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Positive experience with return to in-person church


maize
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Stories about churches being irresponsible make me sad, so I wanted to share our very positive return to in-person services today. This was the first time our congregation has met since mid-March; we were originally scheduled to resume modified services in June but our local leadership opted to postpone that plan because of rising covid rates in our area. We seem to be at more of a plateau now and have cautiously moved forward. Our congregation met today in smaller groups, assigned alphabetically by last name, for a shortened service. Our group had about ten families, carefully distanced throughout the chapel, and all wearing masks. We did have some congregational singing but they limited each hymn to one verse and with everyone masked and socially distanced that didn't worry me. They took forty-five minutes between meeting groups to sanitize everything.

While our congregational leaders are still recommending that people in higher risk groups stay home, I was impressed with the precautions being taken and felt comfortable being back at church with my family. We'll still be doing home church most weeks, our building is ordinarily shared between three different congregations and splitting each into smaller groups means each congregation is being given one Sunday each month to use the building. I'm glad they found a compromise that allows us to worship with others at least intermittently while being careful of the physical health of all.

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That sounds good!  Our church has done well too, I think. Instead of one service, there are two, and one is streamed for people who choose to stay home. And there is no pressure for anyone to go back until they are ready. People have to sign up to attend, and the pews are marked for distanced seating. Everyone has to mask while in the building. There is one hymn with congregational singing. The Sunday night service was changed to a zoom prayer meeting in March, and that is still going on.  

Some folks I know from another church in the area (which is also taking "signups" for service attendance) have grumbled about having to "make a reservation to go to church." That group has a contingent of "masks infringe on our rights" folks so I guess I should not be surprised. 

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Ours has been holding services services for over a month now.  We are still staying home and viewing online, but we may venture back next week.

They ask each family that wants to attend in person to not go every week, so that others have the opportunity and everyone isn’t there at the same time.  They are also holding those masses in the huge school gym with groups of chairs (sized 2-6 generally) spaced far apart for families of the appropriate size. So there is a limit to how many are allowed each week.  And masks are required.  It seems to be going well. 

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23 minutes ago, maize said:

Stories about churches being irresponsible make me sad, so I wanted to share our very positive return to in-person services today. This was the first time our congregation has met since mid-March; we were originally scheduled to resume modified services in June but our local leadership opted to postpone that plan because of rising covid rates in our area. We seem to be at more of a plateau now and have cautiously moved forward. Our congregation met today in smaller groups, assigned alphabetically by last name, for a shortened service. Our group had about ten families, carefully distanced throughout the chapel, and all wearing masks. We did have some congregational singing but they limited each hymn to one verse and with everyone masked and socially distanced that didn't worry me. They took forty-five minutes between meeting groups to sanitize everything.

While our congregational leaders are still recommending that people in higher risk groups stay home, I was impressed with the precautions being taken and felt comfortable being back at church with my family. We'll still be doing home church most weeks, our building is ordinarily shared between three different congregations and splitting each into smaller groups means each congregation is being given one Sunday each month to use the building. I'm glad they found a compromise that allows us to worship with others at least intermittently while being careful of the physical health of all.

That is what ours is doing. I have not gone, as the singing does make me nervous, but at least it is masked and distanced. And you have to register, etc. 

OUr priest did take his mask off during the sermon and such today, supposedly after multiple people asked, due to hard of hearing members, but to accomodate that he blocked off the first 1/3 of the pews or more (couldn't really see on the live stream) to create even more distance between him and the congregation - there was already 12 feet between him and the first pew, so a good amount of distance, and he wears it when not specifically addressing the congregation. I'm not 100 percent happy about his tone regarding masks, but his actions are pretty good, and he's spoken very carefully about it. I appreciate that, and that he submits to the bishop on this matter, and the local authorities now. (before it wasn't a law)

Also, they are offering a shorter, no singing service at the 8am time. I'd be okay going to that one I think, except it's early, lol. 

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Great story!

Our parish has done well too.  We've been meeting in person for about 6 weeks.  Our county has different restrictions for places of worship.  I think it's helped with those who are much more cautious to feel comfortable being in church.  The rules are that you can have one person/family group per 200 sq ft of *worship* space, which are parish calls "pods".  Ours is big enough to have about 15 or 16 pods.  The pods are huge!  We also have a choir loft and a separated vestibule which gives people with children the chance to have a space where their littles can't get out of the pod.  Of course, if we had a small church it would be a different problem.   I know some parishes/churches are struggling because their worship space is tiny. 

