Church Reopening Practices
Dear St. Luke family:
This coming Tuesday, June 15, is the date of California’s “Grand Reopening,” when most restrictions imposed during the pandemic will be lifted. Fifteen months ago, we followed science (and Jesus) into the pandemic, and now we will follow science (and Jesus) out. Science says that if people are vaccinated, they have minimal risk in participating in normal activities.
So, it is with both gratitude and caution that your reopening team announces the practices we’ll put in place at St. Luke going forward:
- We will not ask for proof of vaccination to attend worship or other church functions, but we ask that people decide for themselves, based on their vaccination status, whether they feel safe and/or comfortable participating in worship in the sanctuary or other activities at church.
- We ask that people self-assess their physical condition, and stay home if they are not feeling well.
- We will no longer require masks, but we recommend that people continue to wear masks if they have not been vaccinated or if they are more comfortable doing so.
- We will not require worshipers to sit 6 feet apart, but we invite people to decide for themselves how much physical distancing they need, and we all respect those choices.
- We will continue to pass the peace without touching for now.
- We will permit singing in worship.
- The full choir will not perform in worship until fall, but small ensembles will perform this summer, and they will remain at least 12 feet from worshipers.
- We will not take temperatures or prepare for contact tracing.
- We will continue to worship both in the sanctuary and on Zoom for now.
- We will celebrate communion at least one more time with the pre-packaged kits, and then make a determination about safe communion practices going forward.
It’s been a long, strange trip. None of us has experienced anything like this. May our joy that we are nearly at the end of the pandemic inspire us to act on behalf of the people and places in the world still struggling with COVID19, and to address the inequality the pandemic exposed.
Grace and peace,
Joanne Whitt
Interim Pastor