Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Based on congregation feedback, new guidelines on managing the pandemic and consultation on safety with medical professionals, we have some further revisions on our worship services to share with you. These won’t be the last revisions that we’ll need to make before the eventual conclusion of the pandemic. We feel confident that we can enact these new measures in order to both meet many expressed needs of our worshippers and maintain the health and safety standards we have in place. If you have additional thoughts we are open to constructive commentary on how we can best meet your needs.
Balcony Overflow Seating: We have received confirmation that our balcony is considered a physically separate space and is able to be used for additional overflow space, a distinct area from the 50 allowed in the sanctuary proper. Beginning this Sunday we are now able to offer seating for 50 people in the sanctuary and for 25 each in the balcony and narthex – three spaces that combined can accommodate up to 100 people in-person on our campus.
Discontinuing of Eventbrite Signups and Open Seating: The creation of two, distinct overflow spaces (balcony and narthex) removes the need for us to have signups in order to attend in-person worship. This change will go into effect immediately. We will also now have open seating – while some pews will remain blocked off for physical distancing you will be able to choose where you want to sit among the available pews, so long as you remain at least six feet apart from those outside your household and follow other safety requirements. Seating will be on a first-come/first-serve basis, with an encouragement to look out for the needs of others.
ADA Access: If you require a particular kind of seating, please call or email the church office so that we can reserve a place for you. This provision is for ADA needs only (wheelchairs, walkers, hearing, etc), NOT for meeting personal seating preferences.
At-Home Health checks: We strongly encourage you to check symptoms and monitor your temperature on your own before entering the building. Our health screeners will no longer be checking temperatures on site, and will instead ask some simple screening questions upon arrival. As always, please stay home and recuperate when you are feeling sick or if you have been sick recently.
Communion Distribution method: We will now be picking up communion in the narthex to bring to our seats. We are continuing to evaluate our communion distribution methods, with more information to come after further consultation.
Health and Safety: We will continue to observe all previously applied health and safety standards and government directives, including wearing masks for anyone 10 and over, providing hand washing and sanitizing stations, sanitizing hard surfaces after use and opening up particular rows of pews for available seating at each service for physical distancing. We also kindly ask that you observe directional signage. We will be recording seating locations in the event that information is needed for contact tracing.
Volunteer Assistance: We remain in great need of additional volunteer help to assist us facilitating a greater number of people and in properly sanitizing spaces after use. Please consider signing up for training for our Health & Sanitation Team. Allow me to give a HUGE thank you to those who have served so faithfully throughout the pandemic in our Music, A/V and Health & Safety Teams!
Trial Basis Special services: We have not yet reached conclusions about how or whether to adjust the special services. We will continue to have the At-Risk Service on Tuesday at 4:30 and the Tuesday Traditional Service at 5:15 for at least September 1 and 8.
