Re-entering FAQ--July 2020
When will in-person church gatherings begin?
In-person gatherings will resume on Sunday, July 12. We can’t wait to see everyone!
what time will services be held?
In order to maintain social distance and keep capacity to 100 people, we will hold two services each Sunday. The first will be at 9:10 AM and the second will be at 10:40 AM. Each service will last about 40 minutes. Once all the seats are taken for the first service, people arriving will be asked to return for the second service. We appreciate everyone being prepared to be flexible and are committed to making adjustments to our plans as necessary.
what will be the church's policy regarding masks?
We ask that everyone wear a mask (if able to) as an expression of love and care for the well-being of our members and neighbors. Masks will be provided for those who may not have one or forgot to bring one. Wearing a mask in our gatherings is a way of exhibiting the mind of Christ to “look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others” and to “count others more significant than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3-4).
what other precautions are being taken to ensure the health of those attending?
Entry to the building will be only through the main foyer doors on the east (parking lot) side. We will have a team of First Impressions volunteers that will greet and cheerfully welcome worshippers by opening the exterior doors, monitoring the foyer to ensure people stand 6 feet apart as they wait to enter the sanctuary, making masks and hand sanitizer available, and guiding people to designated seating. Between the two services, this team will disinfect all pews and surfaces in the sanctuary, foyer and restrooms. To accommodate these measures, worshippers will not be admitted until 20 minutes prior to each service and afterward dismissed by rows directly out to the parking lot.
where can i sit?
Only the pews on the main level will be available for seating. Alternating rows will be closed and, in the rows that are open, one family (or group attending together) will be seated at each end. This will leave a space 6 feet wide in the middle of the pew. Our First Impressions team can also help find attenders willing to have singles join them in their section so that no one has to sit alone.
what about my kids?
For now, we will not be offering any separate gatherings for children or youth on Sunday mornings in the building. Our gatherings will be shorter and more participatory to account for the presence of children. We rejoice in the presence of our children who are gifts and not burdens to our congregation, remembering that Jesus rejoiced to allow the little ones to interrupt his gatherings. Our nursing mothers’ room adjacent to the sanctuary will still be open and available. We will also continue to provide the TruBlessings videos on a weekly basis (but not TruWonder and Tru Story). The Family Ministries Team will also be organizing both Zoom and in-person (outdoors) get-togethers for small groups during the summer months. When schools re-open we will evaluate what will be needed to ensure a safe environment for children and begin to re-institute Children’s Church.
what if i'm not comfortable attending yet?
We know that a significant number of our fellowship, due to a variety of factors (underlying health concerns, proximity to vulnerable people, etc.) will not be able to join us right away. We will continue to provide the Home Worship Resources each week on the website as we have from the beginning of the shut-down. We are in the process of setting up livestream so that we can eventually make the services themselves available in real time.
what is the long-term plan for worship gatherings?
We anticipate continuing with multiple gatherings for the foreseeable future. We also regard this as an opportunity to re-imagine the nature of our gatherings for worship and fellowship, informing our ministry model in permanent ways. We encourage you not to think in terms of “going back to the way things were” but to be excited about how God will use this to make us more effective at accomplishing our purpose of “Honoring God, Growing Together, and Serving Others.”
