Worship Guidelines for Bethany United Methodist Church
As we make plans to cautiously reopen our church’s in-person ministries, the safety and wellbeing of our congregation and community is our top priority. It is imperative that our church model safe behavior for the rest of the community and lead by example. Much of Jesus’s ministry was focused on physical illness and public health, as he healed the sick and restored the ostracized to communal fellowship. As disciples of Jesus, we feel called to extend his healing ministry to our community through prayer, ministry, and adherence to best practices of public health policies. We recognize that online only ministry does not represent the fullness of ministry to which God has called us. People need personal gatherings for their own spiritual and mental wellbeing. And yet, we acknowledge that it is currently not safe to return to normal church life. Asymptomatic persons carry this virus and make it truly difficult to know that anyone may be infected or in harm’s way of being infected. We want to do everything we can to be safe, to be compliant with all the guidelines from government officials and the CDC. And lastly, we want to promote a healthy way to worship God the best that we can.
John Wesley had three simple rules:
1. Do no harm 2. Do good 3. Attend to the ordinances of God
These are the General Rules that all Methodists were to follow, and they are great rules for us as we continue to live out God’s call on our lives. With these in mind the Board of Stewards, after much prayerful consideration and discussion, has made the decision to restart in-person worship beginning this Sunday July 5, 2020. While we all believe deeply that the Spirit of God is what binds us all together with Christians around the world, we also know that worshiping together with our church family is a vital part of the Christian life. If we follow the guidelines that have been recommended by the CDC and the North Georgia Conference, we can work together to provide a safe space for our congregation to be with one another. That is why it is of the utmost importance that we all do our part, as we slowly phase into in-person worship, to follow the guidelines set forth by CDC and others and put in place by our task force. Friends, worship will look different, but the same spirit that fell on the early church in Acts is that same spirit that will be felt as we gather together.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Garrett Wallace
Worship Guidelines for Bethany United Methodist Church
No one is obligated or should feel any pressure to come to worship. Each person is different and has their own unique health and wellness concerns and should be respected and supported in their decisions.
• Because we know and recognize many will choose not to attend, we will continue to send out copies of
the sermon each week and post messages to the Church’s website and Facebook page.
• It is still recommended that those who are in the “at-risk” category shelter in place.
No one should plan to attend if they show any symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, or appear to be sick.
Social distancing is extremely important and must be maintained and respected by all who attend.
• Pews will be marked off so that worshipers may sit with space between them.
• There are also some rooms, such as the nursery and office that have speakers connected to the
sanctuary’s sound system if anyone does not feel comfortable sitting in the sanctuary.
• Bathrooms will be limited to one person at a time.
Face coverings will be worn by your pastor as well as volunteers in the service. All who attend are STRONGLY encouraged to wear a mask as these not only help to protect those who wear them but also those around them.
•If you do not have a facemask Brenda Torbush has made masks that we will be handing out at the door.
•We have also secured over 40 individual hand sanitizers from the LaGrange District office to hand out
to worshipers.
Arriving and leaving the service will be the most vulnerable time that we gather. Parking will need to maintain social distancing when possible, and signs of hospitality will need to shift from handshakes and hugs to simple waves and other forms of expressing hospitality in a safe way.
• We will also exit the sanctuary in a much more formal and organized way to ensure we keep our
distance.
• If possible, please leave an empty parking space between each car.
Services will be shortened and there will be no in person singing. Offering plates will not be passed but will be situated so you may place your offering in them as you enter or exit. Bulletins also will not be handed out. Our time together will look differently, but it will be the first step in worshiping together.
• There will be no Sunday School hour, refreshments, or assembly time until further notice.
As we make plans to cautiously reopen our church’s in-person ministries, the safety and wellbeing of our congregation and community is our top priority. It is imperative that our church model safe behavior for the rest of the community and lead by example. Much of Jesus’s ministry was focused on physical illness and public health, as he healed the sick and restored the ostracized to communal fellowship. As disciples of Jesus, we feel called to extend his healing ministry to our community through prayer, ministry, and adherence to best practices of public health policies. We recognize that online only ministry does not represent the fullness of ministry to which God has called us. People need personal gatherings for their own spiritual and mental wellbeing. And yet, we acknowledge that it is currently not safe to return to normal church life. Asymptomatic persons carry this virus and make it truly difficult to know that anyone may be infected or in harm’s way of being infected. We want to do everything we can to be safe, to be compliant with all the guidelines from government officials and the CDC. And lastly, we want to promote a healthy way to worship God the best that we can.
John Wesley had three simple rules:
1. Do no harm 2. Do good 3. Attend to the ordinances of God
These are the General Rules that all Methodists were to follow, and they are great rules for us as we continue to live out God’s call on our lives. With these in mind the Board of Stewards, after much prayerful consideration and discussion, has made the decision to restart in-person worship beginning this Sunday July 5, 2020. While we all believe deeply that the Spirit of God is what binds us all together with Christians around the world, we also know that worshiping together with our church family is a vital part of the Christian life. If we follow the guidelines that have been recommended by the CDC and the North Georgia Conference, we can work together to provide a safe space for our congregation to be with one another. That is why it is of the utmost importance that we all do our part, as we slowly phase into in-person worship, to follow the guidelines set forth by CDC and others and put in place by our task force. Friends, worship will look different, but the same spirit that fell on the early church in Acts is that same spirit that will be felt as we gather together.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Garrett Wallace
Worship Guidelines for Bethany United Methodist Church
No one is obligated or should feel any pressure to come to worship. Each person is different and has their own unique health and wellness concerns and should be respected and supported in their decisions.
• Because we know and recognize many will choose not to attend, we will continue to send out copies of
the sermon each week and post messages to the Church’s website and Facebook page.
• It is still recommended that those who are in the “at-risk” category shelter in place.
No one should plan to attend if they show any symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, or appear to be sick.
Social distancing is extremely important and must be maintained and respected by all who attend.
• Pews will be marked off so that worshipers may sit with space between them.
• There are also some rooms, such as the nursery and office that have speakers connected to the
sanctuary’s sound system if anyone does not feel comfortable sitting in the sanctuary.
• Bathrooms will be limited to one person at a time.
Face coverings will be worn by your pastor as well as volunteers in the service. All who attend are STRONGLY encouraged to wear a mask as these not only help to protect those who wear them but also those around them.
•If you do not have a facemask Brenda Torbush has made masks that we will be handing out at the door.
•We have also secured over 40 individual hand sanitizers from the LaGrange District office to hand out
to worshipers.
Arriving and leaving the service will be the most vulnerable time that we gather. Parking will need to maintain social distancing when possible, and signs of hospitality will need to shift from handshakes and hugs to simple waves and other forms of expressing hospitality in a safe way.
• We will also exit the sanctuary in a much more formal and organized way to ensure we keep our
distance.
• If possible, please leave an empty parking space between each car.
Services will be shortened and there will be no in person singing. Offering plates will not be passed but will be situated so you may place your offering in them as you enter or exit. Bulletins also will not be handed out. Our time together will look differently, but it will be the first step in worshiping together.
• There will be no Sunday School hour, refreshments, or assembly time until further notice.
