As we look ahead to in person worship beginning October 4, below are some of the practices that we will follow in order to gather safely as a community that cares deeply for one another. Please remember: We will continue to offer livestreamed worship on Saturday evenings and post the recording of that worship on our website by Sunday morning. If you are at all concerned about your health, exposure to others, or the risk of exposing others; if you are at all unwell; and if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, please feel free to continue worshiping virtually. And, if Orange County experiences another wave of infections, we will respond accordingly.
There will be a day when each of us has an “all clear” to gather safely without extraordinary precautions. Until then, here are the covenantal agreements that we will practice when we gather at 9:30 or 11:00.
- By attending, we will attest that we are not feeling sick and have not been exposed to someone with COVID-19 over the last fourteen days.
- We all wear masks.
- We will register ahead of time to ensure a safe number of attendees.
- We will honor social distancing before, during, and after worship.
- We will practice non-touching ways of greeting one another.
- We will expect Ushers to offer reminders or corrections and respond kindly.
- We will be patient with each other as we all figure out how to do this well.
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In addition, there are some modifications to worship and gathering that we will need to accept.
- We are unable to sing, serve communion, pass the peace, or pass offering plates.
- Restrooms are for emergencies and one person at a time, if possible.
- We will not offer child care, nursery, or Sunday School.
- There are no pew Bibles, so you should bring one if you like to read along.
- We will not have printed bulletins.
- We will not have our beloved “Patio Time” following worship.
- We are limiting the number of worship leaders using microphones.
Our Ushers are meeting and focusing diligently on how to enable us to turn our ‘on paper planning’ into ‘in person practice.’ You are free to seek their direction or help at any time.
We will use six-foot pool noodles to ensure safe, social distancing during worship. We have staggered noodles on the pews, so that some folks can sit by themselves, while other families can sit together. Our pews are spaced so that every other row is six-feet apart. What that means is that if the space on the pew immediately behind or in front of you is empty, you are safely distant in those directions. Then, if you honor the pool noodle on either side of you, you are safe in those directions. Unlike ribbon or taped signs, the noodles will allow us to make small adjustments to accommodate larger families or to ensure your comfort. And, when the pandemic is a distant memory, we will have a pool party and pretend they are swords.
As I was spacing out the noodles this week, it did occur to me that sitting six feet away from others in every direction can feel a bit lonely. Then, a friend shared a story of her friend who felt isolated during worship because he was unable to sit closer to others. It is a reminder that even when we gather in person for the first time since March, it will not be the same experience that we have had for many years. So, we will give it some time, we will practice patience, and we will make adjustments along the way as we learn better.
Registration for October 4 worship begins on Monday morning at 10:00am. You can click here to register. And please feel free to contact the church office if you need assistance (info@stmarkpresbyterian.org; or 949-644-1341).
Thanks for being the church,
Mark of St. Mark
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