Reopening Task Force

Reopening June 21, 9:15 a.m.

REOPENING PROCEDURES

June 10, 2020 (100 worshippers)

Your Safety

• As we work to welcome our worshipping community back into the sanctuary for worship, your safety, and the safety of others who gather, is our guiding principle.
• We will continue our online ministries and transition slowly and safely, following the guidance of the CDC and our State leaders, and we will welcome your return to the sanctuary when you are ready.
• We have developed safety protocols, practices and procedures that will be implemented, monitored, evaluated, and adapted to provide a safe worshipping experience.

Reopening Date

• We will reopen Immanuel’s sanctuary for one face-to-face worship service beginning Sunday, June 21, beginning with the 9:15 a.m. service so we can do that very well before offering other worship opportunities (We will continue to livestream the 9:15 a.m. service).
• We as that you register when you plan to attend worship: Worship Registration (to manage State mandated occupancy limits)
• The 10:45 a.m. service will continue to be livestreamed but won’t initially be open to the worshiping community. As we implement our policies and procedures, living into this temporary new normal, we will continually evaluate our procedures. We hope to be able to open the 10:45 a.m. service for face-to-face worshippers later in the summer.

Caution is Encouraged

• If you are over 65 and/or you have underlying health conditions, it is recommended by the CDC and MDH, that you exercise caution and continue to worship online.
• Stay home if you have been sick or if have been in close proximity to someone who has been sick.

Worshipping face-to-face will be different

Procedures and practices have been developed to provide a safe worship experience, however, there are several changes that we want you to be aware of:

1) Register for worship

• We ask that you sign up for worship using the Worship Registration Form so that we can adhere to capacity guidelines that the State has in place.
• Worship is currently capped at 100 worshippers (and additional staff and musicians).
• Please register online for worship by noon on Thursdays.
• If you do not have access to the internet please call the office by noon on Thursday to reserve your spot.

2) Masks & enter/exit the building through the North doors

• Masks are to be worn by all people who enter the building (except children under 3) and must cover your mouth and your nose (we have a small supply of masks available for those who forget to bring their own). Please follow the CDCs directions on how to wear a mask.
• We wear masks to demonstrate our love and care for one another.
• Initially worshippers will be welcomed by Kari Totall, our Parish Nurse, at the North door and all will be screened for elevated temperatures with an infrared thermometer.
• After worship the pastors will dismiss you by rows, from the back to the front of the sanctuary (to minimize close contact), then please exit the building and practice social distancing as you greet other worshippers.

3) Assigned Seating

• Registering in advance for worship will reserve you a seat, so that we manage occupancy limits that the State has in place.
• You will be assigned a seat/row based on your group’s size.
• Every other row of chairs has been removed to provide ease of human traffic flow and to reduce the surface area that needs to be cleaned following each worship.
• The glass “garage doors” separating the sanctuary from the atrium will be open, increasing the ease of entering and exiting the sanctuary.

4) Reducing Touch

We know that the virus is primarily spread via aerosols, tiny airborne particles, however, to be cautious:

• We have removed all hymnals, Bibles, pencils and envelopes from the sanctuary.
• The offering will be received by dropping your donation into baskets available in the atrium.
• Communion will be served using disposable communion kits with bread and wine (pick one up as you enter the sanctuary and drop it in the trash as you exit the sanctuary).
• Paper bulletins will not be provided.
• Coffee will not be served.
• Only the restrooms by the Choir Room will be open (you can use your elbow to trigger the automatic door mechanism).
• The pastors will not meet worshippers at the doors.

5) Humming rather than singing

As the virus is most readily shared via aerosols, singing, the forcing of air from the body, is a high-risk activity that we will be avoiding. Our music staff will lead from safe distances and other musicians will be pre-recorded and shared via video.

Pastor Paul's Reopening Letter

June 10, 2020

Dear Sisters and Brothers of Immanuel,

It has been over two months since we gathered in worship and shared in the blessing of face-to-face faithful friendships. While we have not met face-to-face, it is not true that the church has been closed these past months. The church is open, alive, and active in the world, mainly through each of you and your words and actions, through your prayers offered up to God, and your care offered to family, friends, and the world. Thank you for being the church!

