Dear Beloved Members and Visitors,
The past eleven weeks have been very difficult for all of us. This time of isolation and uncertainty has amplified our desires to find peace in the midst of chaos. Church has always been a refuge for those who search for peace, love, and joy. It is, for this reason, it has been especially difficult for us to not be able to gather for in-person worship services.
However, I am excited to announce that beginning June 7th at 11 AM we will resume in-person worship services. I want to share with you some precautions we will be taking to ensure the safety of members and visitors. I want to warn you Sunday morning worship will look different than normal.
I want to start by saying if you do not feel well or have been around others who have been ill please remain at home. If you are in an “at-risk” category, we encourage you to remain home as well and continue to join us through our Facebook Live stream services.
As we resume in-person worship services, we will do so in the Family Life Center (FLC). Meeting in the FLC allows for a greater space for us to maintain our Social Distance from one another. Until further notice, Sunday Worship will consist of ONLY the 11 AM worship service. There will be NO Coffee Fellowship, Sunday School, nor Children’s Ministry. Additionally, we will not have time to “Pass the Peace” nor collect an offering. The offering plates will be stationary for you to drop in your tithes and offerings. These measures are being taken to minimize or negate any interpersonal contact.
As for cleaning and sanitation, all doors in the FLC will be propped open to prevent worshipers from having to unnecessarily touch surfaces. There will be Hand Sanitizer stations at each of the exits for you to sanitize your hands upon entry and exit. The FLC restrooms will be open but we request you treat them as single-person restrooms. We recommend wearing a facemask, however, we are not requiring the wearing of face masks. Also, after each service all surfaces will be cleaned with disinfectant.
For parents with school-aged children, we will have activity packets for your child during our services. I understand this time has been especially hard on children, and they are even more eager to see people. However, I must ask that children remain with their immediate/constant contact households.
As we get “back in the groove”, I ask for your cooperation and continued flexibility. Each of these measures are being taken to ensure the well-being and safety of our neighbors. I know we all are ready and anxious to get back to worship, however, we need to be smart and level headed about doing so. I do reserve the right to once again suspend in-person worship services if there is a spike of cases in the Tuscaloosa area or if our safety measures are not followed.
For those who choose not to return to in-person worship for a few more weeks, be comforted. We miss seeing and worshiping with you, but we recognize your safety and health are top priorities. We encourage you to continue worshiping with us through our Facebook Live stream. You can also continue to give by either check in the mail or through online giving through the church website.
If you have ANY questions, comments, or concerns about these measures for resuming worship, please give me a call! I am excited about once again being able to gather with you all for worship, and I am excited to see how the Lord leads us through this new and challenging time.
Sincerely,
Pastor Jeremiah Wilson