Updated Covid Policies – June 9th

The Worship Ministry Unit continues to update our Covid-19 Guidelines as they monitor the situation in Knoxville and Knox County. See below for the most current guidelines. The health and safety of the entire congregation depends upon each of us following these guidelines, so we ask that you please read and familiarize yourself with them so that we may return safely and comfortably.

Face coverings: Face coverings are optional for all activities in the church building, except for worship. We do request and encourage you to still maintain a safe physical distance from one another and the staff, especially if you choose not to wear a face covering.

We ask everyone to continue to wear a facecovering during worship, as well as practice physical distancing and refrain from physical contact, regardless of vaccination status, through the end of June.

Beginning Sunday, July 4th, face coverings will be optional during worship.

Face coverings are optional outdoors for anyone, regardless of vaccination status.

Safe Physical distancing: As of Sunday, June 13th, enforced physical distancing by taping off every other pew will no longer be practiced. Each household is still asked to maintain an appropriate, safe physical distance and to refrain from physical contact with those outside of one’s household, regardless of vaccination status. Worshipers are asked to be considerate of the comfort level of others when choosing a seat for worship and to make safe and responsible choices. Worshipers are asked not to congregate in groups inside the sanctuary but are free to congregate and visit with one another outside in the Sanctuary Courtyard or other outdoor areas on the church grounds.

Nursery: The nursery is open during worship and childcare is available for children, infant to age 6.

Singing: Worshipers are asked to sing hymns quietly while wearing a mask. We will only sing two hymns in a service, rather than three, and we may sing fewer verses than normal. Hymnbooks are available for those who choose to use them. Hymn lyrics will be on the screen, however they will no longer be printed in the bulletin.

Bulletins/Bibles: Worship bulletins are available for those who desire one. For those who do not, all communal aspects of the worship service are displayed on a screen. Bibles are available in the pews for those who choose to use them.

Offering Plates/Pew Pads: We will resume passing offering plates and pew pads on Sunday, August 1st. Offering plates will still be placed at the entrances to the sanctuary for those who wish to place their offering there, either as they enter or exit. If you are uncomfortbale passing an offering plate, sinply do not reach for it when the ushers offer it, and they will pass it to the next person.

Communion: We will continue to celebrate communion on the first Sunday of the month using self-contained communion cups. Beginning Sunday, September 5th, we will offer an optional intinction communion station up front for those who wish to come forward and partake of communion in this manner. This will be in addition to, not in place of, the self-contained communion cups.

Worship Leadership: The choir will remain as it has been during the pandemic, 6-8 scholarship singers properly distanced, wearing masks and rehearsing on Sunday mornings. The liturgists and pastors will lead worship from the lectern and pulpit. They will not wear face coverings while speaking in the lectern/pulpit but will wear face coverings the rest of the time.

The Worship Ministry Unit and Session will revisit these guidelines throughout the summer and adjust accordingly as case levels, hospitalization levels, and vaccination levels allow.