October Tower Echoes: Church Reopening
Is church open yet?
When we closed our building last March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we closed hard -- no in-person worship, no BfJ, no preschool, almost no staff. Since then King County has inched along through the state's Phased Recovery Approach, finally making it into Phase 2 last summer. Many people would like to know: is church open yet?
PRLC Reopening Task Force
In this seventh month of the pandemic, the building is no longer completely empty. Ministries such as the food bank (which never closed) and the preschool (which reopened in July) are operating under strict physical distancing and mask protocols. There is understandably a lot of interest among other groups in using our facility as well. The PRLC Reopening Task Force is a team of congregational leaders and staff who have been making decisions along the way regarding worship, building use, policies, etc. The team includes a lawyer, a physician, and other stakeholders. This group met last week to develop a policy of building use right here, right now, as King County lingers in Phase 2.
In-person worship will not yet resume.
Although Safe Start guidelines do allow in-person worship under some circumstances in Phase 2, it is clear to members of the reopening committee that it cannot be done safely in our particular facility. Communal, in-person worship is a "super-spreader" event, and we could easily come to regret resuming it at this point. We celebrate Holy Communion together online one Sunday per month. Please see the weekly emails about receiving bread and wine for this celebration, or contact office manager Jeff Cooper to find out more.
So, what are the rules?
The building is still closed except to church staff, preschool staff and students, and a few specially permitted church volunteers.
Please use only your ministry's designated entrance (e.g. food bank volunteers go through the exterior food bank doors).
Room use is regulated. Reserve rooms by contacting the church office and getting on the calendar. Don’t just assume that a particular space will be available to you.
Contact tracing is in effect. Sign-in sheets are posted at the entrances to rooms and work spaces in the building. If you visit one of these spaces, sign in to let us know you were there, so we can inform you of potential virus exposure if needed.
As in all public spaces, masks and physical distancing are required.
Church is open.
But the building is still closed. Our worship, community, and ministries are strong and thriving. Please reach out to any of us on staff for updates, with questions -- or just to say hello! We really miss you!