Christ Church Update - May 21, 2020
May 21, 2020
Dear Christ Church Family,
Thank you for your ongoing faithfulness and steadfastness through these uncertain times! We deeply appreciate your patience as we work to address the spiritual and physical needs of our congregation amidst the challenges presented by COVID-19.
This week our governor, Ron DeSantis, issued another Executive Order that fully implemented Phase One of his plan to re-open Florida. The guidelines present two main standards: (1) the continuation of social distancing protocols and (2) limitations of occupancy to 50% of building capacity. Though the governor’s orders are not directed to churches, our Session has sought to uphold and, in several cases, go beyond the standards of the guidelines to protect our congregation’s health while also providing weekly opportunities to commune with God in worship.
For the remainder of Phase One, our plan is to continue to hold two services on Sunday mornings that maintain social distancing protocols and limit attendance to 33% of the sanctuary’s seating capacity (150 maximum attendance out of 450 available seats). This will ensure an excess of six feet between family units during worship as we work with health officials to limit new infections.
PLEASE NOTE: service times will change this week to 9:30 AM and 11 AM. Additionally, we will NOT continue to direct the congregation to attend a particular service by alphabet. Please attend the service that is most convenient for you.
Additionally, please read the following guidelines carefully as a few of our operations have been updated.
While we have aggressively implemented social distancing protocols and cleaning regimens, we cannot guarantee a non-compromised environment. All common areas of the church building must be used at one’s own risk.
The Governor recommends that members over the age of sixty-five and those who are immune compromised should remain at home. For those uncomfortable attending, we will continue to provide a virtual worship service.
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 services.
Ushers will guide all attenders directly to their seats where bulletins are already dispersed. Family units will be seated together. Please do not congregate in the aisles or other common areas of the church. We encourage the congregation to socialize outside of the building. Also, please refrain from all physical greetings.
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, mouthing the words, or clapping, if you like. It is a bit strange, but we are in a strange season. Nonetheless, we’ve made it work over the past several weeks and will continue to do so!
The balcony will be open for seating this week. The cry rooms will also be available for nursing mothers and parents with restless children.
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.
Thank you for your attention to these details. We appreciate your partnership in working to implement these standards.
Please be assured of our ongoing prayers for your health and spiritual well-being during this season. We are certainly not without challenge, but yet we are also not wanting for comfort. Our Lord reminds us that we can have peace during troubled times because He has overcome the world (John 16:33)!
As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ,
Chuck Colson, Pastor
Jim Dickenson, Clerk-of-Session, on behalf of the Session