September 1, 2020
Greetings,
“For
as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same
function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we
are members one of another.” - Romans 12:4-5
In
this time of social distancing, it may be difficult for many to feel connected
to their church community as they have in the past. I want to encourage you to
know that you are not alone. I, and many of our staff and other church family
members are praying for you. If you have a have spiritual, emotional, or
physical need, please reach out to us.
As
things have been changing over these past few months, we have been doing all
that we can in order to facilitate a better connection within the church body,
and to foster a deeper spirituality and connection with God. Many resources are
available online through our streaming worship and the majority of our small
groups continuing to meet virtually. While being available virtually allows us
to continue some of these ministries, it also provides opportunities that were
not possible before. We can now reach a larger range of people from anywhere
around the world, reconnect with previous members of our church that have moved
away, and include some of our home-bound members, all of whom have not been
able to previously participate in the physical life of the church.
On
top of utilizing these online formats, we have created spaces for in-person
gatherings. Our Sunday evening Outdoor Worship is allowing us to worship
together in person, while still maintaining safe social distances. Some small
groups who are unable to meet virtually have arranged to meet outside on church
grounds, abiding by the policies and procedures the church has adopted and
implemented. The re-opening task force is also working diligently to plan a
safe return to indoor worship.
Even
though our church building may be temporarily closed, we are still actively
working in our community. Many of our ministries and missions are still taking place in the midst of the pandemic.
There is a greater need now more than ever and Christ Church has been meeting
that need head on as we have collected money, food, and other resources for the
missions that we support. Please explore our website for ministry
opportunities, ways to donate to the various monthly missions, and ways to
support and fund the function of the church. Donations can be mailed directly
to the church or given electronically through the website. We would also like
to be able to keep you informed of all that our church is doing, so please consider
signing up for our weekly emails.
We
know and understand that everyone has a different level at which they feel
comfortable in social settings or small gatherings during this time. Therefore, we are doing what we can to create
options where there is something for everyone. Please be reminded that the
COVID-19 safety protocols and procedures are required during any church
sponsored event. This is to help keep you, your loved ones, and our entire
church family safe. We ask that you monitor your own health, and if you feel
any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, or are experiencing a fever over
100°, that you remain home and take care of your own physical well-being.
Our
church is still here. We want to hear from you. We want to keep you involved
and informed. We are doing all that we can to support one another and this
community as we seek to create a safe and loving environment for ministry.
May
God bless you.
Rev.
Zachary Hopple
Current
Plans For Re-opening
Re-opening
Task-force:
Beginning in March of 2020, a
task-force of individuals from the Christ UMC leadership was created to help
make decisions regarding the operation and re-opening of the church and it’s
facilities. This group has met every other week since then, discussing the various
changes and planning for the future of Christ UMC. This group is comprised of
representatives from the major church committees, as well as individuals with
expertise that give specific insight into the various obstacles that we are
facing. This group takes their responsibility to keep the church family safe
very seriously, and we have been purposeful in our discussion and
implementation of our policies and procedures.
Building
Use:
The building is not open for normal
operations or use by any church or community group at this time. The pastor,
office staff, and sextant are regularly present to help maintain the
functionality of the church. Occasionally, others are present to assist as
needed. All individuals present at the church must wear a mask, make prior
arrangements with office staff for the reason of their visit, and enter through
the church office entrance. This process is to ensure that there is no conflict
when various areas of the church are being utilized. It also allows us to trace
points of contact in the event that one of our members contracts the COVID
virus. As we begin to move into reopening the church building, communication
with the office is more and more imperative.
Committees,
Teams, and Task-forces:
All groups that monitor and
facilitate the operation of the church are currently meeting virtually. When
needed, representatives from these groups may frequent the church building to
ascertain the status of the building, maintain current projects, and plan for
future use.
Small
Groups:
All small groups are encouraged to
continue meeting virtually. In cases where this is not an option, we ask that
arrangements be made to meet outside on church grounds only. Group members
participate at their own risk, but must abide by the policies and procedures
set in place by Christ UMC. These include, but are not limited to: all
participants must maintain at least a 6 feet distance, masks must be worn at
all times, the church building will not be open for use (including restrooms),
and meeting arrangements must be made with the church office. In addition, a
liability waiver must be completed prior to the group meeting. These waivers
are obtained through the church office when arrangements are made.
