The day has come for us to join back together in worship. On Independence Weekend, we will come back together in corporate worship to express our dependence upon the Lord and our love for one another. Our services times will be 7:30, 9:00, and 11:00 as usual.
How will we worship together with the ongoing concerns of Covid-19?
To begin with, we are following the directives of our Bishop and ask all our members to consider the most vulnerable among us as we worship together. To accomplish a safe reopening for all, those who attend are expected to adhere to the following guidelines:
Adults will be asked to wear a mask and observe social distancing recommendations whenever possible: including before, during, and after the service. Social distancing is expected to take place in the parking lot coming and going as well. If you have a mask please bring it, we will only have a limited supply.
Hand sanitizer stations will be setup up under the Portico and everyone is asked to sanitize your hands before entering the church.
Seating will be every other pew, families can sit together, but the next person in the pew needs to be 6ft away. There will be clear marks on the pews where people are invited to sit.
All the liturgy and music will be provided in the bulletin, no books will be in the pew tracks. However, if you want to bring your own Bible or Prayer Book you may do so.
Communion will be served in one kind, bread only. The Host will be distributed from a single station in the front and center aisle. You are asked to observe social distancing when coming forward to receive communion. Families are invited to come forward together. Once you receive communion, please return to your seat by using the side aisle to the right of the altar.
When the service ends you will be asked to dismiss starting with those sitting in the back of the church, one pew at a time.
If you need to use the bathrooms while at St. Barnabas, please gently spray the disinfectant located in each bathroom before you exit.
Additional helpers will be needed following each service to wipe down all pews as we prepare for the next service to begin. If you would like to help prepare the church for those coming in after you, please text or call your Vestry Representative and let them know you are willing to help following the service you attend. If you do not know who a Vestry Representative is, you can call the church office at 386-734-1814 and let Gretchen know your name and service you are willing to help out with.
I know this seems a bit chaotic, but the Vestry and I believe it will flow much smoother than it might seem, and we will all be able to worship together once again. However, if you have a compromised immune system or are in a high-risk category, you are encouraged to continue to worship with us from home. Some of our Sunday morning services will be streamed live on our St. Barnabas YouTube Channel, which can be easily accessed from our webpage at www.stbarnabaschurchdeland.org.
If you are sick, have a fever, or any flu-like symptoms you are asked to stay home for the welfare of the community. If you should find yourself in this position, please call the church office to let us know that you are carefully monitoring your health and/or going to the hospital for care.
As time goes by it is our hope that even these precautions will be unnecessary. However, until that time remember that your cooperation with these guidelines will offer love and hope to your neighbor and allow us all to worship together our Lord and King.
