Reopening the Church Facility

5/14/2020

Guidelines

• The church facility will begin to open when a downward trajectory of positive tests as a percentage of total testing is continual over a 14-day period.

• The church facility will begin having more and more added activities with the downward trajectory of positive tests as a percentage of the total testing meets the church leadership decided safe numbers. See those determined numbers in each of the following phases. 

Reopening Details

​

Phase 1 – Prepping Church Facility Starting May 4th 

• Finish cleaning/disinfecting the areas in the church that have not already been cleaned. We will ask current cleaning teams to care for their area. This will be the safest way because they will be alone or with someone they do life with daily. This will ensure their safety.

• Put into place, cleaning protocols for all areas of the church with the addition of thorough disinfecting after use of facility.

• Put into place movement of people; one entrance, one exit (proposed the main doors is the entrance. The Heritage Chapel Door is the exit). This keeps people facing in one direction and thus minimizing face to face possible transfer of virus.

• Worship will continue online only and recordings will continue to be done at the homes of those leading worship.

• Purchase and place hand sanitizer all throughout the church.

• Determine and put into place procedures for those entering into the church facility. For example…you MUST sanitize your hands as you come into building. You MUST remain 6 feet apart. 

• Put into place options for individuals. This will include suggestions as to why an individual  should not come into the church facility and when they are in the church facility they will be expected to follow the “Care For Your Neighbor” protocol. See “Care For Your Neighbor” Protocol below.  

• Reduce the number of chairs in the coffee shop so as to follow the 6 feet rule. Then we will rope off the sitting area in front of the fire place. 

• New office hours will be placed on entrances prepping for return of some staff in phase 2

• Preschool remains closed due to only three weeks are remaining in the school year, not many families will return for a few weeks, and the environment has not met our primary guideline of only one new case per all tested.

 

Phase 2 – First wave back 

Starts when the downward trajectory reaches a percentage of 7% new cases per day of total tested over a 14-day period.

• Worship will remain online only.

• We will have the worship team which is less than 10 people gathering begin recording worship at the church. It was suggested to start this in the youth room for the reason of heating and cooling smaller area, it is already set up for worship, this number of people will fit just fine and be able to maintain 6 foot rule.

• All the while this team will be practicing “Care For Your Neighbor Protocol”

• Pastoral staff will continue to work in the space they feel the most productive

• Church Office will reopen on the new hours determined by Diaconate in early January.

  • Tuesday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Wednesday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.

• Small groups of 10 or less may meet in the church on the days the office is scheduled to be open. This will need to be in the calendar and approved prior to any meetings. These meetings will be limited to the Heritage Chapel  or Café’ 1820 ONLY so as to keep the safe distance from one another.

• Maintain “Care For Your Neighbor Protocol”

 

 

Phase 3 – Second wave back

• Starts when the downward trajectory reaches a percentage of 2.5% new cases per day of total tested over a 14-day period.

• Worship will be held in the Worship Center with only 30 people 

• A group of 10 people can meet in the café’ to watch on the TV during worship live.

• A group of 10 people can meet in the Heritage Chapel to watch on the TV during worship live.

• Small groups of 10 or less may meet in the church on the days the office is scheduled to be open. This will need to be in the calendar and approved prior to any meetings. These meetings will be limited to the Heritage Chapel  or Café’ 1820 ONLY so as to keep the safe distance from one another.

• Small groups of 6 or less may meet in the church on the days the office is scheduled to be open. This will need to be in the calendar and approved prior to any meetings. These meetings will be held in A1 and A2 so as to keep the safe distance from one another.

• No children’s ministry open at this point. Instead they come with their parents and sit with them in worship. 

• No youth ministry open at this point. Instead they come with their parents and sit with them in worship. 

• Maintain “Care For Your Neighbor Protocol”  All circles can begin to meet again

 

​

Phase 4 – Third wave back

Starts when the downward trajectory reaches a percentage of less than 1% new cases per day of total tested over a 14-day period.

• Sunday Children’s Ministry reopens 

• Youth Children’s Ministry reopens

• Small group Ministry reopens in all rooms

• Boy Scout meetings can begin again…but must follow church “Care For Your Neighbor Protocol”

• Barber Shop Singers can begin meeting again…but must follow church “Care For Your Neighbor Protocol”

• Maintain “Care For Your Neighbor Protocol” throughout church

 

Care For Your Neighbor

• If you feel sick or have a fever, stay home

• While at the church maintain 6 feet between people

• Wear a mask 

• Us sanitizer on hands often or after you have touched any surface

• Do not shake hands or give hugs 

• Cough or sneeze into the forearm 

​