Christ Church Update - May 16, 2020
May 16, 2020
Dear Christ Church Family,
Thank you for your continued patience and faithfulness through the present crisis. God has multiplied his grace and favor upon us through this challenging season. Please be assured of our prayers that he continues to bless you in body and soul.
As a quick reminder, we will hold two worship services tomorrow in the new sanctuary. In accordance with our Governor’s instructions, the services will implement social distancing measures and be limited to 25% capacity of the maximum occupancy.
Please be mindful of the following guidelines for worship tomorrow.
The Governor recommends that members over the age of sixty-five or who are immune compromised should remain at home. While we are aggressively implementing social distancing protocols and cleaning regimens, we cannot guarantee a non-compromised environment. If you have concern about contracting the virus, please continue to take advantage of the virtual worship option.
Additionally, any who feel ill, have been exposed to the virus, traveled internationally within fourteen days of the service, or recently traveled to “hot spots” are asked to refrain from attending.
Members and regular attenders with last names A-L are invited to attend the 9 AM service; M-Z are invited to the 10:30 AM service. If you need a special accommodation, please contact our Church Administrator, Charlotte Reeves, at admin@christchurchmandarin.org.
No children’s ministries will be offered with the exception of an outdoor “rolling nursery” for infants (0-1). Our Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Allison Ristau, will be in touch with our families to provide operational details.
Ushers will guide all attenders directly to their seats where bulletins are already dispersed. Family units will be seated together. Please do not sit with anyone outside of your family unit or in a seat where there is no bulletin.
Please arrive early to the service in order to assist us with the seating process. Please access the sanctuary through the front doors. The side doors to the building will not be used.
Services will be roughly 45-50 minutes in duration. There will be no coffee service and no passing of offering plates. Offerings may be deposited in the appointed basket on the way out of the building at the close of the service.
Additionally, it is important for the congregation to observe the following social distancing guidelines for the service.
We ask the congregation to respect one another by observing six feet of distance. Please do not congregate in the Narthex. Ushers will guide attenders from the front doors to seats in the sanctuary. Also, please refrain from all physical greetings (handshakes, hugs, elbow bumps).
Due to concerns surrounding the spread of the virus, the Session asks the congregation NOT to sing. Yes, this is odd, but it is a necessity during Phase One. Per our normal services, we will have excellent music offered to the Lord by our musicians. We encourage you to participate with open ears, meditation, humming, or clapping, if you like. It will be a bit strange, but we are in a strange season. Nonetheless, we plan to make it awesome!
If at all possible, please refrain from use of the bathrooms. However, they are operational for emergency purposes.
At the close of the service, rows will be dismissed in an orderly fashion. Please retreat outside where you will be free to socialize with socially distanced parameters.
Thank you for your attention to these details! There are many restrictions, but it will be worth observing the restrictions to gather together for the worship of God through his Son, Jesus Christ.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ,
Chuck Colson, Pastor, Christ Church