covid-19 update

June 20, 2021

New Covid-19 Procedures:  On Tuesday, Council approved changes for Sunday worship services, effective immediately:

  •          Mask wearing is now optional, including during singing
  •          Distancing will continue with only certain rows available for seating
  •          The east overflow is reserved for those who wish to wear masks and sit with those who also wear them
  •          Those not wearing masks are asked to enter through the main door under the canopy
  •          The office door entrance will be open for those wearing masks, for access directly to the east overflow
  •          All other entrance doors will remain locked
  •          Greeting - we will continue to wave and not shake hands
  •          Offerings and Communion - no changes

      Under consideration:

  •          Coffee - served outdoors under the canopy after church
  •          Nursery – having people available each week if needed
  •          Walk Out Worship – adjustments based on new worship procedures

        To make everything work well, we need the following from you:

  •          Know and follow the new procedures
  •          Love one another by being mindful and respectful of each other's comfort levels, opinions and concerns
  •          Don’t attend if you have health concerns that might be detrimental to your church family
  •          Be willing to assist in coffee service, nursery and WOW  
  •          Provide feedback with concerns or recommendations  

 

Thank you again for your cooperation and support during the past year.  The pandemic was stressful at times, but was made easier by the love and support we felt from our church family and expressed many times in our meetings.  We also thank our loving God who makes all things beautiful in his time.   The Council of Faith Church

covid-19 update

june 13, 2021

Covid-19 Seating Adjustment:  Beginning today, only the east overflow will be reserved for people wearing masks the entire service and preferring to sit by others wearing masks.  Those seated in the main sanctuary and west overflow may remove their masks during the service except while singing.

covid-19 update

May 23, 2021


At its Tuesday meeting, council approved some adjustments to our COVID-19 guidelines for Sunday worship services.  These changes will take effect May 30 and will be explained during this Sunday’s service. 


The new procedures are summarized as follows.

  • We will continue to wear masks when we enter the church building and find a seat in the sanctuary.
  • Once everyone has been seated and the service is about to begin, we are free to remove our masks when we are not singing. Masks must be worn during singing.
  • Recognizing that not everyone is comfortable sitting in an area with people not wearing masks, we are reserving the two overflows for people who prefer wearing masks the entire service. This will provide two areas with everyone wearing masks.     
  • At the close of the service, we will wear masks as we leave the sanctuary and until we exit the building.
  • We will stop taking attendance. However, we will still get contact information for visitors.
  • We will continue to enter through the doors under the canopy, maintain our physical distancing in the sanctuary, and collect offerings and serve communion as we do now.
  • Please continue to monitor your health and do not attend if not feeling well.
We thank you for your cooperation throughout this pandemic and ask for your continued support as we gradually work our way toward some semblance of normalcy.  We know that some of you will feel that these changes don’t go far enough and that others will prefer no changes at all.  As council discussed these matters over the last year, we tried to make everyone feel safe even though this came at the expense of displeasing and inconveniencing others.  However, we felt that the steps we took were the most appropriate ways for us to serve each other in love.

 

We will monitor these changes and make adjustments as needed or advisable.  As with everything we do, we encourage your thoughts and suggestions.  Please contact any council member with your ideas.

 

In service to Christ and His Church,

 

The Council of Faith Church

 

Covid -19 update

april 25, 2021

At each council meeting we have an opportunity to discuss our COVID guidelines for Sunday worship.  At Tuesday's meeting we agreed to loosen some of our restrictions beginning immediately. Each of these changes will be evaluated in the weeks ahead to see if they are working well.  The changes are:

  • Psalters and Bibles have been returned to the chairs and pews being used for seating.  You are allowed to use them during worship services if you so desire, but please remember that they will not be cleaned.  We feel this is not a problem since worship services are one week apart.  
  • The mailboxes are once again open for use.  We will begin using them to distribute information to those attending our worship services.  We ask that you be courteous and not crowd.  Take turns if that works best and allow people adequate space.
  • Coat racks are open again.  Feel free to hang up your coat or take it with you into the sanctuary.  It's your choice but please be courteous to each other and don't crowd

We have also discussed other topics, such as nursery, WOW, and coffee outdoors after our worship services. No change in these items is taking place immediately but they are ongoing discussions.  Please contact any council member with recommendations or questions you may have.

 

Thanks to each of you for your tremendous cooperation as we continue to navigate this COVID maze.  We know that not everyone agrees with the decisions we have made, but we are so appreciative of the love and patience that has been shown.  You are a blessing.  As mentioned above, please feel free to contact council members with any concerns, questions or suggestions you may have. 

 

Covid-19 update

January 19, 2021

Faith CRC In-Person Worship Procedures

Approved by Council January 19, 2021


At its January meeting Council approved a return to indoor fellowship (but still no coffee time) following our worship services. Below is a summary of our current procedures as originally adopted October 20 but slightly revised. Please take a moment to review them. We ask for your cooperation for the health and safety of all of us. 


