December 2021 COVID Plans for Gatherings
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in our area, we are continuing to discern how we respond as a gathered community in the midst of this pandemic. Please review the following guidelines and consider how you can be caring towards those around you. Please be praying for wisdom for our leaders as we listen and discern in the midst of the ever-changing realities of this pandemic.
~The Elder Team
Guidelines – Please do not join in-person gatherings if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19. Follow your doctor’s counsel and CDC guidelines for when to re-engage with in-person gatherings.
Do not join in-person gatherings if you are in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19, unless you have been fully vaccinated. People who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. According to CDC guidance, fully vaccinated people should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.
Face Coverings – Because vaccines are easily accessible in our area for those 5 and older, those who choose to be vaccinated have had the opportunity to do so. With this in mind, we do not have mask requirements for our gatherings. However, there are currently more COVID hospitalizations than any other time during the pandemic. So, we ask you to seriously consider wearing face coverings in order to protect the most vulnerable among us.
While children under the age of 5 are not able to be vaccinated at this point, the severity of symptoms for most children is mild. With this in mind, we will not be requiring masks for children’s activities.
We encourage everyone to be loving and respectful to those around you and honor their personal decisions about how to respond to COVID. Please be considerate and stay socially distanced as you relate with each other until you can ask what feels comfortable to the person you are relating with.
Social Distancing We will continue to keep chairs distanced in the sanctuary for our worship gatherings.
Smaller group gatherings and programs inside the church building
Please make reservations with the church office if you would like to hold a gathering inside the building to determine availability and the appropriate room size for your group. Please follow the above guidelines when meeting inside the church building in smaller group settings.
As smaller groups meet together, we encourage you to have conversations with those present to discern together what is wise for all gathered in regards to wearing masks and social distancing. It is important to honor others by talking about everyone’s needs in the gathered group.