June 7th: Return to In-Person Worship

Sunday, June 7th, the Sunday after Pentecost, will be our first in-person worship services since March 15th. Naturally, we will continue to livestream our 11 o’clock service as well, but we look forward to offering in-person worship at 9 am and 11 am for those who would like to attend.

Over the last month we’ve been working hard to prepare for this moment. So, back in April, I formed our Health Advisory Group, an ad hoc committee of the church, to help guide us through this process. This group is made up of various church members: Dr. Walter Burnett, Melinda Richards, Shawn McCoy, Jana Bardwell, Rich Knox, Steve Newman, and Van Ray. We met on April 29 and May 13, and they have offered the recommendations and guidelines you will find below.

Likewise, we have also reviewed the suggested guidelines offered by the Governor’s office and those from our Bishop’s office. In addition, I met with Mayor Delaware on May 7th to discuss her recommendations and suggested guidelines from the city. At each step, we have made every effort to take all the necessary precautions for your health and safety. Your well-being is important to us as a church.

In that spirit, we offer the following Recommendations and Guidelines for in-person worship:

- First, please be assured that the Sanctuary has been deep-cleaned by our custodial staff before you arrive and will be cleaned again in-between services.

• -  Entrance to the Sanctuary will be limited to the two main doors opening to Washington Street. Please enter through these doors. To limit contact with the door, doors will be left open prior to the service, and opened again at the conclusion of the service.

• -  Hand Sanitizer will be available for you at the main entrances, should you desire it.

• -  Masks are encouraged, but not required. If you prefer, please bring your favorite mask with

  you. We will have a few disposable masks available for your use, if needed.

• -  Social Distancing: We encourage you to keep a safe distance (6 ft) from non-family members.

• -  Seating: Please sit every other pew in the sanctuary. Families may obviously sit together, but

  we encourage everyone else to leave appropriate spacing between them.

• -  No Shaking Hands or Hugging. (This one is hard for me. I’ll probably break this rule at least twice on Sunday, but let’s try our best to greet others with a smile and a wave, just to be safe.)

• -  No Sunday School at the church, at least through June.

• -  No Coffee & Donuts in the Fellowship Hall. (Can we still have church without this?)

• -  No Passing of the Offering Plates. Instead, the offering plates/baskets will be placed at the entrances to the sanctuary.

• -  And lastly, we would kindly ask: If you have a fever, cough, or feel generally ill, please

  exercise caution and stay home. You can always worship with us through the livestream and then join us at the church when you feel well.

  Finally, I would like to add one more word: Whether to attend in-person worship or not is a highly personal choice based on a variety of individual factors. Each person must make his or her own best decision.

  Please, let’s be gracious with each other in this process. It is so easy to look down on someone because they chose to stay home, or because they chose to go to the church, or because they didn’t wear a mask, or because they really want to keep that 6 feet of distance.

  Please try to respect each person’s decision and love them where they are. You might have chosen differently. But, this is their choice. It’s where they are. Extend them that same grace and love that you would like them to extend you.

  As Jesus says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). If we’ll all do that, I think we’ll all make it through this together. God bless!

  Brother Lauren 

Fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection, on a day called Pentecost, the Christian Church was born. Because Pentecost was a holiday celebrating the harvest (a bit like our Thanksgiving), the apostles and a large crowd had gathered to celebrate in Jerusalem.

Many people had assembled near Peter and the other followers of Christ when “From heaven there came a sound like the rush of

violent wind...” (Acts 2:2 ff). After the wind and fire descended, all sorts of languages, known and unknown, came out of the crowd. Each person spoke “about God’s deeds of power” (verse 11). No wonder Luke wrote, “All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” (Verse 12). The whole affair was mind-boggling and life changing. The Holy Spirit had come upon many people.

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. We suggest that WE ALL WEAR RED even as we worship in our homes as a symbol of the Holy Spirit that is powerfully at work in our midst. If you’d like, please feel free to take a picture of your family dressed in red and text it to the church office or post it to your favorite social media account. We would love to see you.

Don’t forget to watch our live stream worship service Sunday at 11 a.m. Our Scripture for this Sunday, May 31, 2020 is Acts 2:1-16.

Our Hymns are:
Hymn No. 57 – O For A Thousand Tongues (vs. 1-4) Hymn No. 34 -- Spirit Song

The Anthem is Surely the Presence. See back page for lyrics for the hymns. 

***Chancel Choir practice resumes Wed., June 3, at 6 p.m.***