WELCOME BACK 2020

Friends:

Our usual time of “Welcome Back” will be different this year. While we are grateful for improvements since March, and for in-person worship since July, our usual special Welcome Back Sunday picnic, and some of our other fall programs, we still feel will have to be changed. Here is some information for you:

-While we will not have our outdoor picnic this Sunday, Sept. 13^th, we will offer some outdoor (socially distanced) refreshments after church, and we hope you can join us!

-We will offer our Annual Chicken BBQ again this year. It will be take-out only and offered between noon and 3PM on Sat. Sept. 19^th. $15 per meal and includes: chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans, rolls, homemade cookies & brownies. Please help support our church in this fun event.

-We do want to let you know that at this time we will not be offering our typical Sunday School. However we do want to provide Christian education for our young people. In the coming weeks, and for the time being, we will be providing a link, in advance, to all Sunday School families with a short children’s video message, tied into the sermon for that day. We hope this will give families a chance to discuss the message that day.

    In addition, we are inviting families to come to church in person, during this time. Given the format we have been using for livestreaming, the service is shorter and may be easier for children to handle. It could be a great opportunity to let our kids experience worship.

    We do anticipate offering a Confirmation program this year. Bryan and I will be in touch with parents of confirmation aged young people to let them know of an informational meeting soon. But feel free to contact the church office if you have questions.

-For the current guidelines for our church you can visit our website: www.ccoqh.org . There is a new “COVID 19” page listed near the top of the site. As things change, and they probably will as we go into the fall, adjustments will be noted there, as well as by our usual channels.

As always, we thank you for your help and support in trying to move forward in a good, faithful and safe way.

Blessings,

Rev. Mark+

 

 

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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE - July 10th

 

Friends:

 

Last Sunday, our first Sunday back after about 4 months, went very well. The plans from our “Reopen Team” worked well. We had about 35 folks in the church. It was great to see faces on Sunday morning!

We will continue with our “slow, safe and phased return to worship” this Sunday July 12^th.

I am listing again, below, our guidelines. The only real change from last week is that we are now able to have 80 people in church. As things progress these may guidelines may change, but we will let you know.

We are committed to doing this slowly, safely and faithfully. You can help us by reading the guidelines below and following them.

SEATING

• Seating in the church (including both back rooms) will be limited to 80 people, on a ‘first come’ basis. However folks beyond that number will be invited to sit outside (so you may want to bring a chair). Or you may sit outside in any case, if you feel more comfortable.
• We ask that you enter the church by the large doors (Church Road side) and exit by the side door nearest the Thomas Center. Of course if you are not able navigate the stairs you can use the other door.
• Pews will be marked to assure 6 feet between people or families.
• A second elder will be able to help you find seating.
• We ask that folks not gather in the back hallway when entering, and we will not be shaking hands before or after the service.

 

MASKS AND SANITATION

• The church will be professionally and thoroughly after each service going forward.
• Please bring and wear a mask or face covering (with exception of children under age 2). We ask you to bring your own, but will have a few if you forget.
• Hand sanitizer will be available as you enter the church. We encourage you to use it.
• Weather permitting, we will open windows for ventilation and the doors will be opened to limit having to touch them.

 

HEALTH INFORMATION

• We encourage those who are vulnerable to stay at home and watch our live-streamed services.
• Of course, those who are sick, have a fever, have signs of contracting COVID-19 or the flu, or have someone in their household with symptoms, need to stay at home and worship online.

 

WORSHIP SERVICE

• The format of the service will be as it has been during our livestream services, and so will be approximately 40 minutes long. Gradually we anticipate adding elements back in.
• Bibles, hymnals, envelopes, and pens will be temporarily removed from pews.
• There will be no bulletins for now.
• I have decided that we will not offer communion in worship for at least the summer. We will reassess as we move into September. However, if you would like communion please let me know and I can provide it to you in your home or in my study.
• Unfortunately, we will not be singing hymns nor will the Singers be offering music for the time being. Toni will, as she has been during our livestream, sing 2 pieces of music.
• Our FaceBook Livestream will continue for the foreseeable future.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

• The bathroom in the church will be available for use. The Thomas Center will be closed and we ask that those bathrooms not be used and that the building not be entered.
• There will not be coffee hour. (Although this Sunday, July 12, we will be having our celebration for Barbara Vogel – outside)
• There will be no Sunday School or Nursery during the summer.
• We certainly understand that some, for many reasons, may not yet feel comfortable coming to church. We know you will return when the time is right. In the meantime we invite you to bring a chair and sit outside, or watch us online.
• As things change these guidelines will as well.

Once again, we thank you for your help and support in trying to do this in a good, faithful and safe way.

Blessings,

Rev. Mark+