Updated Covid Policies – July 25th

The Worship Ministry Unit will continue to update our Covid-19 Guidelines as they monitor the situation in Knoxville and Knox County, especially with regards to the new Dealta variant. We encourage everyone who is able to get the Covid vaccine, as that provides the best and safest way to ensure the safety and health of all of our members and visitors.

See below for our 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, including worship. We trust you will make the best decision for yourself and your family. We ask everyone to please respect the choices others make when it comes to wearing or not wearing a face covering. 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.

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

Safe Physical distancing: Enforced physical distancing will not be practiced, however each household is strongly encouraged to maintain an appropriate, safe physical distance and to refrain from prolonged physical contact with those outside of one’s household. 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. 

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

Singing: We are singing during worship, but we ask you not to sing full voice if you are not wearing a face covering. We will usually 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 have resumed passing offering plates and pew pads as of 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, simply 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 continue to be a small choir of scholarship singers, properly distanced and rehearsing on Sunday mornings, until after Labor Day.

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.