Over the last three months, church staff and leadership have spent many hours in discussion and prayer about the best and safest way to re-open our facilities. As a result, we are happy to announce that we will return to worship on our campus beginning Sunday, June 28 at 9:30 and 11:00am. We will also continue to offer a high-quality, pre-recorded online worship service each week that can be found on our YouTube channel.
While the full set of guidelines that we’ve felt led to adopt can be found HERE, below is a summary of the main points you’ll want to know if you choose to join us in person on June 28th:
- Seating in each worship space will be limited. The doors will open 30 minutes prior to each of the services and we ask that you arrive early so our greeters can help you find your seat. We will have an overflow seating area available, if necessary, in the Fellowship Hall.
- All congregant families and worship leaders will be asked both to physical distance at least 6 feet apart AND to wear a facial mask when arriving, departing, and throughout the worship service.
- For your health and safety:
- Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout our facility for your use
- Staff and volunteers will receive temperature checks each Sunday before worship
- Unfortunately, no congregational singing will be offered at this time
- Use of restrooms will be limited to one person at a time
- Congregational spaces will be sanitized before and after worship
- As much as possible, we will provide a “touchless” experience (i.e., no offering plates or baskets, no hymnals, and no bulletins)
- Our Nursery will not be open until later this summer (ages 4 and under only)
- Staff and volunteers will be trained in the above guidelines prior to June 28
- Church-related small groups (including Sunday School classes) may begin to meet on June 29 in the Fellowship Hall using the re-arranged tables already set up 6 feet apart, with all participants asked to wear facial masks. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer Sunday School on Sunday mornings at this time. Any group leader wishing to meet on the church campus should contact Julie Lewis at julie@roystonfirstumc.org or 706-245-7402 to schedule your meeting.
- If you or anyone you’ve been in close contact with tests positive for COVID-19 shortly after you worship, please contact Julie Lewis at julie@roystonfirstumc.org or 706-245-7402 so we can give proper notice to others to self-quarantine and get tested (Note: your confidentiality will be honored).
- We understand that the guidelines above may feel awkward, but be assured that they are not only in keeping with current CDC guidelines and best practices of other churches, but are also consistent with the feedback of the responses to our recent congregational survey. More importantly, they represent what we feel God has prayerfully led us to begin with so that we may safely reintroduce in-person worship at Royston First UMC.
We are excited and we look forward to being with you again in worship on the campus of Royston First United Methodist Church. If you do not feel safe to return to worship at this time, or if you are uncomfortable with the guidelines for gathering, we look forward to continuing to be with you in worship online. Whatever method of worship you choose, I hope you will join us in preparing ourselves for God to do something AMAZING in Royston!
Blessings,
Matt Parker
Lead Pastor
Royston First United Methodist Church 