OK, Church Family, here we go! It’s time to reopen our Church doors for Sunday service! Our date is Sunday July 5th (at the usual time of 10:00) and there is a bunch of stuff you’ll need to know BEFORE you show up that day. Please stick with me here, read this carefully, and email me with any questions or comments you might have.
First and foremost, our concerns are for EVERYONE’S safety. That means we are going to be extra careful to start with. So we’ll have some rules and regulations to begin with, and we’ll see how it all goes as time goes by. Since there is still much we don’t know, we are going to err on the side of caution. All that said, here is what we need to do…
1.) Masks will be mandatory while in the building. I know we don’t like these things; but again, we’d rather err on the side of caution. So, if you want to come in for the service, you’ll have to wear a mask and you’ll have to leave it on for the duration of the time you are inside the Church. If you need one, we’ll provide one for you!
2.) There will not be a Children’s Ministry at this time. There are simply too many moving parts, and some of those who lead and teach there are in a high risk health category. So, for now the Children’s Ministry wing will remain closed. That said, go ahead and bring your kids to Church and have them sit with you in the sanctuary. Children 8 years and under will NOT have to wear masks, but may; kids over 8 must wear them. Again, we are aiming for caution for all concerned. If you want to bring your kids, just make sure you bring something to keep them as occupied as possible. Julia and Rudy are providing a complete kid’s lesson every week. You can download and print out materials from our website.
3.) Social distancing is a must! We have the seating set up so there is plenty of room in between folks. We can also rearrange seating to accommodate your entire family, or for you singles, as well. We love to shake hands and give hugs, but we can’t do that right now. Seating will be set up to accommodate social distancing. That does mean we’ll have fewer seats available, so come early so we can make sure everyone gets seated properly. Families can sit together and we’ll have single seats too, we’ll have something for everyone.
4.) If you are in a high risk age category or have underlying health conditions, please continue, for now, to enjoy our service through the live stream at home. Same if you have a temperature or have or think you might have been around someone who has the virus.
5.) No donuts – our sweet tooth and waistlines might thank us! We’ll get them back as soon as we can! Pray for an end to the pandemic so we can have our donuts back! We also won’t be serving any beverages, but feel free to bring your own.
6.) There will be no bulletins and no Bibles under the chairs at this time. Again, these are things that pass through many hands week in and week out, so we’ll chill on those things for now. Bring your Bible, (You should anyway!) and the bulletin items will be on the jumbotrons.
7.) A few final items: We’ll have doors propped open, the front door and restrooms as well as the exit doors after service. We’d like you all to enter as you always do through the front doors, but exit out the side doors of the sanctuary. Don’t worry, we’ll have signs and folks reminding you of the ways in and out. We’ll have some windows open, as well, for good ventilation.
If you don’t have a mask or forget one, we’ll have plenty of extras, as well as hand sanitizer and even gloves, if you like.
The folks on the platform, like me and the worship team, will not be wearing masks when we are up there, but we’ll put masks on as soon as we step down from the platform.
I know this is a lot, but this is what we think is the safest for everybody. No doubt these things will change over time, but for now, let’s start here and see how it goes. If you’re like me, you are just excited to see as many of us as can come; to be able to worship together (even if it’s a bit muffled); and to dig into God’s Word with one another. I’m stoked! Let’s do this! I know we can!
Now, one last thing. We’re going to need some extra help, especially an expanded ushering crew and some extra hands to clean up before and after service. If you can serve in any of these capacities, please contact me directly by replying to this email or calling or texting me at 650-218-0454. If you can help, it would be great if you let me know and then show up THIS Sunday (the 28th) right after Church, and we can walk through everything so we’re ready for July 5th.
Hoping to hear from some of you soon, and can’t wait to see some of you on the 5th!