Preparation for Reopening
Hello my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
It has been a few months now since the COVID-19 caused disruptions in our lives, leaving regular worship and other church ministries at CUMC to close.
On May 11, 2020, the Relaunch Team (All Committees and Ministries Chairperson, the Lay Leader, a Nurse, and Pastor) met and concluded that things will not be the same when we reopen for regular worship and other operations, especially since there is no cure for this virus at this time.
The CUMC Relaunch Team created this document to provide the best guidance possible for practicing our faith and using common sense when we reopen. We have decided to reopen for worship only on June 7, 2020, as recommended by the conference.
I expect each of you to make your own decision to attend regular worship in the sanctuary. With that said, we all need to do everything we can to make sure that we adhere to these guidelines created by CUMC and the Oklahoma Conference. Let us do all we can to make sure that our faith and common-sense practices of these guidelines help us to avoid putting each other at risk.
I would love for you to participate in the regular worship gathering. But if for any reason you feel that you cannot adhere to these guidelines, I will suggest that you stay home and participate in worship through our online live streaming.
May God bless us all as we love Him by loving each other.
Pastor John Punni, II
If you have questions about the guidelines below, please contact Pastor John!
Cornerstone UMC Reopening Guidelines
- We will have only one Sunday service at 10:45 am beginning on June 7, 2020, and we will continue Facebook Live-streaming and recording the service for posting on our website.
- For the time being, we will not resume Sunday School classes nor Children’s Church or nursery. Children that come to church will need to remain with their parents during worship.
- The choir will not perform at this time. Sherry Alley will coordinate music, and there may be soloist opportunities in the future. (ETA: Choir has resumed with precautions)
- We will be modeling social distancing behaviors.
- Proper wearing of face masks will be encouraged for everyone over the age of 10, and we will have some on hand to give to people that do not come with one but wish to wear one.
- The sanitizer will be available immediately upon entering the building, where we will prop open the doors to eliminate the need for excessive touching. One person will be available to pump the dispenser while wearing gloves until we can procure a touchless dispenser and stand.
- For now, ushers will be refraining from handshakes and hugs but will be escorting people to seats in the sanctuary.
- Seating will be spaced out and roped off if necessary, depending on the number of congregants in attendance. Family groups may sit together.
- We will refrain from having a printed bulletin, passing the peace, traditional communion practice, and will not pass the offering plate around.
- Bulletin information will be available on the screen, and any vital information to be shared will be in a Cornerstone Update email.
- We will wave and smile from a distance!
- We will provide an offering box inside the sanctuary to deposit your tithes and offerings before or after service. We continue encouraging online giving and mail-in checks to the church as well.
- Communion will be blessed, and prefilled single-use communion juice and wafer cups will be available to pick up as we leave the sanctuary. Members are encouraged to consume as they exit the building and take their trash with them.
- After the service, we ask that everyone leave the building as soon as possible. Any socializing should be done outside and modeling social distance behavior.
- We will need to clean and sanitize the sanctuary, Narthex, and restrooms as soon as possible after the service.
Also,
- The church will not resume any outreach activities or ministries including Dinner Church at this time, the only exception will continue for Meals on Wheels (formerly Mobile Meals) and the Food Pantry.
- The church will not host any other meetings or gatherings except for worship at this time.
OKUMC Preparation/Reopening Guidelines
Click the link below to read the full guideline document from the Conference. On page 4 the reopening guidelines and recommendations for Worship begin if you want to skip ahead.