We started out with 2 services a week but there's not been a lot of people interested in Saturday liturgy so those have been discontinued. 

My daughter's parish is very small and has similar restrictions.  If it's inside they can probably only hold about 3 person/family groups besides the priest  When the weather is decent and not too hot/humid they have services outside so more people can attend. 

We have a weekly sign up that our priest oversees so that the same people don't fill up the roster every week.  The choir has it's own rotation made up of those willing to come.  We sing about every 3rd week.   Today was our 3rd Sunday there, so I think that means its been around 6 weeks. 

 

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My church is still livestream only with drive-through communion afterward, even though state regulations allow for meeting in person.

I really like the livestream with drive-through communion. There are a few masked vocalists distanced in the church, and we can sing along at home. If we met in person there would be no singing. Our family has so many hard decisions to make about exposure and lots of upheaval coming up with return to school and work. Livestream worship feels nurturing and steadying.

The decision on whether to open up the church building in August will be made at the end of July, with input from a survey of all parishioners. I voted to continue livestream only, but to examine how we are supporting elders in our church community and whether limited outdoor Masses could be an option for those without internet access.

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I love hearing about how churches are trying hard to be careful and safe, and being creative too!  We live in a condensed inner-city area, so our church is still meeting online and will do so for quite awhile.  But, I can see how other churches might feel okay to gather, with precautions in place.

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Our church is doing parking lot church every other week, and it's going well.  Everyone wears masks and stays pretty socially distant, although about half the people don't stay in cars.  We bring chairs and sit pretty far apart, but since we're masked and far apart and outdoors in sun, I actually feel okay about even singing.  

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We were online when things were closed, they moved to outdoors in the evening when it is a bit cooler.

Most people follow mask rules, there was none early on and a few people wore them, people in the neighborhood are complying with mask order both when out and about and at church for the most part, masks were recently required in the county.

We've actually had people worried about Covid who normally go to other churches come to our church, they like outside better.

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We aren't meeting in the building yet but had a nice parking lot service today (and one at the end of June, but that one had some technical difficulties! Everything worked well today). I sat very far away with my wheelchair kid who can't wear a mask. At one point I heard a noise behind us and turned and it was a doe! Then a second joined her.  We've never had deer running behind us in indoor church!

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Our Catholic church has been meeting since the beginning of May. It's pretty good size (the church seats 1700 people; we have two Masses on Saturday, five on Sunday); these are the procedures:

  • In May, the same people did the same things: same lectors every week, same Eucharistic ministers every week, same cantors every week. We're mixing things up a little now.
  • Everyone wears a mask. The end.
  • All congregants come through the front door (we have multiple entries), where they are met by a staff member who has them use hand sanitizer.
  • They must wait for a staff member to seat them (and they are staff, not volunteers). Pews have been taped off into four sections each, every other pew; the staff member seats family groups together, with sections between other groups. They enter from the center aisle.
  • The priest and deacon and alter servers and lectors wear masks as they process in; alter servers wear masks for the whole Mass; lectors remove their masks when they read; the priest and deacon wear masks except when speaking.
  • We have only the Precious Body of Christ. The Eucharistic ministers go to the pews and serve each person, on the hand, who lifts his mask to consume the Body..
  • Only the cantor sings.
  • At the end of Mass, and after the priest and others have recessed, staff members go to each pew and release the people; they leave via the outside aisles.

I hate wearing a mask that long. If I were not pretty sure I'd wear my mask at Disneyland because Disneyland, I'd really think hard about staying home rather than breathing in carbon dioxide for that long. o_0

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Our church has been back for several weeks- and it’s been great.  Chairs are spaced far apart, people wear masks the entire time (including singing) and sit in family groups. There are signups in advance, several services and a video service for high risk individuals. It’s not complicated and works well. 
 

I know of several churches locally and throughout the US (CA, PA, TX and VA) where services are “compliant” and therefore non newsworthy and lower clicks/views.  Compliance and normalcy rarely register anymore- everything has to be dramatic, sensational and egregious to be noticed. 

