From Your Elders Regarding “In Person” Worship:
Two months have passed since we have been able to meet for worship or any other type of activity in the church building. We are happy to be able to begin having in-person worship services this Sunday, May 24th. While we look forward to being together, there are many guidelines that must be followed in order to meet safely. We understand that not everyone feels the same when it comes to how strict these guidelines should be, but we are committed to ensuring the health and safety of each person who chooses to attend. We ask that you please consider those around you and keep in mind, just as you protect the safety and well-being of your physical family, this is your spiritual family. Please help us by being as health-conscious as possible for the sake of everyone you will be around.
HEALTH GUIDELINES
Please consider the following before you decide whether or not it is safe for you to attend an in-person worship:
1. Are you in the age-vulnerable category?
2. Do you have health issues that puts you in the at-risk category?
3. Are you feeling unwell or are you running a fever?
4. Have you been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
5. Are you comfortable attending a mass gathering?
You will not be judged, nor should you feel shamed if you choose to worship from home. We will continue to livestream worship online Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and hand out communion sets on Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. You can continue to bring your contribution on Saturdays or mail it in.
WORSHIP
We will only be able to meet for Sunday morning worship. Until further notice, there will be no in-person Sunday morning Bible class, Sunday night worship, or Wednesday evening Bible study. There will still be a Bible class online for our children to watch and Chris and Tyler will continue to have a 15-minute Bible study online on Wednesdays and a short devotional online on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
In order to follow the social distancing guidelines, we will have two separate morning worship services beginning this Sunday, May 24th. A thorough cleaning and sanitizing will be done between worship services.
Those in zones 1-4 are asked to meet at the 8:30 a.m. worship time.
Those in zones 5-7 are asked to meet at the 10:30 a.m. worship time. Only the 10:30 a.m. service will be livestreamed.
The section on the far left (west side) of the auditorium will be reserved for anyone who is age-vulnerable or health-vulnerable. Please leave this section for those members.
Everyone in the same household is asked to sit together as a family.
Please leave a pew between you and those in front or behind you. Every other pew will be blocked off.
If you sit on a pew with anyone from another household, please leave at least 6 feet between you.
When worship is over, you will be asked to exit the building by sections. If you wish to visit with anyone, please do so in the parking lot. We need people to exit as quickly as possible in order for the cleaning to be done.
We will not be passing out communion. Individual communion sets will be available in the front foyer and the back hallway. Please pick up your communion sets when you arrive for worship. Trash cans will be set out at exits and we ask that you dispose of your communion set as you leave.
We will not be passing around contribution trays. There will be a box set up where you pick up communion. Please put your contribution in one of the boxes either when you arrive or as you leave.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES
No one will be forced to wear a mask, but we encourage you to consider wearing one for the safety of those around you.
All classroom doors will be closed, as well as the library. The nursery will be open only for mothers/fathers who need to take their children out during worship.
Restrooms will be open, but we ask that only one person be in the restroom at a time. This does not include parents with children. All children need to be accompanied by a parent. Cleaning supplies will be available in the restrooms for you to use when you enter and before you leave.
Hand sanitizer is available throughout the building. We ask that you use it in addition to washing your hands.
There will be no handouts or papers of any kind passed out. Announcements will be made at each worship service and regular emails will continue to be sent out.
We realize this is a lot, but want to make sure everything is ready for us to safely assemble together for worship. As the weeks go on hopefully things will improve where guidelines can be loosened, but please understand there may need to be additional guidelines as we move forward.
Please pray for our eldership and all of our church family. We are looking forward to worshiping God together again. Our prayer is we can all do so without the further spread of this virus.
In Christ,
Your elders