Laura Glesby Photo
The Rev. Boise Kimber.
The Rev. Boise Kimber doesn’t want churches to rush reopening their doors. He wants them to prepare for when the day comes.
Kimber, the president of the Greater New Haven Clergy Association, has prepared a document combining advice he has received about the steps congregations need to take to ensure people are safe inside from spreading Covid-19.
“I’m telling people, ‘Don’t be in a hurry to go back. Make sure your people are safe. Make sure we don’t recreate this thing,’” Kimber said.
“We’re going to take temperatures at our church whenever we open up. We’re going to be wearing masks. We’re going to be wearing gloves. We’re going to be sitting people six feet apart from each other. There won’t be any handshaking; there will be smiling and waving. We’re putting new sanitizer on the church on the wall on both sides of the building. We’re going to have bathroom monitors to make sure people wash their hands. We will be washing down instruments afterwards and making sure the place is clean when people leave.”
Following is the text of the document Kimber is circulating:
COVID-19: THE CHURCH RESTORED
PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES FOR REINTEGRATING THE CHURCH
Ready or not the shift has begun. In light of COVID-19, the conversations are being had. What next? Church it is time to start rethinking church. The BIG question is, what will happen when we reopen the church? The truth is, we are not going back to the churches we left. The page has been turned and God is ushering us into a new season of church ministry. This document will serve as a tool for restarting your church with renewed perspective and appreciation for God’ work and God’s people. This restart offers every church an opportunity to be more intentional and strategic. Both large and small churches will have the opportunity to reshape the look of their ministries. Let us embrace the challenge.
For pastors and church leaders the responsibility to initiate a responsible plan for church reintegration in light of the COVID-19 pandemic is critical. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution it is prudent for us to take a measured approach to re-opening our churches after an extended closure. Our members want to get back to worship, but not before it is safe and not before church leadership has weighed the risk/reward factors. All churches and communities of faith have been compromised during this pandemic and therefore it becomes essential for each congregation to be clear on the protocols and procedures that will help govern the reintegration process of the church.
Working with medical professionals in my church and aboard, we have come up with practical protocols that are in alignment with the CDC, state and local medical authorities and leaders. It is important to note that these protocols are NOT failsafe but do provide reasonable and responsible approaches to resuming our in-person worship experience, albeit on a graduated basis. This document only serves as a guide on how this can be done to mitigate the possible spread and we hold no liability for what may happen should you chose to follow this plan. Each pastor/church who chooses to adopt all or any part of this plan do so of their own accord.
The process of resuming normal operations at your churches begin with outlining steps your church took at the onset of the pandemic. This is critical, for it will help provide context to the subsequent decisions that will be made to resume normal operations. Without these clearly articulated steps your efforts could be counterproductive. Below are initial steps to get back to C
Church.
PREPARING YOUR CHURCH TO RETURN
Deep clean your entire church. Where will the germs be transferred? Consider shampooing carpets, sanitizing pews, bathrooms, doorknobs, light switches, and microphones.
Post signs about not shaking hands and doing non-contact greetings. You can promote the hashtag #smilingissafer.
Tell your congregation through flyers on the doors, email, and social media about how you have prepared the church for their arrival. Be sure to use the words “clean, safe and mindful of health need and issues in preparation for a non-touch experience” or something similar. Also say that they are sick, then they should not be present and can join online instead.
MINISTRY TEAM: USHERS, SECURITY, GREETERS AND VOLUNTEERS
If possible, provide a security detail.
Enlist ushers to be both inside the sanctuary guiding worshippers to their marked seats.
Instruct greeters on how to greet post-quarantine worshippers. NO cheek kissing, hand shaking or hugs. Smiles and hellos only.
If your bathrooms are open, have greeters in a very professional monitor the bathrooms to ensure hands are washed and social distancing is followed.
ALTERNATIVE SERVICE TIMES AND LOCATION (FACEBOOK/YOUTUBE, ZOOM AND TELECONFERENCE…ETC)
It would be important to keep the option of an online worship opportunity for those who are not yet comfortable or unable to attend your service in person. This will make members feel included and valued.
The need to offer multiple services may be necessary to encourage that you are practicing the social distancing requirements. One option to ensure that you are complying is to offer worship service A/B, by having people sign up for a service to attend for a short term. You can use Facebook events and have people mark which event they will attend.
MINISTRY AMENITIES: CAFÉ, BULLETINS AND HAND SANTIZER
Restrooms. Make sure that ALL restrooms are cleaned. Also, post signs about proper hand washing procedures.
It is ill-advised to distribute bulletins or paper tracks of any time.
It would be wise not to have coffee stations, breakfast, or potlucks. You can monitor local news for the guidelines to know when it is best to reintroduce these non-essential services.
Provide hand sanitizer throughout the church.
Supply masks if possible, for those without one to help prevent the spread and to ease the anxiety of the worshippers.
RETURNING TO WORSHIP SERVICE
It will be important to celebrate the return! This worship service should be a special time of worship. Planning how you return is critical. God has been faithful, and He is to be praised. Testimonies, high praise and worship and preaching should be the highlights.
Members of the same household should be encouraged to sit together. Other members and visitors should be spaced out. Designate certain areas for worshippers.
If possible, project all announcements on screens.
Do not pass a communion tray. Either forgo communion or do symbolic communion.
Music team should avoid passing microphones on the stage. Work with sound people to have mics cleaned and assign mics
Offer online giving options along with mail in offering to safe locations. DO NOT collect offerings. Have giving stations in the church where people can drop offerings instead of passing a plate.
Finance office should use latex gloves when gathering and counting money.
Elbow bumps and other non-contact interactions are encouraged.
It will be critical to dismiss worshippers in an orderly way to ensure there is social distancing and the safety for all.
Keep services shorter than normal. Ease back into it.
FIRST SUNDAY BACK
Approximately 50% of membership (age recommendations 65 and lower) with no preexisting conditions such as (uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension, respiratory issues such as COPD, asthma etc.). Those with such conditions are encouraged to attend service via Facebook live stream. Once we see the local number of infections decline for two consecutive weeks those parishioners will then be encouraged to attend service in person. We also advise parents with children under 12 to not attend during this phase.
Essential Office Staff will be permitted to resume regular business hours.
Praise Team Members will be no more than 8 until local numbers of infections decline for two consecutive weeks.
We will have designated seating areas that are marked where members can sit and still comply with social distancing guidelines. Ushers will seat and direct worshippers. No exceptions!
Parishioners will enter through one main entrance and be screened which will include a temporal temperature taken. Any parishioner that has exhibited flu like symptoms will to asked to leave and seek medical attention. Screenings will be done by certified nurses where possible.
It's really good that these precautions are being worked out ahead of congregations going back to worship. I would suggest that instead of handshakes, hugs, kisses or elbow and/or fist bumps that it would be better to make prayer hands and nod/bow your head. When we are being advised to sneeze and cough into our crook of our elbows, and then we touch our elbows together, we are spreading the germs. So prayer hands and a nod of the head or a quick bow at the waist will provide all the good wishes and courtesy and respect you want to convey.