Sunday Worship Live Streamed and in Garden of Remembrance
Sunday, August 16th
This Sunday, August 16th at 9:00 a.m., we will be gathering for worship outdoors in our Garden of Remembrance, weather permitting. If you plan on attending outdoor worship this Sunday, the Deacons ask you to sign up by clicking on the following link:
We ask everyone to sign up including those who will be serving as ushers, deacons, or in other ways for our services. We would like to have an idea of how many will be attending for spacing purposes as well as to keep a list, which hopefully will never be needed, for contract tracing purposes.
On Sunday, please enter the Garden of Remembrance via the arbor where a Deacon will welcome you and check you in. Your name will be added to the list if you didn't sign up ahead of time.
Pastor Denise will also be by the entrance prior to the service, so you can share any prayer requests you may have with her.
Also, Deacons will be setting up some pop up tents for more shade spots in the garden and you are invited to bring umbrellas as well.
Know that live streaming of our worship services will continue for those who don't feel comfortable attending and prefer to worship with us at home. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work on our live steaming outdoors. You can connect with our service on our Gilead Church Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/GileadChurchUCC.
If weather should be inclement, an email will be sent out via our weekly e-newsletter distribution list and also posted on our Church's Facebook page at least one hour prior to the service time. Worship, in this case, will be live streamed only and we invite you to join us from home.
For those wishing to attend the outdoor service, please read the below protocols established by our Deacons.
Protocols for Outdoor Worship
1) Participation will be limited to 150 people in the Garden of Remembrance.
2) All are asked to enter the Garden via the main (arbor) entrance. Those attending will be asked to sign up prior and will checked in by an usher. If you are unable to sign up prior, you will be asked to share your name and contact number with the usher prior to being seated. This is to keep an accurate record of people in attendance, if needed, for contact tracing. An usher will then walk you (at a distance) to your space to sit and will provide hand sanitizer, if desired, prior to entering the worship area.
3) Participants are asked NOT to attend if they have any of the following symptoms:
· Fever above 100.4
· Cough or respiratory distress
· Sneezing
· Headache
· Runny nose
· Diarrhea
· Nausea
· Sore Throat
· Chills
· If anyone in the house has tested positive for COVID-19
4) Participants are asked to bring your own chairs or blankets to sit on. Face masks are required for the entire service. Face masks will be provided, if needed. Participants must remain 6-10 feet apart from non-family members at all times.
5) After the service, you are asked to exit the garden via the parking lot side of the garden and maintain 6-10 feet from non-family members.
6) No singing, joining in unison prayers, Communion or offering plate will be shared or passed at the service. On Communion Sundays (first Sundays of the month), you are asked to bring your own Communion. Deacons will provide Communion packets for those who desire them. A basket will be available at the entrance to the Garden for offerings. There will also be no summer Sunday school or coffee hour.
7) The worship bulletin will be emailed prior to the service. Please feel free to print out your own copy of the service. A limited number of bulletins will be available at the service as well. These should be taken home after the service.
8) If severely inclement weather is expected, notification will be sent via email and on our Facebook page at least one hour prior to the scheduled service time.
9) All services will continue to be live-streamed on our Facebook page for those who prefer to stay home or for when there is inclement weather.
10) The church building will be closed and bathrooms will be not be available. The worship service will typically be 45-50 minutes.
If you have any questions, concerns or input to share please contact our Deacons (Amy Huhn, Jon Kimball, David Kline, Jim Ledbetter, Kate McClaine, Teresa Olio, Gary Sarra, Margot Sheehan, and Doug Stewart) or Pastor Denise. Thank you!
The photos below are from our first Sunday Outdoor Worship Service held on Sunday, August 9th.