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Our church began meeting for Sunday morning worship in June.  All other services and classes are either on Zoom or cancelled for now.   Masks are required. You're requested to use hand sanitizer upon entry. Every other pew is marked off and the middle of the pews are marked off so you can only sit on the ends as a family or household unit.   We do have singing but with masks on.  The song leader takes his mask off while leading, but is behind a sheet of plexiglass and at least 10 feet away from anyone else.  Communion is packaged individually and you pick it up on your way into the sanctuary.  Ushers show you to a seat and we are dismissed by row to leave.  We've been asked not to congregate outside after service, but to be sure we observe social distancing.  No hugs or handshakes.  I miss hugs.  High risk people are encouraged by our leadership to stay home and they are continuing to stream services.  

 

Paula

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7 hours ago, LarlaB said:

Our church has been back for several weeks- and it’s been great.  Chairs are spaced far apart, people wear masks the entire time (including singing) and sit in family groups. There are signups in advance, several services and a video service for high risk individuals. It’s not complicated and works well. 
 

I know of several churches locally and throughout the US (CA, PA, TX and VA) where services are “compliant” and therefore non newsworthy and lower clicks/views.  Compliance and normalcy rarely register anymore- everything has to be dramatic, sensational and egregious to be noticed. 

This is exactly it.  Bad new sells... grousing gets attention.  Even my negative book reviews on Goodreads are the most "liked".  

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@Ellie I am jealous. We have not returned to Mass and it hurts my heart. Very few (read: no one other than ushers) wear masks. There is singing. While Communion is supposed to only be received in the hand, priests aren't hesitant about allowing people to receive by mouth. (And, as our parish currently has no priest, the celebrant changes each weekend. So there's no way to be sure whether it will a priest who would enforce that.)

There is social distancing and people are dismissed at the end. 

Sadly, due to the other reasons, we haven't felt comfortable returning. MH's family, who has returned, all think I am crazy. I just keep smiling and saying, "as soon as everyone masks, there's no singing (or only the cantor), and follows other guidelines, we'll be there!"

So, please keep positive church stories coming. It's giving me hope that someday we will be back!

I guess a positive for us is that when we watch Mass online, it gives us the chance to pause and explain things to our children. We are pretty good about catechizing at home, but there is something to be said for explaining what's happening in Mass as it happens. Also, we have been watching Masses in a variety of churches, which gives us a chance to talk about their statues/stained glass windows/etc...

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3 minutes ago, barnwife said:

@Ellie I am jealous. We have not returned to Mass and it hurts my heart. Very few (read: no one other than ushers) wear masks. There is singing. While Communion is supposed to only be received in the hand, priests aren't hesitant about allowing people to receive by mouth. (And, as our parish currently has no priest, the celebrant changes each weekend. So there's no way to be sure whether it will a priest who would enforce that.)

There is social distancing and people are dismissed at the end. 

Sadly, due to the other reasons, we haven't felt comfortable returning. MH's family, who has returned, all think I am crazy. I just keep smiling and saying, "as soon as everyone masks, there's no singing (or only the cantor), and follows other guidelines, we'll be there!"

So, please keep positive church stories coming. It's giving me hope that someday we will be back!

I guess a positive for us is that when we watch Mass online, it gives us the chance to pause and explain things to our children. We are pretty good about catechizing at home, but there is something to be said for explaining what's happening in Mass as it happens. Also, we have been watching Masses in a variety of churches, which gives us a chance to talk about their statues/stained glass windows/etc...

That's so sad. 😞

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22 hours ago, LarlaB said:

 

I know of several churches locally and throughout the US (CA, PA, TX and VA) where services are “compliant” and therefore non newsworthy and lower clicks/views.  Compliance and normalcy rarely register anymore- everything has to be dramatic, sensational and egregious to be noticed. 

Well, yes, the ones where it goes well don't make the news, but the ones where it goes poorly usually don't make the news either. I mean, that one near me that was posted about in the other thread, with multiple positive people, and people leading the service who have had known close contact - as in a spouse- and then others who haven't been tested, tc....that one is not in the news anywhere. And with limited to no contact tracing I doubt anyone will even trace those cases back to the church. 

 

 

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Our church has not opened yet, but several other churches have.  However, we will not go back until there is childcare.  Our 2 year old cannot be quiet unless he is sleeping! 🤣  

I have no idea when childcare will resume.

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