GOOD NEWS!
We will be resuming 9:30am Worship Services at Sardis UMC starting Sunday, June 14th.
While we invite ALL to come and join us, we encourage and support those who may choose not to attend at this time (elderly, having underlying medical conditions, children, etc.) These are advised to consider waiting – there is no pressure to come and on-line service will continue as well.
As should be expected, there will be a few necessary minor changes and precautionary measures due to
COVID-19. We will COVENANT with each other to follow these few simple recommendations out of love for our whole church family with a mindset to love, respect, care for, and serve each other as God desires us to do.
We ask each of you to self-monitor – if you are sick or have symptoms, or have been in high potential exposure situations, crowds, traveled out of state, been around someone who has it- please stay home for week or two for the sake of our church family. Anyone exhibiting obvious symptoms will politely be asked by ushers to excuse themselves.
We will start back worshiping with congregants spaced out for good social distancing. Families may sit together, we will stager and skip pews for proper social distancing in our seating setup.
We will have hand sanitizer by the entrance and encourage its use coming and going.
We encourage and ask all members to consider wearing masks, for each other’s safety – even if you don’t feel like you need one. Please consider that others may need you to wear one for their safety.
We will strive to be touch-less so we ask no hugging or hand shaking. Maintain distancing and please keep kids from running freely around at this time. There will be no bulletins or hymnals – all will be on the projection. Offering plates will not be passed but placed so one may drop in their offering while coming or going. Communion will also have safe guards instituted.
We will be having and encourage adult classes and meetings such as UMW, UMM, committee meetings, etc. (with appropriate distancing).
We will clean and sanitize our seats and facilities after each service or meeting as well as weekly deep cleaning. We encourage your participation in keeping our church clean and sanitized.
Note:
We will NOT be having youth, nursery, or children’s Sunday School classes initially or children’s time in worship service for their protection. These will resume in due time and we are all eager to see them start back but ask for your understanding and patience as we, as a Church, strive to protect and serve all in our care.
We will not be doing fifth Sunday meals or Tuesday night meals initially. Again, this is out of abundance of caution and for protection as recommended by health care officials.
We will not have choir or choir practice initially (CDC and Conference recommendation) and limited congregational singing. We will utilize our praise team more during this time.
But this too shall pass, as they say- it’s all necessary but temporary so again we ask for everyone’s cooperation, understanding, and patience.
Matt: 22:37Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Let’s all prayerfully agree, in love, to work together as brothers and sisters as we walk with Christ through this trial, modeling Christ-like love – so the world may always see Christ in us to the glory of God.
In His service,
Pastor Stephen