Dear Friends,
This is another challenging time for Grace Church, with the virus spreading rapidly through the congregation. Our main concern is to protect the health and safety of the most vulnerable among us. We’re also mindful that the ongoing spike in COVID cases and hospitalizations in Northern Virginia has imposed a growing burden on the area’s health care system, putting people at risk for not receiving the care they need. To love our neighbor as the Bible teaches, we need to do our part as a church to stem the spread of the virus.
For the next two Sundays, January 2 and 9, we will re-implement many of the measures we used at the height of the pandemic. After January 9, we will reassess whether these measures continue to be necessary. Taking these steps now should inhibit the spread of the virus within the congregation and help healthy members have confidence to attend worship services. For January 2 and 9:
- Those in the building must wear a face covering, other than worship leaders and preachers.
- Minimum six-foot physical distancing will be maintained by sitting in every other pew and by spacing the chairs in the Fellowship Hall during the 11:15 a.m. service.
- Communion will be served via packets that worshippers will pick up when entering.
- The offering will be taken via a collection box.
- Children’s and Adult Sunday school will be suspended, except for Joanna Grove’s missionary presentation, which will take place via Zoom at 4:00 pm on January 2. The presentation will be recorded for those who wish to watch it later.
- Coffee fellowship will be suspended.
- Nursery will be suspended.
Thank you for your patience and help during the next couple weeks, and for your ongoing prayers for those who are dealing with sickness. We hope that the rapid onset of illness will be followed by a quick decrease and return to normal.
In Christ,
The Task Force and Session