Midweek In-Person Worship Moves Inside with New Safety Measures
As we move into October the daylight hours are shortening quickly. It has become too dark for our midweek in-person worship to take place outside. Holy Cross has recently incorporated new safety measures to allow for an indoor spoken worship service. These new measures are outlined at the bottom of this email. Please do not come to Holy Cross if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Beginning Wednesday, October 7, the More Days for Praise service will take place inside the sanctuary.
We know not everyone is comfortable gathering inside with current pandemic conditions. We welcome those who are exercising extra caution to stay home and watch the worship service on Facebook Live.
Most importantly, please do not do anything you are not comfortable doing. The church leadership takes steps like these incredibly seriously and we are confident in the safety measures we are taking, but everyone has different needs. Please keep yourself safe and meet the needs of those you live with.
If you have any questions or suggestions for more precautions to be taken, please contact the church with your comment.
Thank you for your help as we continue to take steps forward as safely as possible during the pandemic.
In the name of the Great Physician,
Pastor Martin
Jeremy Shoop, Director of Music and Liturgy
Deb Reilly, Council President
New Safety Measures Taken to Allow Indoor Spoken Worship:
1 – Medical grade MERV 13 air filters have been installed in the sanctuary HVAC units and the fans are set to run constantly while people are gathered in the sanctuary. These filters have been rated by NASA to filter out particles that carry the coronavirus.
2 – Two stand-alone air purifiers are sitting in the middle aisle of the sanctuary. Each of these purifiers has a MERV 13 filter and was rated by consumer reports to filter 700 square feet of air every 15 minutes. These units will run whenever someone is in the sanctuary.
3 – The sanctuary and narthex are professionally sanitized on Tuesday evening. The only people who will be in the sanctuary between the sanitization and the worship service will be Pastor and Jeremy. They will both wear a mask if they need to enter the sanitized space.
4 – All worshipers are required to wear a mask while they are inside the HCLC building. Even when you are seated in your pew, we are requiring that all worshipers keep their mask on. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided. Pastor, the assisting minister and reader will remove their mask when they are in place to lead worship. They stand, one each, at the altar, pulpit, and lectern. These spaces are more than 10 feet from where the closest worshiper will be seated. Jeremy will be at the organ for the service and will keep a mask on the entire service.
5 – The pews have been marked off with spaces to sit that allow for a greater than six feet of social distancing. Family units are welcome to sit together in a marked off section. If someone does not live with you, they should not be sitting in the same section as you.
6 – This is a spoken service so there is no singing at this service at all. Singing produces more particles and sends them further than speaking, even when wearing a mask. Any music at this service will be organ or piano.
7 – Offering plates will not be passed. An offering will be taken, and we ask that worshipers come to the stationary offering plate one at a time.
8 – There will be no sharing of the peace. Please do not greet each other with any physical contact. A wave and conversation at six feet apart is the best way to greet each other right now.
9 – Please do not gather in the narthex. This space isn’t large and does not allow for easy social distancing. If you would like to visit with friends, please exit the building and visit outside at a social distance.
10 – Please do not wander the building. It is easier to keep everyone safe if we stay in the narthex and sanctuary areas.
11 – Please do not come if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms.
12 – Names of all who worship are noted in case of the need for contact tracing.