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Post by sunnyd on May 10, 2021 0:47:30 GMT
Our church is starting back in person next Sunday and I'm not comfortable going. Masks will not be required. I teach Sunday school to children under the age of 12. Maybe they have learned to social distance in the past year. Before COVID they would climb all over me, come to church sick, cough, sneeze, pick their nose, etc. and I would just come home and decontaminate every Sunday. The kids have been back to school for months and our state's cases are relatively low, under 500 new cases per day. There are several anti-maskers & anti-vaxxers in my church community. I have been fully vaccinated.
I'm not sure if I'm using this as an excuse because I have enjoyed my free Sundays, lol. Are you back to church with regular services and SS classes? Are you fine with it?
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Post by jenjie on May 10, 2021 1:01:18 GMT
We have an outside service (people mostly stay in cars, may set up folding chairs) and inside masked service. We’ve had small groups throughout the week, many at people’s homes. My group was at someone’s house where there was room enough to distance. Kids’ Sunday school was recently moved inside. Everyone wears a mask. This is in NJ.
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Post by librarylady on May 10, 2021 1:07:41 GMT
North Dallas location. We resumed inside service on April 25th. Masks required. Social distancing strongly encouraged. People are seated far apart with an empty row between each row, anyone on the row is spaced at least 6 ft. apart. Any social talk is encouraged to take it to the parking lot to talk.
No Sunday School classes are meeting just yet. Adult SS is via zoom Children are returning on June 1st, I think.
We are still broadcasting worship service via Zoom and FB. More are staying at home than are returning in person.
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Post by littlemama on May 10, 2021 1:45:11 GMT
Our church is starting back in person next Sunday and I'm not comfortable going. Masks will not be required. I teach Sunday school to children under the age of 12. Maybe they have learned to social distance in the past year. Before COVID they would climb all over me, come to church sick, cough, sneeze, pick their nose, etc. and I would just come home and decontaminate every Sunday. The kids have been back to school for months and our state's cases are relatively low, under 500 new cases per day. There are several anti-maskers & anti-vaxxers in my church community. I have been fully vaccinated. I'm not sure if I'm using this as an excuse because I have enjoyed my free Sundays, lol. Are you back to church with regular services and SS classes? Are you fine with it? I would not feel comfortable going back until at least 70 percent of the populace is vaccinates.
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Post by Linda on May 10, 2021 1:50:51 GMT
I'm still watching on FB video. The bishop is lifting the general dispensation at Pentecost (May 23rd I think) and I'll try going back - I'm fully vaccinated as is DH and DD21 but DD14 isn't of course. We attended in mid-April one Sunday for DD14's Confirmation and it was relatively well spaced and masked so I'm hopeful.
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MaryMary
Pearl Clutcher
Lazy
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Post by MaryMary on May 10, 2021 1:57:54 GMT
I went back once I was vaccinated.
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Post by KikiPea on May 10, 2021 1:59:51 GMT
We will be attending for the first time next week since March 15, 2020.
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MDscrapaholic
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,592
Location: Down by the bay....
Jun 25, 2014 20:49:07 GMT
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Post by MDscrapaholic on May 10, 2021 2:30:45 GMT
We’ve been back since the first week of April. Fully masked and distanced. We don’t have a large congregation so there’s plenty of room to spread out.
It’s difficult wearing a mask, especially when we sing. I really enjoyed services on Zoom and wish we were still doing those.
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Post by lesserknownpea on May 10, 2021 2:36:45 GMT
Nope. Still Zoom.
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Post by AussieMeg on May 10, 2021 2:41:00 GMT
our state's cases are relatively low, under 500 new cases per day. I get that 500 new cases per day seems low to you, but it seems very high to me. I guess it's all relative, isn't it? Given the conditions you describe, with kids climbing all over you and coming to church sick, I don't think I'd be comfortable about returning. Especially knowing there are anti vaxxers there.
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Post by ntsf on May 10, 2021 3:07:07 GMT
I believe everyone in our small congregation is vaccinated. but we have not met in person.. we did an annual meeting in a parking lot a few weeks ago.. we will probably go back in first of july.. mostly due to comfort level. almost everyone is over 55. our town is over 75 % at least one shot.
