Protocol as of March 19, 2021- ALL SERVICES ARE LIMITED TO 60.
YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITED INSIDE ONCE THE CHURCH HAS REACHED a
60 PERSON CAPACITY.
Palm Sunday 3/28,
we will take reservations and limit the number of people to 60.
People will again need to make reservations by calling the church and leaving a message on the voice mail system,
508-678-0923.
Maundy Thursday
April 1st, 7pm
Good Friday
April 2nd, 12 noon
Easter Sunday
April 4th, we offer two Easter services at 8am and 10am.
Reservations will need to be made.
Each service will be limited to 60 people.
Music will be offered at both services.
An Easter Egg Hunt will follow the 10am Easter Day Service.
We will return to one service
at 10am April 11th.
Reservations will need to be made
until we move outside.
These standards apply to all Places of Worship and Religious Services, and all services and activities including regular and holiday services, weddings, funerals, wakes, support group meetings, and other related gatherings.
Places of Worship shall communicate to members and workers that they should not attend services in- person if any of the following are true:
- Member or worker is experiencing any symptoms such as fever (100.0 and above) or chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fatigue, headache, muscle/body aches, runny nose/congestion, new loss of taste or smell, or nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- Member or worker has had “close contact” with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19. “Close contact” means living in the same household as a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, caring for a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, being within 6 feet of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more, or coming in direct contact with secretions (e.g., sharing utensils, being coughed on) from a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, while that person was symptomatic
- Member or worker has been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by their doctor or a local public health official
Persons who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 according to the Centers for Disease Control (e.g., due to age or underlying conditions) are encouraged to stay home.
Places of Worship are encouraged to hold services virtually or outdoors and to ensure that attendees who are not from the same immediate household are spaced at least 6 feet apart. When conducting services, places of worship must abide by the following requirements.
Occupancy Limitations
- For indoor services, places of worship must monitor member entries and exits and limit occupancy at all times to the greater of the following:
- 50% of the building’s maximum permitted occupancy as documented in its occupancy permit on record with the municipal building department or other municipal record holder
- Buildings for which no permitted occupancy limitation is on record may allow 10 persons per 1,000 square feet of accessible space
- In any case, no enclosed space (e.g. a single room, basement) within the building may exceed occupancy of 10 persons per 1,000 square feet
- All occupant counts and calculations shall include customers but may exclude staff, and other workers
- If feasible, places of worship are encouraged to arrange online sign-up for services in advance in order to monitor and limit the number of attendees
Social Distancing
Seating
- Attendees who are not part of the same immediate household must be seated at least 6 feet apart. Members of the same immediate household are permitted to sit together and less than 6 feet apart
- If there is fixed seating, rows should be blocked off and kept empty to allow for sufficient distancing between rows
- Places of worship are encouraged to place tape or other visual distancing markings on seating to delineate 6 ft separations and to post signage indicating the maximum number of persons permitted per row
- Promote ventilation for enclosed spaces where possible. For example, consider opening windows and doors to allow airflow
Entering and Exiting
- Places of worship are encouraged to take steps to encourage orderly entering and exiting of services in a manner that encourages social distancing. For example:
- Signage or floor markings should be posted to have one-way aisles or otherwise direct attendees to follow certain pathways for entering and exiting the service
- If a line forms outside of the service, those waiting should be directed to maintain social distancing. Tape or other markings on the ground outside of Places of worship should be placed to encourage attendees to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet
- Staff should direct people in high traffic areas to help maintain social distancing
- Officiants or other staff should direct successive, row-by-row exiting
Face Coverings
-
All attendees and staff must wear face coverings or masks in accordance with COVID-19 Order No. 31 and the Department of Public Health’s Guidance while inside and while entering and exiting places of worship or otherwise participating in in-person services, except where a person is unable to wear a face covering or mask because of a medical or disabling condition
- A leader or celebrant engaged in conducting the service or making an address may remove his or her face covering while doing so, provided that he or she is able to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from other persons present; installation of protective, plexi-glass or other transparent barriers is recommended for lecterns and other points of address
- For children between age 2 and 5, the wearing of a face covering or mask is at the discretion of the child’s parent or guardian. Children under the age of 2 should not wear a face covering or mask
- A person who declines to wear a face covering or mask because of a medical or disabling condition shall not be required to produce documentation verifying the condition
