By now you may have heard the Governor’s intention to initiate Phase 1 of reopening Virginia on May 15. For some of you, that’s a source of great joy and relief. For others, it’s a source of anxiety and concern. But for all of us, it’s a source of questions. I don’t pretend for a second that I can answer all of those questions, but I would like to address what this new phase means for our worship at Grace Community Church.
Phase 1 of the Governor’s plan includes resuming in-person worship services at 50% of a church’s indoor capacity. As a result, we intend to hold our first in-person worship service at 9:30 AM on May 24.
Even though we will be resuming worship, I don’t want you to think that everything is immediately going back to normal. We will be observing some social distancing guidelines before, during, and after the service in order to reduce the risk as much as we can.
Before Service:
- Doors to the church will remain closed until ten minutes before service begins to discourage people from hanging around in common areas like the foyer. Feel free to converse in the parking lot or yard around the church, but please avoid bunching up near the door.
- As hard as it might be for connection-starved extroverts, we are asking all non-family members to observe six feet of physical distance. This means no handshakes, no high fives, no hugs.
- One way to potentially limit the spread of the virus is by wearing a mask in public places. We are not requiring masks to attend worship and are leaving that decision up to each individual.
- There will be no coffee or bulletins in the foyer. So, when you enter the church please proceed directly into the sanctuary. Please begin by filling in the seats away from the doors first so that it’s easier for people to get seated and maintain physical distance. Family members who are living together are welcome to sit next to each other, but we are asking you to leave a space of at least three empty seats between different families on the same row.
During Service:
- Instead of passing the offering baskets during the service, we will have boxes available for you near the doors for you to give your offering. You’re also welcome to continue giving by mail or online.
- We will not have nursery or children’s church during Phase 1, so please plan accordingly for your children.
After Service:
- One of my favorite things about Grace is how we linger and fellowship after the service. However, we need to do that a bit differently during these times. After the service, we are asking everyone to exit the building. You will receive more specific instructions after the benediction.
- You are welcome to stick around and chat outside for as long as you like. I know I’m looking forward to seeing you! Please maintain appropriate physical distance while you do.
At this stage, these guidelines won’t be enough for everyone – and that’s okay. Please don’t feel any pressure to come back to the church building before you’re ready. If you are uncomfortable gathering in person for any reason, please continue worshipping with us online. We will continue with the live stream as we have been doing for the past two months.
Like so many things right now, this plan is subject to change based on how the situation in our community develops, so please stay tuned for updates as we get closer to that date. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at tom@cvillegrace.org.