Resuming In-Person Worship at Shores UMC
During these most unprecedented times your Council appointed Task Force has and continues to tackle the daunting task of how to safely return to in-person Worship. We have done our best to study many scenarios / possibilities, including ideas submitted by members. We have considered what each one could look like, and how each one would impact our church and community. For our mutual safety, we have come up with the following guidelines for re-entering the facility, and how we can each do our part to help us celebrate worship safely and successfully together. We have been guided by the CDC, Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, state and local health/medical experts.
We are preparing for indoor, in-person worship to begin on Sunday, November 1, 2020. We continue to pray for a decrease in local and national COVID-19 numbers. Any sudden increase may hinder our plans. The Drive-in Service will continue at 9 AM. The In-Person Worship Service will begin at 11:00 AM. Reservations are required.
How Should I Register for Worship?
- First and most importantly, no one should come to the service who has had a fever or symptoms of Covid-19 (which includes cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, recent unexplained loss of taste or smell, or a sore throat), or have had known exposure to a Covid-19 case in the prior 14 days, or are waiting for Covid-19 test results.
- Reservations to attend services will be required each week, so we can ensure socially distant seating and provide contact information.
- Please register each week by calling the church office (904-797-4416), between 9 AM and 1 PM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Provide the names and total number in your party who will be attending.
What Can I Expect in Worship?
- Please arrive by 10:45 AM to allow additional time for you and your party to be checked in and seated by our ushers.
- Please enter through the Narthex (lobby). All other entryways will be locked.
- Greeters/ushers will meet you and provide hand sanitizer for each guest. Ushers at the Sanctuary doors will check the seating arrangement and guide you to your seats.
- We will practice social distancing before, during and after all Worship services.
- Sanctuary seating is spaced at least 6 feet or more, in single person or group clusters to maintain social distancing guidelines. Please do not move chairs.
- Face masks are required for everyone age 4 and above in the Sanctuary for the entire service. Please bring your own mask if you have one, otherwise we have extra masks available in the Narthex.
- All persons with medical conditions that are adversely affected by wearing masks are asked to visit shoresumc.org for online services or attend the Drive-In services.
- For sanitary reasons, we encourage everyone (if possible) to use the restroom at home before coming to a Worship service; however, our restrooms will be open during Worship services. (Please review the Restroom Guidelines below for further details.)
- Children should sit with their parents the entire service. No Sunday School or Nursery will be offered during this time.
- Offering plates are in the Narthex and Gathering Room. You can place your offering in a basket as you enter or exit.
- For the time being, there will be no congregational singing during Worship service to prevent the spread of the virus. We all long to sing together as a church community, but right now we are choosing to refrain from singing to protect one another’s health. However, please be reassured that we will be offering some meaningful opportunities to worship with music, for example, soloist/duets.
How Will I Exit the Church Service?
- You will be dismissed at the end of the service through the Gathering Room doors. Please be patient as our ushers dismiss you.
Other Doors Within the Church
- We kindly ask that everyone refrain from entering/exiting other doors or areas in the church.
- For your safety and the safety of your family, please observe all signage.
Restroom Guidelines
- Only 1 person is allowed into the restrooms at one time.
- Please wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom.
- Trash cans will be placed outside of each restroom door, so that you can use paper towels to open the doors as you exit the restrooms.
Sanitization Information
- The church Sanctuary building is being cleaned every Saturday by a Janitorial Service and on Sunday afternoons by Enviro-Master Virus Vaporizing Service (https://enviro-master.com/commercial-cleaning-services/virus-and-germ-spraying/)
- Hand sanitizer will be available at various locations.
God Bless you and keep you safe!
October 14, 2020
