May 1, 2021
Hello Calvary Members and Friends,
As we ramp up for a return to weekly in person worship on Calvary’s 167th Birthday on July 25, we will have a few in-person services so we can work out logistics and be ready for the full return later this summer.
Please join us May 23 for Pentecost worship at 10 am in the sanctuary. Please register to attend on Calvary’s website. Our next service in person will be June 27, also at 10 am in the sanctuary. This will be Victor’s last service before his three-month sabbatical begins. We will pray him on his way.
All in-person worship services will also be live-streamed to the church’s website, YouTube channel, and Facebook pages, so if you prefer to continue worshiping online, that will be available to you.
One thing we’ve learned during this pandemic is that all plans are subject to change. Recognizing that truth, here are the tentative plans for our return to the building:
- Masks will continue to be worn by everyone in the building, vaccinated or not.
- We will continue to allow for social distancing in the building and abide by capacity limits announced by the city.
- We will have vaccinated soloists and small ensembles sing to lead us in worship, (current guidelines require 12 feet between each singer, with a greater distance from the congregation) but will not return to congregational singing until guidance indicates it is safe to do so.
- We will not ask to see vaccination cards or ask for proof of vaccination as a condition for attendance, but we do encourage everyone who is able to get vaccinated to do so, as soon as possible. Once we are allowed to return to singing, we will ask for non-vaccinated folks to refrain from singing in the choir or singing hymns.
Beginning July 25 we’ll be back to in-person (with live-streaming) worship each week. Childcare, coffee hour, and other programming would not resume until Homecoming Sunday on September 12, or maybe later (depending on city guidelines and covid case numbers by then). And as the church reopens, youth will not meet together during worship until at least September 12. We are considering ways to safely gather outdoors and will be in touch via email throughout the summer for such opportunities.
We are expecting the staff to be working from the building at least 2 days a week, beginning June 15. Staff will all be fully vaccinated by that date. Beginning June 22, we are planning to have the front desk staffed two days a week (Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 am – 4 pm) as we slowly return to the building.
Memorial Services and Weddings:
These can be scheduled now; with the same restrictions we have in place for Sunday worship services. No receptions allowed until city guidance changes.
Other use of the building:
We are preparing to allow other use of the building for classes or events that do not involve food.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or to discuss Calvary’s re-opening plans. Looking forward to seeing you, in-person, in a service soon!
Peace and blessings,
Rev. Marci Auld Glass
Pastor, Head of Staff
