When And How Will We Return To In Person Indoor Worship?
The St. John Council met on Tuesday, March 3 and approved Gathered in Christ to Serve our Neighbor- A Plan for a Return to Indoor In Person Worship.
Throughout the pandemic, the priority of the Council has been the health and well-being of our neighbor- this includes their physical, mental, and spiritual health. The Council has sought the best scientifically verifiable information through government, medical, synodical, and local resources. The document containing the criteria and resources used to develop this plan can be found here.
We are as anxious for a return to indoor in person worship as much as you are. However, we want to make sure that we do so in a way that does not unnecessarily endanger our staff or our members, especially as there is such good progress being made in winding down this pandemic.
When will we return to in person worship?
The criteria for a return to outdoor worship has already been met (9.6 cases per 100K, 4.1% positive test rate, 3% risk for a gathering of 25 people as of March 2) and we will return to that as soon as the weather allows. Our hope, given the current weather conditions, is for Palm Sunday or Easter at the latest. We would have outdoor worship at least on the first and third Sundays (weather permitting) and perhaps more often. Those attending will be asked to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.
When will we return to indoor in person worship?
Given the criteria we have established- the clock has started on our return to in person indoor worship of 25 people or less. If the criteria are still met by the end of March, we will start with a return to indoor in person worship of 25 people or less following Easter. The first service for that will be on Wednesday, April 7 at 6:30 pm. The time has been moved to make attendance easier for those who work.
Those attending the in person indoor worship will be asked to do the following:
1. Wear face masks (for leaders as well).
2. Maintain physical distancing (6-10 feet for participants, 16 feet for leader)
3. There will be a low-touch environment (no shared materials)
4. There will be an increased air exchange/filtering
5. Worship service will be approximately 30 minutes
6. Any singing will be recorded or by worship leader only
7. No communal responses or communion during worship
8. Focus on sanitizing high touch surfaces.
9. Pre-service sign up required using online and phone in reservations.
10. There will be no communal singing and no communion.
11. You will be dismissed by the pastor or a volunteer and encouraged to return directly to your vehicle without interacting with others in the church building and keeping your mask on and practicing social distancing even when exiting.
A year of study has shown that the spread of coronavirus is most likely through extended close contact with someone who is infected. This makes time in indoor spaces with other people most dangerous. The size and ventilation of the space, the time spent there, the number of people and distance from one another, and the amount of respiration you are doing are all factors for the likelihood of spreading the virus in these situations. Therefore, our caution about indoor in person worship and the use of the scientifically based criteria.
We also ask everyone to keep wearing their masks when not with members of their household, keep washing hands and social distancing, and get vaccinated when you can because all those things will have a positive effect on the criteria by which we are making our decisions. The more we do these things now, the sooner we can return to indoor in person worship.
