[Grace UCC News] Updates

[Jack Patterson]

Hi Folks...A newsletter is coming out this week, but for those of you on
this feed, here is a quick heads up as to what we are thinking.  Pray for
our church family.

Worship Services

Due to the rise in identified cases of the virus in Ohio and around the
country, our worship services will continue to be online using Zoom and
Facebook Live as we have done for many weeks. Please check the email news
feed for information. Members will also be contacted using DialMyCalls for
access information. Pastor Keith has been leading these on line services
for the past three weeks. They have been beautiful services, and we hope
you have had the opportunity to view them on Facebook. We anticipate that
we will be continuing online services for some period of time. In order to
stay informed, we ask that you access information related to the church
using our online connections.


Website graceucclancaster.org

Facebook https://facebook.com/GraceChurchLancaster

Twitter @GraceUCCLancasterOH


We will be making weekly and emergency announcements using our DialMyCalls
phone system. If you need to add or update contact information, please
contact Jack Patterson 740-653-5750 or email jackandterrip at gmail.com


Church council met this past week and is reviewing many options for worship
services and developing plans for reopening. We are looking into options
for parking lot/outdoor services knowing that weather issues can always
affect these plans. If outdoor services are planned, the time of the
service would be changed to avoid the heat. Services may be scheduled at 9
AM to be in cooler settings. Any such services will be announced through
emails and DialMyCalls. We are purchasing a short range FM radio system
which will enable us to broadcast the service to your car radio to assist
with parking lot services. This system will also allow us to broadcast to
the parking lot when we return to sanctuary services for any who want to be
part of the service but are hesitant to enter into the church due to risk
factors from group exposure.


We are working toward in sanctuary services as soon as safety issues can be
resolved. Please review the guidelines we are considering for a safe
reopening.


In Sanctuary Service Guidelines

We are establishing guidelines for in sanctuary services. The final form of
the guidelines will be published prior to in sanctuary services, but these
guidelines will include:

   1.

   Masks must be worn by anyone entering the building...Masks are available
   to any who don't have a mask.
   2.

   All attending the service will be asked to sign in so that if any
   infection is later detected, we can follow up with all who might have been
   exposed.
   3.

   Hand sanitizer stations will be set up in the Narthex and in the
   sanctuary.
   4.

   Entry to the church will be organized to promote social distancing.
   5.

   There will be no gathering time in the Narthex. Upon entry to the
   church, greeters will guide you into the sanctuary to designated seating
   areas.
   6.

   Designated seating areas will be clearly marked to assure social
   distancing. Family groups will be able to extend a seating area.
   7.

   There will be no traditional passing of the peace. Wave to your friends
   and church family and take joy in getting to see each other again...from a
   distance.
   8.

   There will be no hymns sung, but music will be part of the service.
   Singing seems to be a major cause of airborne spread of the virus.
   9.

   There will be no congregational responsive readings for the same reason.

   ***After beginning Sanctuary services, if it becomes obvious that people
   are comfortable wearing masks and social distancing, we will add responsive
   readings and hymns back into the service.
   10.

   There will be a designated area(s) for your offerings as you enter or
   leave the church. We thank you for continuing to support the church.
   11.

   We are looking at plans to safely share communion.
   12.

   While Pastor Keith is very excited to meet all the congregation, he will
   not be able to shake hands and hug as we leave the service. He will be
   extending best wishes for a good week from the altar.
   13.

   Upon completion of the service, those attending will be dismissed by row
   so as to ensure distancing as we return safely to our homes and our mission
   outside the church.
   14.

   All services will be recorded and live streamed for any unable to
   attend. Audio recordings of the service will be made available and can be
   delivered to anyone wishing to share in the service but not having internet
   access.

These are our proposed guidelines. The final form will be completed prior
to any service. Please know that the safety of our church family is of
greatest importance. Additionally, as you leave our church to go into the
world to do God's mission work in your daily lives, we want to protect all
those you contact. Pray for us as we work through these unusual times. We
will find a new normal...together.
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