Gathering Plans and Protocols for June 21.

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Church Family,

Our re-opening team met on May 26 to discern what reopening will look like for our church community. We are excited about working at this together.  

Pennsylvania has a three-phase approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.  These three phases are red, yellow, and green. While the state has not forced its phases on the church, we also realize all gatherings are asked to comply and respect the guidelines of each phase.

We are currently in the red phase, which includes stay-at-home orders. Red is the most restrictive and only essential businesses may operate. The yellow phase will be the next stage we experience. We will see a few more businesses open up, but with limited seating capacity and gatherings of individuals will be limited to groups of 25. In the red and yellow phases we are asked to wear face masks to protect ourselves and others. Following the yellow phase, we hope there will be no resurgence of COVID-19, so that we can move forward into the green phase. The green phase has no restrictions, but mitigation efforts will most likely still be encouraged.

Community is a big part of East Petersburg Mennonite Church, after all it is our second core value, and we love the ability to encourage each other in community. For many of us, it has been hard to be physically distanced from each other for this long. It’s been hard for many to not have opportunities to share hellos, helping hands, handshakes, high-fives, and hugs.

Over the past weeks, it seems that a divide in our country has deepened. It may seem like it is hard to know what source to listen to and what guidelines to follow. We are wrestling with that as well. As leaders, we are not only spiritually tasked with facilitating our times together, but also the spiritual responsibility of guarding the safety, health, and well-being of our attendees and members. We are deeply committed to gathering as the church, but we do not want to gather at the sacrifice of those in our church and neighborhood with health concerns or vulnerabilities. 

Our heart is to be safe, strategic, and smart with a return to gathering. We desire to steward our witness and the health of our community well. In effort to steward and serve safely, strategically, and smartly – we have outlined a three-stage-plan.

• Stage 1: While our county and/or neighborhood remain in a red phase, we will continue with online gatherings only for all of our ministries.
• Stage 2: We plan to return into the Church building on June 21, even if we are still in yellow, for our worship gathering at 10 A.M. We will not hold small group hour/Sunday School or children’s programming of any kind until we are in the green phase for two Sundays to limit the times of possible exposure. Come only if you are feeling healthy, and use whatever mitigation guidelines (face masks, etc) that you feel comfortable with. Please refrain from sharing helping hands, handshakes, high-fives, and hugs. 
• Stage 3: After we’ve been in green for two Sundays, we will start planning for Sunday worship gatherings as normal with small group hour/Sunday School and some expression of children’s programming. Continue to use whatever mitigation you feel comfortable with, and be cautious with sharing helping hands, handshakes, high-fives, and hugs. 

We also recognize that there is a certain fluidity and adaptivity needed as we move through each phase and stage, and see what each holds. In many ways, this season of return is also a season of restarting with a new approach to church with a new understanding of what it might mean to do that safely, strategically, and smartly. This only works if we commit to prioritizing each other’s well-being. As a team, we are walking with open palms and open minds, as none of us have ever prepared for a pandemic before, thank you for your support and prayers. We are so excited to gather together with you again (if you are able) on June 21.

Upon returning you will notice a few additional changes for this season;

• We will use donation boxes, rather than passing an offering plate.
• We will ask that you sit distanced from non-family members.
• We will use prepackaged communion.
• We will have additional sanitizing stations.
• We will prop doors under the carport open, and not use greeters at this time.
• We will not be using handouts of any kind (bulletins, children’s, etc).
• We will continue practicing social and physical distancing.
• Church Hymnals and Bibles will be stored for safety.
• Messages will be recorded on video and available on Facebook and YouTube by Tuesday.
• Library will remain closed until we are safely in the green phase.

Again, thank you for support and prayers. We look forward to gathering with you on Sunday, June 21, at 10 A.M. Reach out if you have any questions.

Blessings,

Re-Opening Team

(Joshua Buser, Jonathan Kilheffer, Tracy Kilheffer, Jeff McLain, Derrick Stoltzfus)