So many of you have shared how much you have missed being together, and I join you in grieving the temporary loss of that fellowship. Our Reopening Task Force has crafted a comprehensive plan for how we can begin to gather again in as safe a manner as possible. Thank you to the excellent work of our Reopening Task Force! As our reopening draws near I share with you three verses that have inspired our planning:

• “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you!” John 15:12
• “How excellent are the Lord’s faithful people, it is my greatest pleasure to be with them.” Psalm 16:3
• “All who believed were together, day by day spending time in the temple and breaking bread together with glad and generous hearts.” Acts 2:46

God made us to live in community, and the blessing of faithful friends worshiping together is foundational to Christian life. We long to return to a more “normal” time where we can share that vital gift of face-to-face fellowship. Yet, first and foremost we are called to love one another as Jesus loves us. It is this love and care for each other, and for all our neighbors, that has instructed our time of social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 and hopefully save lives. Now, as Governor Walz in consultation with local and national health experts has given the green light for in-person worship, Immanuel has put together plans for our reopening.

Our plan is to begin welcoming a limited number of people (100 or less) back into the sanctuary for worship at 9:15am on June 21.

Our Reopening Task Force, informed by science and medical doctors, CDC, and guidance from the State of Minnesota, has put together a plan for returning to worship, knowing that each subsequent phase will allow greater opportunity in gathering as the threat of the COVID-19 diminishes. Our reopening phase includes detailed plans for preparing space, distancing, and disinfecting. We have considered how we will best welcome people into the building with precautionary measures like limiting entrances and exits, taking temperatures and requiring the wearing of masks.

We will be following best practices for gathering larger groups such as no congregational singing for the present time, though there will be special music. Please refer to Immanuel’s Phase One Reopening Document for a complete list of the measures we have put in place.

As we are able, Immanuel will move to later phases of our plan which will allow more people to gather for worship, service, and fellowship. It is important to note that as we respond to the changing realities of this pandemic, there may be need to return to more restrictive measures in our public gathering. We know that many will choose to continue to worship online and we affirm that choice and will continue to plan worship with that in mind. The number of people worshiping with us each Sunday has actually grown and we know that live-streaming worship is here to stay and will continue to be a priority.

If you are in a high-risk group, over 65 or with health issues that put you at risk, please continue to safely worship online. And please let us know if you have any needs that we can help with. We may not all be worshiping face-to-face, but we are still the body of Christ ministering to each other and with each other. Our Reopening Task Force has put together a thoughtful and informed plan that helps us care for one another as we gradually return to sharing the blessing of face-to-face Christian community.

May God guide us as we faithfully respond to the realities being the church in this time of pandemic.

Your fellow servant in Christ,

Pastor Paul

Reopening Task Force to begin work

May 14, 2020

Dear Immanuel family,

We have formed a Reopening Task Force that, in the next few weeks, will put together plans and protocol for how we will reopen our building. Thank you for your faithfulness during this frustrating time that we have not been able to gather for worship, fellowship, faith-formation, and celebration. Your support of and prayer for our shared ministry have been great gifts. I know all of us look forward to being able to gather once again!

As our state gradually opens up again, Immanuel’s Reopening Task force will put together a stepped plan to resume ministry in the building. This plan will include safety policies and protocols for how we gradually ramp up ministry. We have guidance from the ELCA, as well as other expert sources as to what we need to consider to re-open as safely and timely as possible. You can review the ELCA guidelines. These guidelines provide helpful steps in how and when we gather, how and when we disinfect our facility, and how and when it is prudent for different populations to gather. We will base our plan on the best scientific and medical information we have as well as state requirements and regulations. Our hope is that this carefully considered plan will give our congregation confidence that we are reopening as safely as possible!

The Immanuel Reopening Task Force includes Dr. Monte Johnson, our Parish Nurse Kari Totall, Mike Schommer (public health communications manager), Jackie Getchius, Brian Naslund, and staff members Pastor Paul, Martin Rathjen, Tammy Vergeront, and Clark Weyrauch. Please keep the task force in your prayers as we engage in this important work. We will be keeping the congregation informed of our progress.

Please contact me - paul@immanuel.us - if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you again!

Pastor Paul