Update: April 20, 2022
East Shore COVID protocols are currently being updated to better reflect the latest CDC recommendations and guidelines. We will continue to wear masks (2yo+), require vaccinations (5yo+), ask you to stay home if you’re sick or in contact with COVID, and ventilate indoor spaces to help limit any exposure as best possible, but other restrictions (limiting attendance numbers) are being lifted, so stay tuned and plan to participate online or in person – wherever YOU feel best! Please see our latest Covid Chart
=============
Dear East Shore Members & Friends,
We are excited to announce we will be reopening this Sunday, March 6! Here is what you need to know:
We are using a chart which uses the data from CovidActNow.org for King County. Using this chart, each week we will announce if we are going to be open and with what restrictions. The details will be posted in the weekly eblast (sign up here) and on Facebook. Please note, as mask mandates and vaccine requirements in the public loosen, we may have to shift our plans.
Vaccine Checks
We are trying to be safe and make sure we keep a sense of welcoming. On Sundays, the buildings will be for vaccinated verified people only.
Volunteers, fully organized by the Board, will be at a table in the courtyard area. Members/Visitors will show their vaccine cards as a real card, a photo on their phone, or a QR code from their myhealthchart, clear, or the WA DOH website. We encourage the paper cards as that will be fastest. Those individuals who are cleared will get a neon green sticker that says “Vaccinated.” This will go on your badge (so if you took that home, time to find it!). In following weeks, those who have a sticker can just show the sticker and continue in the sanctuary.
What Should We Be Paying Attention To?
Let’s focus on these new “Key Principles for Reducing Potential Exposures” in our church home:
- Stay home if you’re sick! (keep visiting us online and call us for help!)
- Get Vaccinated! (and boosted!)
- Wear Masks! (all the time!)
- Dance, don’t sing! (get that body moving!)
Virtual Worship: What Will Change
For the most part, those joining by Zoom won’t notice much of a difference. We will still put words in chat, have virtual coffee hour with breakout rooms and stream from the Sanctuary. What will be different? Joys and Sorrows. Due to the complicated nature of multi-platform sharing, we will ask that joys and sorrow only be put in the chat, so they can still be shared. The staff is also working on contingency plans. In October we got a taste of what could happen if we lose power or internet in the Sanctuary. We were able to jump back on, and Steve and Eric did a great job of jumping back in… however when we are doing multi-platform we need to ensure both in-person and virtual congregants have a good experience. Please bear with us if this happens, we are hoping having a contingency plan means we will never have to use it.
In Person: What to expect
Those coming to campus to worship will have a whole new experience… that will change over time as more and more people get vaccinated and we SLOWLY return to larger gatherings.
After being checked for your vaccine status, you will be welcomed into the Sanctuary (want to volunteer to be an usher or greeter? Talk to Nicole!) All congregants MUST wear a mask any time they are in a building on campus. The ONLY exception are individuals speaking from the podium, and only while they are speaking (Rev. Furrer, Eric Lane Barnes, amanda, Worship Associate, etc.).
On Sunday, the back doors will be open, this is to help for airflow. We remind you that Pacific Northwesterners know how to dress for the weather, so we are confident you will dress warmly. You are also welcome to bring a blanket.
We will have some paper copies of the bulletin, we will also have a QR code (like what you see at restaurants to get the menu) where you will be able to pull up the bulletin on a phone or tablet. We will also have children’s activity bags.
We have set the chairs up to be socially distanced. For the time being the balcony will be closed. This is so the ACE team, who has been working so hard to set up the cameras and sound, can work in that space. We hope, as restrictions lessen, we can reopen that part of the Sanctuary for our members and friends.
One thing you may notice right away is a change in how we use the screen. We will be projecting Zoom on the screen during the service. This allows us to turn on closed captioning (making the service accessible to even more people), share videos, and still have some participation by those zooming in. This does mean words to hymns and responses will not be on the screen so you will want to grab a hymnal (including large print and braille) are available as well. We have also been informed by medical professionals that, unfortunately, singing – even while masked – is VERY high risk. Because of that, we are going to ask the congregation to not sing along to the hymns. We are looking at ways where you can still interact with the hymns (clapping, arm movements, etc.).
For joys and sorrows for those in person, we will bring back the cards in the southwest corner. Please take time to write out your joy or sorrow which will be collected and read from the pulpit.
For the offering, there will be a number of choices. You can still give online, text, or you can donate cash or check. Because the chairs will be spaced 6 feet apart (except for same households), we will have boxes in the back of the sanctuary for people to place gifts in as they exit.
In Person Coffee Hour
For those wanting to stay for coffee hour, we will have it! Because of masking, all food and beverages must be consumed outside. The North Room will be closed, so you will exit out the main doors into the courtyard. If you would like to help set up coffee hour or organize, contact Nicole.
In Person Religious Education for Children & Youth
All of these plans are relevant to RE as well, and children and families will be going through all of these processes along with adult members of the congregations. Children will be getting name badges for their vaccine stickers too (and so you can get to know them!).
Those under five will either be accompanied by a vaccinated caregiver or in the care of vaccinated volunteers or RE staff. All of our rooms are being marked by Dianne Upton at 50% room capacity.
More to know:
- 5yo+ must show proof
- There is no childcare at this time
- There is a rug in the back of the Sanctuary with book and toys for babies and kids
- Families are encouraged to attend worship together
- Children and youth classes will continue with our regular schedule.
Please make sure your children are registered. For RE Outdoors (1st & 3rd Sundays) and/or RE Online (2nd & 4th Sundays)
Mourning the Loss
As churches across the country have begun to reopen, a recurring theme is heard: “It’s not the same.” We know, no matter how excited we are to see one another and return to “normal,” we need to change our view of “normal!” What are you most excited about? Being in the Sanctuary? Coffee? Seeing people? Hugs? Singing? Some of those things will return now, others will come later… and some aspects of Sunday mornings will never be the same again. They are new and improved! We will continue to offer multiple ways for people to participate, both in person and over Zoom (Thanks to ACE, Joseph Newman and Jenny Newell for spending hours figuring this out!). This is a great way to continue to be more welcoming and inclusive. Change is hard, and sometimes, the transformation is even better.
Practicing Consent and Compassion
Part of being a beloved community is respecting others and showing compassion. During this transition we as asking for an increase in both of these.
We need to acknowledge everyone has different comfort levels when it comes to risk. Some are so excited to get back in person they will do all they can to stay safe AND in person. Others are not ready and may not be ready for a while. Please remember, these are your fellow East Shorians and we want to respect people’s decisions on how they participate in worship.
We also want to talk about hugging, handshakes, high fives, etc. As we teach our youngest children in Our Whole Lives (OWL), consent is very important. Even those friends who you may have always shared a hug with before may not feel up to it yet. Let’s show our children and each other we understand consent. Before hugging, please ask… AND be prepared to hear “no.” This includes members of the staff. We all love you… and we want to stay safe too.