- Place of worship may refuse entry to a person who refuses to wear a face covering or mask for non-medical reasons
Contributions and Communal Food, Drink, and Sacraments
- Places of worship are encouraged to modify the means to collect any financial contributions from attendees so as to eliminate shared contribution trays and baskets and to minimize contact. Consider setting up a no-touch method to collect contributions, and encouraging contributions through mail or electronic means
- Places of worship are encouraged to modify communal rituals, like taking communion or passing of the peace, so as to limit contact with others. Consider distributing, where applicable, prepackaged communion or sacraments
- Places of worship shall not have communal gathering pre or post service (e.g., coffee hours or other food services)
- Places of worship may allow small gatherings (such as support group meetings) to be held with 25 persons or fewer
- Places of worship running food pantries or other prepackaged food distribution may continue to do so
Cleaning and Disinfecting and Hygiene Protocols
- Places of worship shall be cleaned and disinfected between each service, including disinfection of heavy transit areas and high-touch surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, bathrooms, microphones, shared instruments)
-
In event of a positive case, follow current CDC guidance on cleaning and disinfecting areas when someone has a COVID-19 diagnosis
- Places of worship shall ensure that attendees and workers have access to handwashing facilities, including soap and running water, and allow workers sufficient break time to wash hands, as necessary. They are also encouraged to make alcohol-based hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol available, if possible
Notification of Positive Case
- If a Place of worship learns that an attendee or worker or other worker has tested positive for COVID-19, it shall notify the local Board of Health (LBOH) in the city or town where the place of worship is located and assist the LBOH as reasonably requested to advise likely contacts to isolate and self-quarantine
|
|
Christ Church Outreach
Food Drive
Saturday March 20th
We will hold a drive-by food collection at the Parish House on Saturday, March 20, in an effort to replenish the empty shelves at the hard-hit food pantry for the Swansea-Somerset area.
The Christ Church Outreach Ministry is accepting only non-perishable food items. Come to the Parish House parking lot during the hours of 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Drivers are asked to enter the parking lot, off-load their donations to the tables that will be available, and then exit by driving behind the church and out the east driveway.
Social distancing will be maintained and masks are required.
Sample of needed items at this time: Non-perishable food items including cereals, shelf-stable milk products, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and such canned goods as fruits, soup, vegetables, fish, poultry and beans.
Children are often times forgotten in these drives. Please bring sealed (Easter) candy for the kids.
|
|
Covid-19 Part ....I've lost count
by Sue Carvalho
As I write this it has been a week of unexpected deaths of family, and more family and friends in our new community. We will not be able to attend funerals or a wake but we reach out via calls and cards. It's hard not to offer condolences in person and not be able to give a hug, still not be able to give a hug.
A year has gone by and thankfully, yes thankfully we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully your vaccine status is either you have gotten your shot or shots, are scheduled or are hopeful you will be scheduled. We should all be hopeful no matter what your status.
It was glorious the other week to watch Christ Church Sunday service and hear Julie Sanders perform a solo! Loved the sermon and the playfulness between Julie and Fr. Alan. It sounded as if there was a church full of people that Sunday. I know there wasn't but for a moment it felt that way. Oh and how I love the new audio/video equipment.
This past Sunday I also enjoyed Fr. Alan's pink stole in honor of Mothering Sunday. What a great week to also pay tribute to Barbara Harris
I am still sending cards and reaching out, however, I can to others. It is so important to stay connected...Thankfully Steve and I have each other and so we do have some family close by. My brother and sister-in-law are close by and we are able to get together at least once a week.
A year later I now know people who have had Covid-19 and survived and thankfully I don't personally know anyone who has died from Covid-19. Not everyone's story is the same.
Steve and I have found a new community this winter and are starting to make new friends and working our butts off creating a new home. This year we have all had to adapt and adjust. Christ Church has survived!
Spring is close.....and the days are longer and hope springs eternal.
___________________________________________________________________________________
2021 Easter Thanksgivings & Memorial Flowers
Christ Church
57 Main Street
Swansea, MA 02777
(508) 678-0923
christchurchswansea@yahoo.com
www.christchurchswansea.org
Given by: ______________________________________________________________
In Thanksgiving: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Loving Memory Of: ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Amount: __________
Please make checks payable to Christ Church, and note Easter Flowers in the memo line.
Memorial forms will be accepted until Sunday,
March 21, 2021.
Please note: If you miss the deadline, names will be published the following week.
|
|
We are a joyful community celebrating Jesus Christ. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey,
you are welcome here.
|
|
Christ Church
57 Main Street, Swansea, Ma 02777
The Rev. Sue Correira, Deacon Al Deston III, Music Director
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
