May 20,2021
Dear Bethlehem members,
As many of you know, there were major changes in CDC guidance and our state’s mandates regarding COVID-19 safety procedures last week. Your church council met this Tuesday to discuss these changes, and how Bethlehem will adapt its safety plan in response. We agreed upon the importance of letting go of COVID safety measures slowly, both because we know there are some members (especially children) who cannot be vaccinated, and because we have all suffered trauma during this pandemic and need time to feel safe in large groups again. We will be taking a gradual, month-by-month approach to reducing restrictions on our congregational life, with hopes that moving slowly and deliberately will be best for both our mental and physical health.
So, here are the things that are changing as of Sunday, May 23rd:
We will resume congregational singing, which means we can add pieces of sung liturgy as well as join in singing the hymns we love.
Hymnals will come back into the pews, so that we can begin transitioning back to worship that is not completely dependent on screens. We will still put everything on the screen for the rest of this month, but beginning in June, anything that is in the hymnal will not be duplicated on the screen. If you are still worshipping at home at that time, we invite you to pick up a hymnal from church during the week to use at home. (If you are unable to get to the church, call or email me, and I will drop one off for you.)
We will no longer be concerned with where people are entering and exiting the building and sanctuary for worship, and will remove any unnecessary signage.
Additionally, on Sunday, May 30th, name tags will come back into the narthex, redesigned with our new church logo, and we ask you to use them, especially to assist Pastor Kristin in getting to know you.
There are also a number of things that will remain the same for now:
We will still require mask wearing when entering the building and during all worship services. I remind you that, as of last month, mask wearing in small group meetings within the church is at the discretion of group members, and should include assessment of how many group members are vaccinated.
Social distancing in the sanctuary will still be encouraged, especially because we know that singing disperses airborne particles much more widely than speaking or breathing regularly.
Avoidance of crowds in the narthex and other gathering areas of the church is still important, though we encourage you to visit with friends and visitors just outside the church.
All other safety measures adopted by previous plans will stay in place for now, and we encourage your feedback to staff and council members about these changes. Council will continue to update our plans every month, and we are all hoping for a return to pre-pandemic congregational life soon. We ask you to be patient as we transition out of our restrictions, and that you continue to care for your neighbors as you are so good at doing.
We also look forward to some outdoor worship Sundays this summer, which will enable many fewer restrictions, and are firming up dates for that now. Again, thank you for being so good about keeping one another safe during this trying year, and for continuing to be patient as we transition to a new normal.
Blessings, Pastor Collette (on behalf of the church council)
