Fall Season as Worship Moves Indoors
Dear Friends in Christ at Peace and Grue,
"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
As we move into the Fall season, we are taking steps to move worship back into our buildings safely. As a community of faith, our primary concern is to follow Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbor. This means we safeguard the health and well being of our members and the general public. To achieve this goal we will be implementing the “Minnesota Employer Preparedness Plan for Safely Reopening Faith Based Communities and Places of Worship.”
As we reopen our building for regular worship services, there are certain individuals for whom it might be best to remain at home and continue to follow our services on line until pandemic restrictions are lessened.
- Those over 65 with underlying health issues.
- Anyone who is experiencing symptoms associated with Covid-19. These include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, headache, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell.
- Anyone who is living with someone experiencing symptoms of Covid-19.
- If you start feeling sick or are experiencing Covid-19 symptoms during worship, please leave immediately and isolate yourself at home until you can be tested. If you test positive for Covid-19, please contact the church so we can let others know they may have been exposed.
- If you have any reservations about attending, please err on the side of caution.
To assure that these guide lines are followed, an usher will greet you at the door, ask how you are feeling, take a temperature scan, and record who is present.
In indoor settings, attendance must not exceed 50% of total occupancy, with a maximum of 250 people. Except for service like Christmas or Easter, this should not be a problem for us. We have, however, taken steps to ensure we can maintain social distancing. To facilitate this requirement we have roped off every other pew, and are asking that unless you are members of the same household you maintain 6 feet of distance between you and anyone else sitting in that pew.
Please avoid congregating at the entrance. We ask you to stagger your entry into the building so as to maintain 6 feet of social distancing. When possible the doors will be propped open, or an usher will open the door for you to minimize repeated contact with the door handles. Once you enter the building we encourage you to move directly into the sanctuary filling front most pews first (ya, I know Lutheran don’t do that) to minimize contact with others who may be seated along the aisles. At the end of the service you will ushered out beginning in the back and working forward. Once you are released we ask that you would leave the building directly. Fellowship is welcomed outside the church building as long as you maintain 6 feet of social distancing.
All persons should keep coats, hats, and other personal items with them at all times. Coat racks will not be used to reduce the number of items that need to be sanitized.
We ask that you would not enter those areas of the church that are not being used for worship to reduce the need for additional cleaning and sanitation.
If you need to use the restrooms please maintain social distancing of 6 feet, and wipe handles and door knobs with wipes after using.
The elevator, of course, will be available for anyone needing it.
You are encouraged to use hand sanitizer available throughout the church when hand-washing is not an option.
Doorknobs/handles, handrail, light switches, bathrooms, pews and offering receptacles will be sanitized at least twice a week, once prior to service and once after the service. The heating/ cooling system will remain on to facilitate maximum filtration of recirculated air.
Hymnals and pew cushions have been removed to help alleviate surface contamination.
Printed copies of the bulletin will be placed in the pew prior to each service to minimize person to person contact. We ask that after the service you would take your bulletin with you for recycling at home.
There will be no passing of collection plate, (offerings can be deposited in a receptacle as worshipers enter or leave the sanctuary), no passing of the "peace", and of course no handshakes at the end of the service. We are working on a plan to return to communion once we have moved back in doors. That plan will require safe preparation and distribution and will be explained prior to its implementation.
There will be no coffee fellowship, after services.
Social gatherings or celebrations (private baptism) or other events are limited to 10 or fewer attendees.
All individuals, who are able, are asked to wear a face covering while in the building. Masks will be available to those who need one. Face coverings are not a substitute for maintaining social distance of 6 feet.
There will be no congregational singing during the worship service as studies have shown this to be a high risk activity that forcefully expels respiratory droplets into the air.
Responsive prayers, liturgy, and readings will be done with worshipers mouthing the words softly; while speaking them confidently in their hearts and mind.
For now there will not be a children’s sermon so that children can remain in the pew with their family.
I don’t think anyone likes these guidelines. This is what is being asked if we are going to have indoor worship. Because we are committed to both worship and safety, Peace/Grue Lutheran churches will make every effort to follow these guidelines, doing our part to hasten that day when these guidelines are no longer necessary and we can worship without restriction.
If you have concerns or questions with the implementation of this plan do not hesitate to contact your Congregational President or Pastor and so that with the help of the Return to Worship Safely Team they can be address.
Yours in Christ
~Pastor Dan