Sunday
School:
As with other summers, we have been
operating with a modified Sunday School schedule. All classes have been held
virtually. Beginning in September, the new term of Sunday School classes will
begin and all regular classes will be held virtually. Please check the church
website for more details regarding the specifics for each class. We anticipate
Sunday School remaining virtual for the near future.
Sunday
Morning Worship (Current):
Currently, Sunday morning worship is
only available through live-streaming on the church website and Facebook page.
There is also a call-in service, where individuals may call a provided number
to hear the service in its entirety as it is being streamed. Please call the
church office for these details. Each service is streamed lived on Sunday
morning with five to ten people present as needed. Portions of the services may
be pre-recorded to provide additional content to the service. All participants
maintain a greater than 6 foot distance from one another, and are masked when
not actively participating in the worship. Vocalists are located in various
areas of the sanctuary, in order to help facilitate the appropriate social
distancing. All church policies and procedures are strictly observed.
Sunday
Morning Worship (Re-opening Plans):
When it is decided that we can more
safely return to in-person, in-building worship, the following guidelines will
be put in place. We will maintain the group limit set by the CDC and Governor’s
Office. The church max socially distant seating capacity is 65 people, which
may vary depending on the number of individuals in a specific household. A
reservation system will be created, to limit the number of people who will be
able to attend worship, and to adjust seating as necessary within the
sanctuary. All seating will be assigned to safely maximize the number of
individuals who will be able to participate in the physical worship. More
details regarding how to make reservations will follow as the system is put
into place.
All participants will need to wear a
mask at all times while in the church building. If you are unable to wear a
mask for medical reasons, please inform us when reservations are confirmed, but
please know that not wearing a mask will increase your risk of transmission,
and we ask that for your safety, you strongly consider your involvement in our
in-person worship and other activities. Temperatures will be taken at the door
of all who enter. If a person has a temperatures that reads over 100°F, they
will be asked to refrain from entering the building. This is in keeping with
recommendations from the CDC, as well as following the practices of many other
institutions and communal areas. Use of the church building for worship will be
limited to the sanctuary and the immediate restrooms on either side of the
sanctuary. Participants will be asked to arrive shortly before the beginning of
the service, remain in their seating areas, and leave promptly after the
service to allow us to effectively clean the used areas. All used areas will be
cleaned and disinfected immediately after worship, to prepare for streaming
services and any other functions that may need to use the space in the week to
come.
The current plan is that the
in-person service will take place at 8:30am. There will be no corporate (group)
singing or responses in order to limit the amount of particles that may be
expelled by any individual. Instrumental or pre-recorded music will be
provided, but we ask that worshipers refrain from singing along. Services will
follow a modified schedule that will reflect these changes. We will continue to
offer the live-streaming worship service, but at a modified time (11am). This
will allow us to incorporate a wider range of worship elements, and still
provide a time of worship for those who cannot worship in the physical worship.
The date of returning to in-person worship in tentatively scheduled for October
4th, 2020, unless a spike in cases occurs during the month of September.
As seating will be limited, we ask
that you be patient with us as we determine who will be able to worship with us
each week. This is a difficult process and we ask for your grace and your
understanding. We ask that you only reserve seating if you are completely sure
of your desire for in-person worship.
Outdoor
Worship:
This worship opportunity was created
to make a safer alternative to in-door worship. This service takes place Sunday
evenings at 6pm, with set up beginning at 5pm. Households are seated in
alternating parking spaces (worship spaces) which are utilized to provide for
social distancing (minimum of 6 feet). Masks are required while moving to and
from the worship spaces, and are strongly encouraged while in the worship
space. Ushers are present at the entrance to the service area to escort
attendees to an available worship space. Indoor restrooms are available, but
are monitored by a volunteer at the door to limit the number of people in the
building at the same time. Anyone who attends these worship services do so at
their own risk, as in keeping with any outdoor public space and gathering.
Preschool:
The Preschool has decided to follow
the plans of North Penn School District. While the school district facilities
remain closed while utilizing distanced learning, the Preschool will do the
same. As the school district moves towards hybrid or fully in-person models,
the Preschool will begin to reopen with modified class sizes and schedules. The
Preschool has been diligent in preparing a detailed plan of reopening that is
in keeping with recommendations from the CDC and the Governor’s Office. Please
see the Preschool portion of the church’s website for further details.
Ministries:
As each ministry of the church
functions in different ways, the policies and procedures put in place also
vary, but all follow the same basic guidelines set forth by the CDC and
Governor’s Office. We are doing all that we can to keep our church family and
those we serve safe.