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.