The Church is Gathering!
Hopefully you have all heard by now that the church is gathering once again. We started holding on-site worship services this past Sunday and will continue to do so. I'm including the guidelines established by the Leadership Council just as a review.
Here are a few service details ...
- We will have one service at the normal time … 10:15am.
- We will continue to livestream our service on Facebook.
- In the interest of health and safety … those who are considered to be “at risk” (which includes those over 65 and those with underlying medical conditions) are strongly encouraged to stay home and watch the service via Facebook livestream. There is absolutely no shame or guilt in making the choice to stay home.
- Pews in the sanctuary have been taped to indicate where families can sit in observance of the 6’ social distance requirement.
- All hymnals and pens have been removed so there is nothing extra to touch.
- The fellowship hall will be open with tables and chairs spaced 6’ apart. We are encouraging families, particularly with young children, to sit in that area.
- We will supply activity bags for younger children. Everything we give them will be “take home” … nothing will be reused or returned to the church.
- We will not serve coffee or treats.
- Hand sanitizer will be located in various spots throughout the building … including rest rooms.
- The restrooms next to the Fellowship Hall will be open for use.
- The Sunday School wing will be closed off with the exception of the bathroom across from the nursery.
- That bathroom also has a changing table in it.
- We won’t collect an offering by passing the offering plates. Attenders will have the opportunity to place their offering in boxes located in the sanctuary or make an online contribution.
- Prayer requests will continue to be sent via text message to pastor steve's cell phone during the service.
- Masks
- We have made the decision to strongly encourage everyone to wear a mask to church (per MN Department of Health guidelines) but we are not making it a requirement.
- We will have some extra masks here at church, but you should plan to bring your own if you plan to wear a mask.
- I plan to wear a mask when I am not on the platform. When on the platform, I will be significantly further than 6’ away from everyone as all front rows will not be available for seating.
- This means, in all likelihood, that some will be wearing masks and some will not. So we all need to be aware of that. If you are not comfortable being in a space with those who are not wearing a mask, I encourage you to watch the service via Facebook livestream.
- Singing has been identified as a “higher-risk activity as it more forcefully expels respiratory droplets than speaking.” We will do less singing that normal to minimize risk.
- At the end of the service, attenders are encouraged to exit in a way to maintain distancing and to not congregate in the building. Weather permitting, if you want to connect with people (which we all will … it’s been SO LONG), please do so outside in the parking lot.
Given all the information above, how will each of us make our decision to attend or continue watching on Facebook livestream? From my perspective, if you have any qualms at all about being here, you should feel complete freedom to stay home and watch the service online. It’s a personal decision with no judgment of any kind attached to it.
Click HERE to go to our eNewsletters.
Click HERE to go to the CDC COVID-19 website.
Click HERE to go to the Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 website.
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