sBC Soft reopening
Greetings Sharon Baptist Church Family
We, the leadership of Sharon Baptist Church, remain in constant prayer for your health and safety during this pandemic. The pandemic has had a severe impact on our physical bodies, mental stability and emotional well-being. We also recognize the spiritual toll that the lack of fellowship with other believers, has had on our membership. We have sought God, listened to medical experts, and planned for months to determine the right time to re-enter the House of God for in-person worship.
In recent weeks, Pennsylvania, and specifically Philadelphia, have begun to ‘open up’ and relax capacity limitations. As a result the leadership has decided this is the appropriate time to initiate Phase 1 of our reopening plan. Our desire is to create a spirit-filled, safe, and comfortable atmosphere for our members to resume in-person worship. Phase 1 includes a soft reopening launch, with limited capacity, strict social distancing, and modifications to meet all CDC recommended guidelines. In addition, accessibility in the building will be limited to designated areas. Safety is our foremost concern, and we ask that everyone adhere to all signs and instructions while on the church’s campus. It has been over a year since we have gathered collectively in the sanctuary. Unfortunately, we will not be returning to worship, in the manner we have all grown familiar.
IMPORTANT CHANGES:
Registration: In order to confirm attendance and maintain capacity limits, registration is required by all attendees.
Arrival: All attendees should arrive no later than 9:15a to ensure there are no distractions during the live broadcast. Doors open at 8:15a.
Entry: Everyone will enter through the front doors of the sanctuary and are required to check-in for effective contact tracing.
Safety: Face masks (covering mouth and nose) are required at all times inside the building. CDC recommends double masking. There are hand sanitizing stations around the building and all high touch surfaces are cleaned frequently, including doors and restrooms.
Social Distancing: Everyone should maintain 6 ft physical distancing and only sit with members of your own household. Alternating pews have been closed to help accommodate proper spacing.
Fellowship: Please refrain from shaking hands, hugs and kisses. We are still in a pandemic, so please love one another from afar.
Offering: There will be no procession for offering. Offering boxes will be located at entry/exit and members are encouraged to continue using electronic giving.
Exiting: When service is over, please exit the sanctuary as instructed and into the parking lot.
HEALTH CHECK:
If you have any flu-like symptoms, had a fever of 100.4°F or higher in the past 3 days, have a sore throat, dry cough, having trouble breathing, experiencing fatigue, headache, body aches or have had prolonged exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, we strongly encourage you to stay home and enjoy our online services.
VIRTUAL WORSHIP:
We certainly understand that some are not physically able and/or uncomfortable returning to in-person worship at this time. We are committed to ministering to our entire church family, and therefore will continue to livestream all worship services across our various online platforms. We ask for your prayers and thank you in advance for your patience, as we seek to navigate these ever-changing times. We will continue to evaluate and make necessary adjustments to ensure a healthy worship experience.
Until we see you again, be safe and God bless!