Update as of 11/13/20:
Small groups on Sunday mornings are cancelled until January 10, 2020. We will have both services in person and the 10:45 am service is streamed live here on our website. Please wear a mask as you move around the building.
Update as of 10/31/20:
We have been monitoring a significant increase in both Covid 19 and flu cases in our area and expect a continual rise in the month of November. In response, we will be taking several steps over the coming month(s) to help protect the church and reduce the spread. We are emailing you today to ask you to use greater caution while attending services. We highly recommend you:
- Stay home if you are sick, feel sick, or feel uncomfortable attending. This includes having symptoms or simply feeling unwell. You can join us for the service through our Livestream.
- Be consistent with personal hygiene and personal space. Wash your hands regularly and be mindful of the things you touch. Please avoid handshakes, hugs, and other forms of greeting or affection that could increase the spread of germs.
- Be diligent about distancing. While we currently do not require you to wear a mask, we are highly encou raging you to do so in common areas or in areas where distancing is difficult or impossible.
We will be considering further measures as long as the number of positive cases in our area continues to increase. Thank you for your gracious and loving attention to this matter as we navigate this difficult time together.
Update as of 09/13/20
AS WE CONTINUE TO GATHER, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
1. Social Distancing
With the recent rise of Covid-19 cases in our area, our ability to continue to hold services may depend largely on our diligence in following safety guidelines. We continue to strongly recommend social distancing, good hygiene practice, self assessing and staying home when you are sick. Please help us maintain caution in the following ways:
- Please do not congregate or gather in lobbies, foyers, hallways, or other areas of the church that get congested.
- Consider arriving at a different time than normal to avoid the rush of people coming into the worship center at the beginning of the service.
- Avoid handshakes, hugs, and other forms of greeting that involve physical contact.
- Maintain distance in the worship center by sitting with family/friend groups.
- Vulnerable individuals are encouraged to minimize exposure to social settings where distancing is not possible or practical unless precautionary measures can be observed such as wearing a mask.
- Exit services in a thoughtful manner, moving to less congested areas and using alternative exits to help maintain distance.
2. Personal Precautions
In addition to social distancing, we strongly advise you to maintain everyday personal precautions to help protect against the spread of illness.
- Monitor your health daily and stay home when you are sick.
- Use provided hand sanitizer and wash your hands regularly.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover coughs and sneezes, and wash hands after.
3. Buildings and Programs
We have taken the following additional precautionary measures.
- We have discontinued our greeter and usher ministry for the foreseeable future and provided stationary offering boxes in the back of the worship center.
- We have provided hand sanitizer on every floor in every building so that you have access to it at all times.
- We clean the backs of the pews, door handles, and frequently touched surfaces in the worship center between 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services.
- We have increased our efforts in sanitizing tables and surfaces.
- iXL Academy Programs have moved to Phase 2, which involves distancing and masking in common areas.
4. Participation Options
- We record and live stream our services. You can watch online or request a DVD/CD from the church office.
- We broadcast our services live in the Fellowship Hall and Classroom A201 as alternatives to the Worship Center.
- Men’s Bible Study is streamed live on Facebook.
It is our objective to remain open and continue to have services on Sunday mornings. As cases rise in our community, our ability to gather together is largely dependent upon our prudence and caution.
Face Coverings
To help reduce the spread of COVID-19 the CDC encourages the use of masks, especially in areas where social distancing is difficult or impossible.
At this time masking is not mandatory. However, if you feel comfortable wearing a mask we encourage you to do so.
If you are not comfortable wearing a mask we simply ask that you be more diligent in all of the other preventive measures (social distancing & good hygiene) to help protect our community and our church.
