REOPENING YOUR CHURCH
As North Carolina begins to slowly reopen, N.C. Baptist churches are anxious to gather in person for worship. Below is a helpful guide of ideas to assist you in making the most of this reengagement.Ā
Please note, the items below are suggestions and in no way should replace guidelines from government officials and health care professionals. Every local church is autonomous and must therefore make their own decisions about how to move forward in order to be the church, honor earthly authorities, and love their neighbors.
Pastors, consider making a video to share with your church telling them what to expect their first Sunday back. The video should outline traffic flow, seating guidelines, children and preschool expectations, etc.
Keep in mind that while gathering together is a gift to believers and a witness to unbelievers, our desire to return to the building should never replace our Great Commission responsibility to āgo and tell.ā We pray that soon, you will be able to say to your church, āSee you on Sunday!ā
Preparing the Facility
Sanitize
Deep clean your entire church. Consider shampooing carpets, sanitizing seating, bathrooms, doorknobs, light switches and microphones.āØ
Preschool / Children Areas
Pay attention to the preschool and childrenās areas. Consider removing everything nonessential from the room to limit surfaces for potential contamination, and do a thorough cleaning in between uses.āØ
Fellowship / Greetings
Post signs about not shaking hands and doing noncontact greetings. Coach ushers and greeters to use appropriate social distancing.āØ
Offer Sanitizer
Place hand sanitizer stations throughout the facility.āØ
Traffic Flow
Designate one-way pedestrian traffic flow to facilitate social distancing.
Service Options (including ideas for limited gatherings)
Stay Outside
Continue or consider drive-in worship gatherings (where permitted by local authorities).āØ
Stay Virtual
Stay virtual on Sunday with smaller in-person prayer gatherings during the week using an online sign up to limit the number.āØ
Multiple Services
Organize multiple worship services by Sunday School classes/small groups or age. (Use online registration and cap the number).
Simultaneous Services
Simultaneous services in two areas of your buildings may work if attendance is restricted per gathering rather than per facility.āØ
Small Group Meetings
Have small groups meet in homes to tune into worship together. (Offer training for group leaders to handle follow up, invitations, discussion, etc.)āØ
Those Not Joining
Keep a virtual service option going for those who cannot or are not ready to rejoin.āØ
Instructional Video
Film a walk-through video to prepare guests for flow of traffic when they return.
Worship Service Considerations
Social Distancing
Arrange seating to maintain social distancing. Either remove chairs from the usual setup or block off pews. While families can sit closer together, there should be appropriate spacing on either side of each family unit.āØ
Offering
Have offering boxes in various entrances to receive offerings instead of passing the offering plates. Encourage online giving, as well.
Lordās Supper
Consider using prepackaged communion sets. The individual sets can be picked up from tables as people enter the service and used at the appropriate time in the service.āØ
Baptism
It may be best at this time to limit baptisms to one person per filling of the baptismal pool in the sanctuary. Consider the use of a chlorinated swimming pool for larger services.āØ
Older Members
Older members and those with vulnerable health conditions may be fearful of returning at once, and it may be advised for them not to. Continue offering online worship and discipleship for this population of your church.āØ
Cleaning Between Multiple Services
For those who have multiple services, have a plan in place to sterilize as much as possible between services. Actions such as wiping down pews and placing hand sanitizer generously around the church and encouraging its use.
Choirs
With social distancing in effect, traditional plans are probably not feasible. Consider holding a rehearsal in a large room that allows people to sit with appropriate distances to begin getting the groups back together. āØ
Bulletins
Do not distribute bulletins unless they are distributed electronically.āØ
Masks
If wearing masks is suggested by health officials, consider providing masks for those who donāt have them.āØ
Volunteers
Many volunteers may step down for a period of time. Roles may need to change. There will be a need for a sanitation team to keep things clean. The greeting ministry will look different while maintaining social distancing.āØ
Health Monitoring
Consider temperature checks for all staff and volunteers. āØ
Coffee Stations
Eliminate coffee stations until we receive an āall-clear.āāØ
Meet-and-Greet Time
These times may need to be eliminated altogether or have people just wave from a distance.āØ
Hymnals and Pew Bibles
It may be best to eliminate the use of these items until after the threat is over.āØ
Preschool and Children
Toys
Eliminate toy boxes and an overabundance of toys. Bring out only the amount of toys that volunteers are willing to clean at the end of the session. āØ
Train Leaders
Train leaders on sanitation guidelines for handwashing, diaper changing and cleaning toys. Clearly state expectations for sanitizing during the session.āØ
Take Temperatures
Purchase no touch thermometers, and perform temperature checks on children and leaders before being allowed in preschool or childrenās classrooms.āØ
Restrict Numbers
Restrict numbers and ages of those who can be part of the preschool or childrenās ministry, or open without preschool or childrenās classes.āØ
Check-in Station
Have volunteers staff the check-in station to limit physical contact with the check-in station.āØ
Drop-off and Pick-up
Consider options for dropping off and picking up children: Allow only one parent to drop off and pick up children, or have designated drop-off and pick-up locations at the entry to childrenās areas with only the teacher escorting the child to class.āØ
Restrict Personal Items
Restrict diaper bags and other personal items from being brought into classrooms. Consider allowing only those items needed for the day to be placed in individual containers or baskets in the room. (Make sure bags, diapers, wipes, bottles, etc., are clearly marked.)
For more resources on preparing your children’s ministry for post-COVID-19, click here.
Sunday School / Small Group
Seating Guidelines
Provide seating guidelines to maintain social distancing in classrooms.āØ
Provide Training
Provide training for leaders to understand guidelines, as well as pastoral care responsibilities for the group.āØ
Care
Keep the emphasis on caring in between meetings.āØ
Stay Virtual
Consider virtual small groups for a season to limit traffic throughout the facility.āØ
Those Not Joining
Consider virtual groups for those not yet comfortable or not able to return.āØ
Sanitize Between Meetings
If rooms are shared by multiple hours, sanitize between hours.
Resources compiled by the staff of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina with contributions from BSCNC president Steve Scoggins, pastor of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville (N.C.), worship consultants from various state conventions, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, and the Florida Baptist Convention.
We are here to help!
Email [email protected] or call (800 395-5102, ext. 5651
We are here to help!
Email [email protected] or call (800) 395-5102, ext. 5651
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