fall 2020 term remotely, with trainees needing to secure their own housing and accommodations needed to participate in the Training online.

No Training housing will be available this coming term. To this end, we encourage trainees to continue to pray and consider before the Lord and to fellowship with their families, the leading brothers in their sending localities, and with fellow trainees about where they might reside while participating in the Training remotely. Based on our experience last term, the best living situation for remote Training is one in which:

• Trainees are living in a safe and healthy location with supportive family or with one or more fellow trainees.
• Trainees have a strong, stable, and unlimited internet connection capable of streaming live two-way video.
• Trainees have an environment conducive to their full participation in every aspect of the Training without recurring interruptions or demands on their time.

The term will begin on August 26th and end on December 26th after the conclusion of the December semiannual training. We will be endeavoring to implement a number of changes to the way our remote Training was carried out last term in order to improve the experience and effectiveness of the Training, including but not limited to having:

• More live online classes bringing ones under the hearing of faith and promoting more interaction between trainees and the training.
• More accountability to the Training in the matters of schedule, attendance, morning revival, individual and corporate prayer, and gospel/shepherding labor.
• More fellowship among trainees and those serving with the Training throughout the term.

Additional updates will follow in the coming weeks, but we hope this information will facilitate more specific prayer and fellowship between trainees, their families, and their leading brothers. May the Lord richly bless this upcoming term and have the full way to train and equip all trainees exactly as He desires.

Current Intentions for the 2020 Fall Term

While many matters related to the carrying out of the next term still require fellowship and all our plans are subject to the developing pandemic, at present it is our intention to:

• Gather the trainees in various training locations around the US that they might safely participate in the Training corporately by clusters:
  • This will restore the atmosphere of pursuing together that was lacking in the fully remote training in the homes of the trainees.
  • It will also reduce the numbers gathering in any one location allowing us to implement the necessary testing and safety precautions and comply with local governmental regulations and guidance.
  • We would also reserve an adequate number of spaces for all the international trainees at the Ministry Conference Center (MCC) in Anaheim, in accordance with their visa requirements.
• Push back the beginning of the next term of the Training to late August (applications will still be accepted until July 31st) and end the term with the December semi-annual training. We are asking that, as much as possible, trainees avoid public transportation (e.g., flights, buses, trains) in traveling to their training locations. Upon their arrival in the various training locations, trainees will need to isolate/quarantine as they begin the term for a period of up to two weeks to ensure their health and the health of their fellow trainees.
• Conduct live classes in order to increase the direct interaction between the trainees and the trainers/teachers.

We hope this brief update will help to inform your considerations and fellowship related to the upcoming term. Of course, due to the uncertain conditions, all of these arrangements are subject to change. Please refer back to this site for further updates.

May the Lord release all those He desires to train and lead us into the best arrangement and most conducive environment for their training. Thank you for your continued prayers in this regard.

FTTA is closely monitoring the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Our priority remains the health, safety, and well-being of our community. We are considering different options to limit the spread of COVID-19 while remaining faithful to the Lord's leading and commission. Although there will be a Fall 2020 term, a final decision on the format has not yet been made. We will do our best to provide updates as they become available.

Dear families,

Beginning on Saturday, March 14, the trainees were released to return to their respective localities, dispersing them in order to better protect them from the COVID-19 pandemic. They were charged to follow all requirements and recommendations made by the governmental authorities where they would be residing as well as to continue in the proper social distancing and hygiene practices they were brought into during their time at the Training Center and in Training housing in order to, inasmuch as it depends upon them, limit the risk of their exposure to the novel Coronavirus. They were also entreated to ensure they settled in a situation where they would be able to continue in all the areas of the Training remotely. Once they had all been able to travel and get settled, on Monday, March 23, FTTA began conducting the Training remotely, including a robust, online learning platform and other training activities that trainees can carry out in close coordination with the local church where they are living.

We covet your continued prayers for the trainees in these days as they endeavor in the training remotely.

FTTA Office

Dear families,

In light of the rapidly developing situation related to the COVID-19 virus and in consultation with the medical personnel, the senior co-workers, and the brothers overseeing Living Stream Ministry, we felt it was necessary to continue the FTTA online until further notice and ask all the FTTA trainees to return to their homes as soon as possible. There is a growing sense of priority, not panic, that we cannot disregard our civic responsibility to society to take measures, though drastic as they may seem, to limit the spread of the coronavirus. It is most definitely wiser to err on the side of caution in this matter for the protection of our trainees and the recovery’s name.

Furthermore, as we know you share the same sentiment, we have an obligation to the Lord, to the families, to the leading brothers, and to the Lord's recovery, to prudently act in the best interest of all the trainees.

The trainees have been notified of this decision today as of 4:00 pm (PST).

We have asked the trainees to contact their families and the leading brothers immediately. We appreciate any help you could render to assist them with their transition. Also, realizing that some trainees do not have a current "home" or are international if you know of any willing saints that could host a current trainee during this period, please let the training office know.

Further updates will be sent to you as necessary.

As always, we treasure your intercessory prayers.

On behalf of LSM and FTTA,

Ray Graver
Doug Gedeon
Dennis Higashi
Rick Scatterday
Andrew Yu

As the world responds to an unprecedented challenge to public health, the well-being of the students in FTTA is more important than ever, which is why we have imposed certain restrictions in FTTA to preserve the health and safety of the students and the community.

Given the escalating nature of the COVID-19, we are taking a number of actions aimed at mitigating person to person and community spread. Many of these actions are the recommended steps suggested by the CDC and the CA Department of Health.

Immediate actions we are taking can be found here.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wgx0MFMLgD584E-5ZFRFiRcSQXsHrJJo

A full list of our interim policies and procedures can be found here.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=14txFNpu9LspiTVmkNKwpLGNeayYz0NaG

More updates will be forthcoming as we continue to monitor the situation.