In announcing our theme for 2020, our vision for the year did not include the effects of a worldwide pandemic on our abilities to worship and fellowship together. Yet amid many changes brought on by the pandemic, you have remained faithful in worship and have encouraged us and others in many ways.
As we consider a return to corporate worship in the coming weeks, we recognize that—at least for a while—significant changes will be necessary to accommodate everyone’s personal safety and as well abide by regulatory requirements. While the specific return date has not been determined, plans are underway and we need your help.
We understand that personal circumstances differ among individuals and families based on health and other needs. For the foreseeable future, we plan to continue live-streaming Sunday morning worship in the same manner as we do today. However, within the coming weeks, the church building will be opened to two groups of worshipers who may gather at 10am to worship together. Those present at the building will be watching the same live-streamed service on the large screens as those who are viewing at home.
In order to accommodate everyone, we ask that each individual or family (includes children under the age of eighteen) self-identify into one of three groups—red, yellow, or green—which best meet your respective needs. Based on final numbers, the yellow and green groups will worship in separate, dedicated space in either the main auditorium or the fellowship hall.
- RED: Members who assign themselves in the red group wish to continue worshipping at home. These members are simply not comfortable returning to the building at this time due to health concerns, age-related concerns or other personal reasons such as managing small children, caring for others, etc. The Elders fully support individuals who wish to continue worshipping in this manner.
- YELLOW: Members who assign themselves in the yellow group wish to worship with others at the building in a very restricted setting with significant spacing between worshippers, mandatory facemasks, no social interaction prior to or after worship, and social distancing upon entering and leaving the premises. This group will enter and leave the building through a separate lobby than the green group.
- GREEN: Members who assign themselves in the green group wish to worship with others at the building with only the minimum required social distancing and facemask measures in place and are comfortable with limited interaction before and after services. (Facemasks are presently mandated in groups of ten or more without appropriate social distancing opportunities in the City of Montgomery as per an Executive Order dated June 19, 2020.)
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Simultaneously, a committee of five will soon begin work on a plan to ready the building and premises for the two groups which return for worship. The committee members include Ray Sherer, Chairman; Jim Forrester, Nancy Itson, Brian Smith, and Leon Willis. Following the conclusion of self-identifying into groups along with the work of the committee, we will announce a start date to begin this next phase.
Please pray for the success of this planning effort and for each member of our congregation. As always, we seek to please God in all that we do.
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