Worshipping Together Again Starting July 12th

As many of you have heard we are planning to begin in-person worship on July 12th. While I would like to worship on the 12th exactly as we did way back on March 15th the truth is that won’t work. Instead, we will have to make some adjustments for the new reality of Covid-19.

Here are the guidelines for what our worship will look like:

• First of all, it goes without saying that if you don’t feel well, are coughing or running a fever stay home.
• Everyone is asked to wear a mask covering the nose and mouth. We will have some available in case you forget yours, but please bring your own.
• Upon entering the Church, please use the sanitizer found on the small table or in each pew to sanitize your hands.
• Enter straight into the worship area and be seated in a pew. Please do not stop and greet other worshippers. Families, those living in the same household, can sit together in the same pew. All others please keep at least 6 feet between you and the next person in the pew using every other pew. Remain in the pew until the service is over (If you need to use the restroom go straight to the restroom and return to the pew you had occupied earlier). At the end of the service exit your pew and go straight out of the church, no gathering, no fellowship.
• At this point in time, we will not be singing. All hymnals will be removed from the pews.
• Service will begin in the normal fashion, with announcements, gathering (Confession and Forgiveness or Remembrance of Baptism), and the prayer of the day. In all corporate speaking you are asked to use a quiet voice, please do not project your responses or the litanies.
• The readings and Message will then follow.
• Profession of faith – Apostles Creed (Again, please speak softly)
• Prayers of Intercession
• Sharing of the Peace – stay in your pew and wave to each other. Please do not shout the peace!
• The offering will not be taken up by the ushers, the plates will be entrance to the worship space for you to place your gifts in.
• When Communion is celebrated instructions will be given. Generally speaking, those distributing communion will be gloved and masked. We will use wafers (normal at Zion, a change at Cross) and individual cups (normal at Cross, a change at Zion). Communion will be continuous, not at the rail and families will come up together. You are asked to keep 6 feet of separation between family units. Pastor will bless those who do not receive Communion but will not touch the person. At this time, we will plan on Communion every other week, on the 1st and 3rd Sundays.
• At the dismissal you are asked to leave by pew, beginning at the pew closest to the entrance. Do not “bunch-up”, do not gather in the fellowship space or parking lot to socialize.
• A group of 3 or 4 will be asked to volunteer to stay and sanitize the items and space used during the service.

Due to the lack of singing, I expect worship will be shorter than normal. Thus, worship at Zion will begin at 8:45 instead of 8:30 to allow worship for Holy Name to complete and for them to sanitize the space before we enter. We ask that no one gathers at Zion until 8:30 to allow the members of Holy Name to clear the building first.

We will adjust the worship practice as we learn together what works. Please be patient, feel free to give suggestions, and thank you and God Bless you for your cooperation.

~ Pastor Doug