Springdale Presbyterian Church
Resumes Limited In-Person Worship
Pentecost Sunday, May 23

While we aren’t out of the Covid woods quite yet, the rollout of the vaccines has changed the landscape somewhat in terms of general safety.
 
As part of the meeting of Session on March 25, we have set a tentative reopening date of Pentecost Sunday, May 23, for limited in-person worship to resume. This will include our Learn & Serve educational offerings.
 
Please note that we will continue to livestream our worship services even after we reopen for in-person worship. If you feel uncomfortable returning to in-person gatherings for any reason, you will still be able to worship with us online, and we encourage you to do so.
 
We will resume in-person worship under the following guidelines. These guidelines will be updated whenever federal and state recommendations for places of worship are revised.

  1. In order to maintain recommended physical distancing of six feet between individuals or families, weekly in-person attendance will be limited to no more than 50. Members will be asked to register in advance if they plan to attend Sunday worship, by either registering via an online form, or calling the church office. In order to allow others to rotate into in-person worship, we may initially ask members to only register for in-person worship every other week.
  2. We encourage all attendees who are eligible for, and medically recommended to take, the vaccine to do so at their earliest convenience. However, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will have received the vaccine, and those planning to attend must be aware of that reality.
  3. Masks over mouth and nose will be required by everyone in attendance.
  4. Ushers will take attendees’ temperatures upon entry to the facility. Any attendee with a temperature over 100.5 will be asked to not attend.
  5. As indicated earlier, seating will be socially distant – every other row of pews, minimum six feet of separation between individuals or family clusters
  6. Attendees should try to limit their movement through the building to the areas you need to access for worship or classes.  
  7. Entry will be via the main entry, the side door near Klein Chapel, and the east side lower level entry near the elevator. These entries and exits will be equipped with touchless hand sanitizers for use entering and/or exiting. The entry doors will be blocked open for access without handling door, and left open until five minutes after the service begins; then ushers will close and lock them, consistent with our security protocols. Exit doors will be similarly blocked open immediately after worship and for the following 10 minutes; then they will be locked.
  8. Sanctuary doors will be left open to permit access without handling doors. Touchless hand sanitizer dispensers will also be placed at sanctuary entries.
  9. Music in in-person indoor worship will consist of instrumental pieces or vocal offerings performed by small groups at least 15 feet away from any attendees. Vocalists will remove their masks while singing, but will wear masks at all other times. For the time being, hymns and pew Bibles will be removed from the sanctuary.
  10. Attendees are reminded to not shake hands, hug, or make other physical contact, other than perhaps an elbow-bump.
  11. Welcome/sign-in pads and Communion plates, and offering plates will not be used in in-person worship.
    1. Offering: we will continue to emphasize online giving. The “Treasure Chest” lockable box will be placed at main sanctuary entrance; attendees may drop their offering in it. If using offering envelopes, please do not lick the envelope to seal it; simply fold the envelope flap into the envelope for closure. Offering counters will use hand sanitizer before and after handling physical offering.
    2. Communion: in order to minimize handling/contact as much as possible, Communion will be done by intinction with only the pastor distributing. The Pastor will wear a mask and gloves throughout Communion. The Pastor will break bread off of the loaf while wearing gloves and place it into a small portion cup. Each individual will pick up their portion cup from the Table and partake of the elements.
  12. Worship will be guided via screens, and bulletins will be available online via attendees’ phones or tablets. There will be no paper bulletins.
  13. There will be no coffee/refreshment/social time following worship – attendees are encouraged to not gather for fellowship time at present.
  14. Learn & Serve classes for children, youth, and adults will take place in person in their normal locations unless notified otherwise, following same safety protocols. We will also continue Zoom livestream the Learn & Serve classes.
  15. Childcare for children 0-4 years old will be available in Grace Place (the church nursery) during worship and Learn & Serve time. As was the case before the pandemic began, children 5 years of age and older are requested to remain with their families during worship.
  16. Ushers will sanitize high-contact areas (door hardware, light switches, etc.) immediately following our Sunday morning gatherings.
We will not require any proof of vaccination before you can attend worship in person. However, if you are a person of any age or health condition that the CDC recommends receive a Covid vaccine, we strongly encourage you to do so, and to go through the recommended waiting period afterward, before participating in person. This is both a health consideration for yourself and others, and an expression of the compassion and hospitality that Christ calls us to extend to others.  
 
Children, youth, or any adults that the CDC does not recommend receive the vaccine will still be welcome to attend in person.  
 
Again, if you are not comfortable gathering in person at this time, we will continue to offer livestream worship and Learn & serve, and we encourage you to participate in that manner.
 
The Session is seeking your input in this process. We will be asking you to participate in a short survey asking whether you would participate in in-person worship at this time. The survey will be mailed to all members, but anyone can access and participate in the poll online, at the following link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/39SD3MM