Coats & Jackets: Take your coat/jacket into the sanctuary with you rather than hang it on the rack. There is room with our distancing and this helps avoid people congregating by the coat racks. 


Fellowship: We are returning to indoor fellowship after our worship services. This should take place in the sanctuary, overflow areas, and the fellowship hall, but not in the narthex or around the video and audio equipment in the rear of the sanctuary. Please enter the fellowship hall through the east overflow area proceeding through the open double doors. All indoor fellowship will be done wearing masks and groups should maintain proper distancing. Outdoor fellowship will occur as the weather allows. 


Library: The library will be open after our worship services, but not before. One person or one family unit are allowed in each visit. 


Entering & Exiting: The main entrance under the canopy is our entrance door. When you enter please go directly into the sanctuary and do not visit in the narthex. Following our service those leaving as well as those who remain in the sanctuary & overflow areas will exit using the main entrance doors. Those in the fellowship hall and in the library will exit using the door by the office. Please understand that signage may not necessarily reflect all these guidelines. 


Safe Door Exit: We have received a request from those not wishing to fellowship to be able to exit the sanctuary without having to walk around or through groups of people. Those people can exit from the sanctuary through the door by the piano, proceed down the hall to the left and exit the building through the door by the west bathrooms. 


Mask Wearing: We continue to require that masks be worn the entire time you are in the building. We want to do all that we can to keep people safe. 


Bulletins: Please continue to print your own bulletin & take it with you if you would like one at church. We will have a few available for visitors but not for general distribution. 


Mailboxes: Mailboxes will not be used other than for the church secretary to distribute things to council members and ministry team leaders and to get invoices properly approved. This remains a part of our effort to avoid areas where people might congregate. 


Self-Screening: We ask you to continue to screen yourself for COVID-19 symptoms and general health and to remain home if you do not feel well or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive. We depend on you do this for the health and benefit of all.


Covid 19 Update

Nov. 20, 2020

Council decided to continue with in-person worship but no indoor fellowship, but as always, this is subject to change.

 

Guidelines for continuing in-person worship:

  • Do not attend if you are not feeling well, have tested positive for COVID-19 or think/know you have been exposed to the virus recently.
  • Enter through the main doors under the canopy and go directly into the sanctuary.
  • Wear masks the entire time you are in the building.
  • Leave the building through the same doors immediately at the conclusion of the service.
  • Do not fellowship, visit or congregate indoors before or after the service.
  • If you visit with each other outside, please wear a mask for that also.
  • The library will not be open.

Ongoing monitoring

  • Each service will be evaluated as to whether attendees are following the guidelines, the attendance numbers remain low and that things continue to seem safe.
  • Illinois Department of Public Health guidance and other government recommendations will be monitored.
  • The COVID-19 case numbers and positivity rates will be watched carefully.
  • The comfort level of the pastor, praise teams, accompanists, video and sound people will be continuously checked.

It is our desire to provide an opportunity for in-person worship for those who really want to be there and are comfortable doing so.  However, it must remain safe and comfortable for all involved.  If we find that guidelines are not being followed or that things become too uncomfortable for those needed to produce the worship services, we will suspend in-person worship and live stream only.  

Guidelines for return to worship after covid

Nov. 25, 2020

As we continue to work our way through the COVID-19 maze and are asked questions about certain aspects of it, we realize that we should provide some guidance as to when you are welcome back to in-person worship following a positive test, the suspicion of having contracted COVID-19 or having been in close contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case. After reviewing the Illinois Department of Public Health guidance for schools, we have established the following minimum guidelines we would like you to follow.

 

A.  If any of these 3 conditions exist, stay home at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms and return if you have gone 24 hours with no fever (without fever reducing medication) and have definite improvement of symptoms.

 

  1. Your COVID-19 diagnostic test is positive (confirmed case).
  2. You have COVID-like symptoms without testing and with known exposure to a confirmed or probable case.
  3.  You have COVID-like symptoms without diagnostic testing or clinical evaluation and without known exposure.

B. If any of these 2 conditions exist, stay home until symptoms have improved or resolved themselves.

 

  1. You have symptoms with a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test.
  2. You have symptoms with an alternative diagnosis without a negative COVID-19 diagnostic test.

 C.  If this condition exists, stay home for 14 days after your last exposure to a COVID-19 case.  If COVID-19 illness develops, use the ten-day isolation period guidance for a COVID-19 case from the onset date as shown in 1 above.  Testing is recommended.

    -- You have no symptoms but have been in close contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case.

 

We ask that we all work together for the protection and safety of our church family and those who are entrusted with the responsibility of producing our Sunday worship services.  Please act on the side of caution if you are unsure.  As always, feel free to contact us with any questions.

 

Faith Church Ministry Board and Council