NCoC Covid-19 Reopening plans
Dear church,
We are eagerly awaiting when we can come back together to worship and see one another in person. As Kentucky officials have begun issuing guidelines for safely returning to churches, the leadership of the Nicholasville Church of Christ wants you to know we are carefully reviewing these guidelines to ensure we return as safely as possible. We ask you to read this letter in its entirety so you can be aware of what will happen in the coming weeks.
Whenever we are faced with a pandemic or any other unforeseen disaster, we find ourselves in the greatest need for reliable information regarding how to proceed, and that is precisely the situation we currently find ourselves in. Although there are conflicting opinions regarding the best course of action for reopening churches (not to mention conflicting opinions regarding the seriousness of Covid-19), out of love for God and love for each other we are committed to reopening safely so we do not endanger our brothers and sisters in Christ who are at higher health risk.
Some churches in central Kentucky have already begun reopening. Our current plan is to reopen for worship only on Sunday morning, June 7 at 11 AM, provided that the following occur. First, we recognize the official guidelines are subject to change and we will have to approach any reopening procedures as if they are temporary measures. Second, we are carefully monitoring what happens with the churches that have already begun reopening: if their procedures prove to be effective in mitigating the spread of the virus, we will reopen as planned; if not, we may need to re-plan. In order to reopen safely, then, we will observe and implement the following guidelines for safe church reopening which are recommended by other churches as well as by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. At the end of this letter you will find two diagrams which depict our one-way doors and seating arrangements during times of social distancing.
Reopening Nicholasville Church of Christ for Worship Only on Sunday, June 7 at 11 AM
Children’s and Adults’ Sunday AM Classes & Wednesday PM Bible Study
In order to maintain social distancing, we will not meet for Sunday School classes at 10 AM (for children or adults) nor for Bible classes on Wednesdays at 7 PM (for children or adults). These classes will remain online for at least an additional 4 weeks after we open on Sunday, June 7.
Entering and Exiting the Building
Please refer to the diagrams at the end of this letter. To maintain reasonable levels of social distancing, we will implement the following policies for entering and exiting the building:
Please refer to the diagrams at the end of this letter. To maintain reasonable levels of social distancing, we will implement the following policies for entering and exiting the building:
- We ask everyone to enter through the doors on the front (DOOR A) or back side of the building facing the parking lot (DOOR B)
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- These are the doors through which most people enter and exit. For now, we’re asking everyone ONLY to enter through these doors
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- We ask everyone to exit through the north-facing side door of the auditorium (DOOR C)
- Self-reported temperature screening upon entering
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- If you have a temperature over 100.0 within the last 48 hours before Sunday morning, we ask you to stay home and watch us on Facebook Live
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- Exit through the side door at the front of the auditorium
- State guidelines recommend everyone wear facemasks
Seating Arrangements
Please refer to the diagrams at the end of this letter. To maintain reasonable levels of social distancing, we will implement the following policies for seating in the auditorium:
Please refer to the diagrams at the end of this letter. To maintain reasonable levels of social distancing, we will implement the following policies for seating in the auditorium:
- Every other pew will be blocked off (designated by red X marks on the diagrams)
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- This means you might not be able to sit in your favorite pew. You know who you are!
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- Household units should sit on the same pew; individuals (with no additional family in attendance) should sit 6 feet apart
- We urge parents and guardians to keep their children within their pew as much as possible
- We will have ushers dismiss everyone by rows at the end of worship
Singing
We will certainly sing during Sunday worship, but we recommend everyone wear facemasks. We understand this may be uncomfortable, we only ask for your patience.
We will certainly sing during Sunday worship, but we recommend everyone wear facemasks. We understand this may be uncomfortable, we only ask for your patience.
Lord’s Supper
To avoid the spread of germs by passing communion plates, we will implement the following policies for the Lord’s Supper:
To avoid the spread of germs by passing communion plates, we will implement the following policies for the Lord’s Supper:
- One person will preside over the Lord’s Supper like usual, but the four men who typically pass the communion plates will not be utilized
- Prior to Sunday morning worship, we will place individually-wrapped communion sets on each available pew
Offering
Please refer to the diagrams at the end of this letter. To avoid the spread of germs by passing offering plates, we will implement the following policies for the offering:
Please refer to the diagrams at the end of this letter. To avoid the spread of germs by passing offering plates, we will implement the following policies for the offering:
- If you would like to give at the church building, we will have a collection box on the Lord’s supper table for you to give after service as you exit through Door C (refer to the diagrams. This collection box is represented on the diagrams by an orange star
- If you would prefer, we encourage you to consider our online giving (available at www.nichcofc.com/give), or you can mail a check to
Nicholasville Church of Christ
PO Box 73
Nicholasville, KY 40356
PO Box 73
Nicholasville, KY 40356
Streaming Options
If you are elderly and at a higher health risk or are otherwise immune-compromised, we encourage you to watch worship on Facebook Live and to find our classes on Facebook and YouTube. If you have questions about how to access these, please contact either of the ministers or Robert Ratliff.
If you are elderly and at a higher health risk or are otherwise immune-compromised, we encourage you to watch worship on Facebook Live and to find our classes on Facebook and YouTube. If you have questions about how to access these, please contact either of the ministers or Robert Ratliff.
Building Cleaning Strategy
After worship on Sunday, we will take the following steps to clean the building:
After worship on Sunday, we will take the following steps to clean the building:
- Wipe down the pews, door handles and knobs, tables, and the collection box
- Sanitize the bathrooms
- We also plan to block off the classroom wing and downstairs of the church building. In order to ensure the building remains clean, we will ask for no one to be in the building 48 hours before Sunday. Thank you for your patience.
We recognize these precautions will be difficult, uncomfortable, and even frustrating. Our aim in implementing these policies, which will be temporary but may be in effect for longer than we currently foresee, is to show our love for our brothers and sisters by temporarily taking on these difficulties to protect others. Paul shows us that Jesus did precisely this when he reminds the Philippians that Jesus was with God but voluntarily lowered himself, became human like us, and died on a cross for us. Since Jesus is our example in all things, let us have the same mind of Christ in us and do what may inconvenience us for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We pray that you and your loved ones remain safe and healthy in the coming weeks. We look forward to seeing you all again in person. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
In Christ,
The Elders, Deacons, and Ministers of the Nicholasville Church of Christ
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Diagram 2
