WE HAVE SOME EXCITING NEWS!!!
Northwest has resumed worship in our auditorium at 11:00 am! In order to keep in line with state guidelines we are keeping our gathering under 50 people. Please read below for a list of our policies. We will also continue to live-stream the worship service via Facebook.
Not everyone is prepared to regather with us for worship. We understand that and respect that. Regathering with us in person is not a test of how spiritual you are. Some are more ready than others. So please speak freely when we contact you. You are still a vital part of our church family whether you are in person or at home viewing via live-stream.
A detailed explanation is below, but here are the main points of our plan:
1) Everyone will need to wear a mask unless they are under 2 years old or have a valid medical reason. We have extra masks available.
2) Every family will need to maintain physical distance of at least six feet from everyone else. We know that you will be excited to see everyone, but please refrain from shaking hands or hugging one another.
3.) NEW! We ARE STARTING SUNDAY SCHOOL AT 10am FOR THE CHILDREN, YUTEs, AND SPANISH CLASSES! The children’s class will be meeting in the auditorium, or outside (weather permitting). The YUTES will meet in the Junior Church room. The Spanish class will be meeting outside (weather permitting). THERE WILL BE NO ENGLISH ADULT CLASS.
– Adults are encouraged to listen in on their children’s Sunday School lessons, visit the Spanish class, and/or view the Adult Sunday School lesson on line.
– For those using the Junior Church room, you must enter and exit using the door East of the main entrance. All interior entrances to that side of the building must remain locked.
4) For 11 am worship service, Families will need to sit together – there will not be a nursery or junior church. If you would like a table for your children, let the ushers know. Please help your children maintain a 6-foot physical distance.
5) Please do not linger in the building following worship. If you wish to fellowship following worship, please do so in the parking lot while maintaining a 6-foot physical distance and wearing your mask.
Your leadership team at Northwest has carefully researched how to regather safely. We have read many articles, viewed webinars and zoom meetings, consulted with our insurance carrier, and many other sources and perspectives. As your pastor, I can say I am so proud of your leaders at Northwest – in my opinion we are very well prepared to regather for worship.
If you are sick, have a fever, cough, or other symptoms, please stay home and consider being tested for the virus. If you have recently been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, please stay home and consider being tested. Those with any health concerns and older adults should seriously consider staying home and worshiping via Facebook live-stream.
Below are some further explanations of how we are regathering and why we are taking these precautions:
– Volunteers will be in the parking lot and they will let you know when you may enter the building one family at a time.
– Volunteers (our YUTES) will open the door for you. Hand sanitizer will be available in the lobby.
– Seating is arranged so that no family is closer than 6 feet to any other person or family.
– Handouts will be available for the children during worship
– Volunteers will disinfect the washrooms after each use (doorknobs, faucets, toilets)
– The worship offering will not be received during worship. There is a touchless, locked mailbox in the lobby for you to deposit your tithes and worship offerings. You may also give online at www.northwestcommunity.net. Once you are on the website, click on the “Give” icon.
– A changing room for babies will be provided and disinfected after each use.
– Coffee will not be provided by the church. The water fountain will be unavailable. You may bring your own coffee and water. You may also bring snacks for your children, but please do not share with any other families.
– After worship volunteers will escort families out of the auditorium one family at a time.
– Weather permitting, we will have part of the parking lot blocked off for the those who prefer to sit outside and listen to the main service through a speaker. Masks and physical distancing are also required in the parking lot. In case of bad weather and in the winter, we will use the Junior church room equipped with a TV and live video feed of the stage to help keep the attendance in the auditorium under 50 people.
Concerning those on the stage, we have taken the following precautions:
– unrelated worship team members will maintain a 6 ft physical distance
– While worship team members will not be wearing masks, everyone on the stage will have a 3 ft X 3 ft plexiglass barrier in front of them.
– The air flow of our HVAC system in the auditorium is configured to draw air to the front of the auditorium. The system will be running continuously during worship.
– seating in the auditorium is a minimum of 16 feet from the stage.
– Each microphone will only be used by one person and will be disinfected weekly.
– We have pre-arranged care for the children of worship team members while they are on stage.
In all of this your leaders and other volunteers will be reminding you of these guidelines. Please respect this and do not allow your feelings to be hurt. We are doing this to protect everyone.
If something is not clear or if you have any questions, please call one of your pastors. We realize that meeting like this will be challenging, but we want to keep everyone safe. We also want to respect the various perspectives on how to keep everyone safe from Covid-19.
We love you; we miss you; and we can’t wait to see you again!!!