Health & Safety Guidelines Update

The church’s Health & Safety Team met to update our Covid guidelines now that the infection numbers from the Omicron surge are decreasing. Since things are moving in a good direction again, here are the current rules for inside the church:

• Always be respectful of others and their health needs. (If they want to practice social distancing, be mindful of their personal space, etc.)

• Anyone who is not vaccinated must wear a mask inside the building (ages 2 and up).

• If you would like to sing during the worship hymns, you must wear a mask then, since singing spreads air particles farther.

• If anyone develops Covid symptoms or tests positive after being in the church, please contact the staff.

At least this transition is heading in a good direction. But transition times can still be a little awkward, so we recognize that some folks might have different health risks and comfort levels. As the pandemic has encouraged us, we will give extra grace to others as well as ourselves. And in everything we do, we strive to follow Jesus’ command for us to love our neighbors.

Health & Safety Update for August

The new Delta variant of the coronavirus has caused the situation in the world to change. The spread of the virus and the risk to everyone is now much higher than it was a month ago, and even in Buncombe County the rate of spreading it has doubled in two weeks, with over 50 new cases per day. The church’s Health & Safety Team met to discuss the situation as it is now, and figure out what is needed to keep everyone safe when they are at church.
 
The Buncombe County Public Health Director said the virus is now “exponentially more contagious,” and because of that, the Health Department recommends everyone wear masks during indoor events, regardless of vaccination. Last week our county was in what the CDC describes as “a Substantial level of transmission” but has gotten even worse since then and is now at a “High level of transmission.” (Check transmission risk levels here.) The CDC recommends “that fully vaccinated people wear a mask in public indoor settings if they are in an area of substantial or high transmission,” which unfortunately includes us.
 
The following rules will be in effect through August, during this time of high transmission risk. At the end of the month, the Health & Safety Team will meet again and consider what the situation is then as things change.

• We’re pausing Sunday School for now. So classes will not meet before worship on Sundays. And there will not be a coffee & snack time beforehand.

• Please practice good social distancing, especially when sitting or talking inside.

• Everyone must wear a mask inside the church while attending a worship service, event, or group meeting, regardless of vaccination.

• There will not be the fellowship dinner time on Wednesdays before Bible Study for now.

Hopefully these temporary guidelines will not be necessary for too long. We hope that the situation and risk will soon start to change for the better, as more people get vaccinated. Thank you for understanding and for helping keep everyone safe.

Health & Safety Guidelines Update

The church’s Health & Safety Team met to determine new good guidelines for us, now that more and more people are getting vaccinated.

It is indeed another transition time, in a series of transitions that we’ve been through. And as always, transitions are the difficult times. Eventually we get used to a new routine, and even when the transition is one that moves us closer to “normal,” it can still be awkward. So we respect that we are all in a phase of hesitancy and awkwardness right now, as we figure out what feels safe and what seems comfortable for ourselves and our families. As the pandemic has encouraged us, we will give extra grace to both others and ourselves.

• We will take off seating restrictions on the pews in the sanctuary, but we encourage everyone to be mindful of others’ personal space. For folks who want to continue maintaining healthy social distancing, a good 6 ft distance should be respected.

• Anyone who is not vaccinated must always wear a mask inside the building (ages 2 and up).

• Anyone who works with children must wear a mask, since children cannot get vaccinated yet.

• If you would like to sing during the worship hymns, you must have a mask on, since singing spreads air particles farther.

• If you learn that you have been around someone with Covid-19, we ask that you worship from home the following Sunday on the livestream. And if anyone develops Covid symptoms or tests positive after being in the church, please contact the staff.

As we know, it is still possible for people who have been vaccinated to contract the coronavirus and spread it. Fortunately, any symptoms would be milder, and any spreading would be less. But since it is possible and there are new more dangerous variants out in the world now, let us continue to be mindful and responsible, since we want to protect our children and people with health conditions. In everything we do, we strive to follow Jesus’ command for us to love our neighbors.

Tips for Staying Safe Over Christmas

Keep your family healthy this Christmas by following these guidelines from NCDHHS.

Getting a Covid Test

There are many locations in the area where you can go to get tested for Covid-19. Go to this website HERE, type in your address or zip code, and it will show you options on the map. Some places might require an appointment, so read the notes for each place and call first to ask what you need to do and how much it costs or insurance might cover.

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Health & Safety Update

The church continues to take the coronavirus pandemic very seriously, especially as the number of Covid cases continues to rise. The Health & Safety Team met this week to assess the church's guidelines and strategy. If Buncombe County's new cases reach a Critical level, the church will go back to online worship only. ("Critical" is when the new Covid cases per day is 25 for every 100,000 people. As of Friday morning, Buncombe County has 18.4 new cases a day for every 100,000 people, while the state of North Carolina is at 29.6.)

At present we continue to offer an in-person worship option, but we encourage every person to make decisions that you are comfortable with. If you are hesitant to travel or be inside right now, that is safe and understandable. Everyone can make use of worship online, the telephone service to listen, or worshiping in the Fellowship Hall where there are less people and closer ventilation. We will continue all of the safety measures we have put in place, to lower the risk for folks who choose the in-person option. And if we hear that someone who has attended worship in person tests positive for Covid-19, we will switch to only virtual worship for at least two weeks.

As we enter into the big holiday season and more people might get together with family or friends, it is likely that Covid cases will continue to rise, so be stubborn about making good health decisions for your sake and others--maintain distance, wear a mask, etc. Stay tuned to the church's news outlets (e-mail, website, Facebook) if and when things change for our weekly schedule.

Stop the Spread with an App – SlowCovidNC

Download the free SlowCovidNC app and help slow the spread of Covid-19. Enable your Bluetooth and Exposure Notification settings, then you will be notified if you were in close contact with someone who has shared a positive Covid-19 test result in the app. It is all anonymous, protects everyone’s privacy, and also helps protect your family and community.
To learn more or download it to your phone, click here.

Facemasks Available

We have beautiful cloth masks available in the church Fellowship Hall. They are handmade by our own Deanna L. If you need a mask, please come by the church from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday, and take one for yourself and other family members if they need one.

Covid-19 basic info chart