Saint Stephen Re-Opening for Worship

(Per the Attorney General of Texas Guidelines)

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We anticipate needing to follow these protocols for worship during the month of June and July.

During the month of July, we will re-assess the situation to determine what regulations could be relaxed...

Note: Our current plan is to re-open for worship only on June 7th. Other ministry programs will be re-opened slowly and thoughtfully over the remainder of the Summer. Phase 2 will include re-opening age level ministry activities...

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Phase 1 – Onsite Family Style Worship Only

 

       Building Entry:

• -  Staff and Volunteers will be screened by a designated person and per the guidelines each Sunday morning as
  they enter the building... anyone who fails the screening test will be asked to go home and/or get tested...

• -  Worshippers will be asked to remain in their vehicles until approx. 15 minutes prior to the start of the
  service of their choice...

• -  Foyer and other common spaces are not open for congregating – staff should not encourage this
  during the month of June. When worship services are over, worshippers will be dismissed in rows and
  asked to vacate the building...

• -  We are also exploring how to designate specific numbered entry doors for entrance to specific services...

• -  Masks will be made available for any worshipper that needs a mask and does not have their own..
  
  Signs:

• -  We will post signs that encourage people with symptoms to leave the building and to stay away until
  they are tested and/or symptoms clear up

• -  We will post signs reminding everyone to disinfect their hands regularly and to try to maintain
  a 6 ft space between them and others
   

  Designated Areas:

• -  We will use the chapel for overflow seating if we reach occupancy capacity in either worship space...

• -  We will also designate an area for worshippers who are health compromised or at-risk to be able to watch the

  service online in the building
   

  Worship Space Entry:

• -  Worshippers will be seated by ushers beginning at the front of the service and working backward

• -  Seating rows will have the equivalent of 2 chairs (50”) between each separate party...

• -  The Sanctuary will have designated and non-designated seating pews

• -  The Fellowship Hall will have rows of chairs removed to comply with non-seating rows in between seating rows
   

  Worship Protocols:

• -  There will be no printed material (hymnals, prayer cards, bulletins, and registration cards) available
  in the worship spaces during the months of June and July...

• -  We will not pass the offering plate during worship services. Online and mailed contributions will continue
  to be our giving protocol for June and July

• -  Staff and Volunteers will be asked to wash/disinfect their hands regularly throughout the morning...

      Cleaning and Disinfecting:

• -  Worship seating areas will be disinfected between services with appropriate cleaning spray

• -  Building Entry Doors, Worship Entry doors, Bathroom doors, etc will be disinfected on a schedule
  throughout the morning on Sundays...
   

  Rights:

• -  Worship is a constitutional freedom. As a result, we cannot make people stay away. We will recommend
  (Per the Texas guidelines) that our older congregation and those who have a compromised immune system
  stay away for now. But we cannot and should not mandate this. It is their freedom to join us onsite for
  worship if they choose.
   

  Facilities:

• -  The Church Building water fountains, hub, and kitchen areas will remain closed until further notice...

• -  The church will remain closed for other gatherings until we determine it is appropriate to let those resume...

• -  Sanex disinfects the church building 5 nights per week and uses a disinfectant fogger every other week
  (which is CDC approved) for killing germs.
   

  Live Streaming:

• -  We will launch our live streaming of the 8:25am and 9:45am services on the first day we resume onsite worship...

• -  We will continue to live stream these first 2 services each week indefinitely via our church website...

• -  The 8:25am Traditional and 9:45am Modern live streamed/recorded services will also be made available during

  the 11 am hour for watching online...
  
  Communion:

• - We will wait a couple of weeks into June after re-opening for worship to offer holy communion. Communion will be offered in individual sealed packets over the next 2 or 3 months..
  
  Summary:

• The purpose of these measures include:

  • Safety

  • Projecting an attitude and environment of care and concern for safety and compliance

  • An attempt to alleviate fear for those that are overly concerned

  • To re-introduce and resume onsite in person community gatherings for our congregation

• We cannot mitigate 100% of the risk:

  • Attending church is and always should be voluntary based on each person's choice...

  • As such, we encourage participation but we will not take responsibly for people's choice to attend or stay away​...

• Goals:

  • To resume and rebuild our church community with intention over the next several months...

  • to continue trying to reach new people with the Gospel message however we can​