COVID-19 In-Person Event Preparation Update - May 27, 2021
Dear North Shore Church Family,
We rejoice in the many ways God has preserved and blessed us as a church family throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for your continued partnership in the gospel with us through this time, through your participation in the live streaming of our services, many zoom meetings, generous giving, and faithful prayer.
We have been cautious in our protocols over these past months. We have sought to be wise, even as we have reopened our worship services, youth meetings and children's gatherings in a careful and measured way.
At our Session meeting on Tuesday, May 25, the elders agreed that it is time to adjust our protocols. State and local guidelines as well as CDC guidance allow for these changes. We rejoice that the infection rate is currently so low, and also that Long Island has the highest vaccination rate in New York. All indications are that the pandemic is receding. Thus we have made the following decisions:
1. Registration for church worship services is ended.
2. Attendance is not limited in regards to numbers. And once we have reached capacity in one service, we will gladly go back to our old two service schedule on Sundays.
3. If you are fully vaccinated, it is your choice whether or not to wear a mask.
4. If you are unvaccinated, out of love and respect for your brothers and sisters, and in accordance with state guidelines, we ask that you do wear a mask. We extend this request to youth down to age 12, if they are unvaccinated.
5. For children under age 12, we do not require a mask, but we encourage it, at the parent’s discretion.
6. We believe it is still wise to maintain 3 feet of social distancing between family groups. For NSCC this means that all the pews are now available for seating.
7. We ask you to follow the same protocol for outdoor gatherings as we do for indoor gatherings.
8. If you are sick or symptomatic for Covid 19, or have been around people who have Covid 19, we ask that you, please, join us online and not attend our gatherings.
9. We will continue our current practice of having children's and youth ministries with social distancing of 3 feet.
10. We are putting the Bibles back in the pews!
11. We have increased the ventilation and air purification in our meeting rooms. The protocols and equipment are in place and will continue to move air rapidly.
12. We will continue to monitor the situation and if changes to our protocol are warranted, we will adjust them as necessary.
13. While we hope most of you will return and gather together with us in person, we will continue to live-stream our worship gatherings and welcome those of you who join with us in that way. You are a valued part of our worshiping community.
As elders, we have earnestly prayed for you over this past year and we love you very much. May all of us eagerly and earnestly continue to know Christ and make him known in the midst of our spiritually needy world.
Warmly in Christ,
Pastor John
For the session