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Post by jewelie121 on May 10, 2021 3:49:37 GMT
We’ve been back a while - definitely before Christmas. Masks are required and we social distance. Offering is put in a locked box in the lobby and there’s pretty much no touching. We just started our monthly potluck a couple of weeks ago (I didn’t go that week).
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tracylynn
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Post by tracylynn on May 10, 2021 4:33:58 GMT
There's no way I'd be comfortable with what you described.
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Post by monklady123 on May 10, 2021 10:50:42 GMT
We are not back yet. We have online services (Zoom and YouTube) every Sunday, and we have an outdoor service every few weeks. Apparently "sometime in September" is our timeline for going back into the building.
I'm torn now about thing reopening. I've started back subbing, I've gone back to the gym, and I'm back on call for the hospital. Schools are hybrid so only 10 or so kids in the room at one time. The gym has sign-ups required so the numbers are limited, and all the equipment has been moved to be apart from each other, and of course the hospital has all precautions.. So things are opening up with safety features. I feel like other places are being a bit too cautious.
I have a senior dog who needs a checkup and my vet has "no immediate plans" (their quote) for allowing people to come in with the dogs. My poor dog was SO scared the last time we were there that she could hardly stand up as I handed her over to the vet tech in the parking lot. I can't put her through that again so I've just switched vets to one who allows parents (their term, lol) to come in.
So I think that churches in my area where the covid rate is low and the vaccination rate is high are maybe being too cautious. I think we could reopen with social distancing, masks, etc. My particular church has excellent cross ventilation so that would be another factor. -- But, I'm not on the committee making the decisions so I'll just wait. Or I might find another church that opens earlier, just as a temporary thing until mine does. I do miss sitting in church with people.
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Post by Basket1lady on May 10, 2021 11:13:57 GMT
I haven’t yet. Church has been in person for several months, but no one here was vaccinated and there are a lot of young children who attend. US Tricare beneficiaries are finally getting vaccinated and I got my second shot last week. So I’ll probably start going once we return from the States and DH gets his second shot.
My biggest concern is the younger kids. They can’t be vaccinated yet and are carriers in the best of times. Our US community is pretty good here because we are allowed some privileges that our host nation has banned. We know that if there’s an outbreak, it will all get shut down and fingers will be pointed at the ugly Americans.
I’m also making appointments for my mammogram, eye exam, yearly exams, etc. I’m cautiously dipping my toes into the water.
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sueg
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,418
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Post by sueg on May 10, 2021 11:27:14 GMT
We've been back in person for nearly a year now, and so far, all is good.
We are probably in a different situation to many US churches: Our regular chapel was too small for us to continue using during restrictions - we would only have been allowed about 20 people to be present, given the size - so we are 'borrowing' a nearby parish church. It is an old European church, so really high ceilings, wide aisles, spaced pews and the altar is at least 15ft from the front row of seats. We are also a bit different in that we are an English speaking community in a non-English speaking country, so our congregation is small and we know most people in it. We don't tend to get a lot of 'drop-ins' for our Masses. We only use every second row of pews - the others are roped off - and only one family is allowed per seat. In a church with a capacity of around 2000, we are allowed a maximum of 180 people, though normally we only have around 80-90. We have to wear FFP2 masks (since last September; before that fabric masks were allowed) and there is no community singing. Our priests also set an example by wearing masks at all times except when they are speaking. Communion is distributed with tongs, and you are allowed to drop your mask just long enough to consume the host. For the past 2 weeks, we have also had a QR code check-in, as it was added to the national Covid app. We are not holding our children's liturgies at the moment, partly as we don't have a separate space here to do that, as we do in our 'regular' home.
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Post by GamGam on May 10, 2021 12:14:01 GMT
North Dallas location. We resumed inside service on April 25th. Masks required. Social distancing strongly encouraged. People are seated far apart with an empty row between each row, anyone on the row is spaced at least 6 ft. apart. Any social talk is encouraged to take it to the parking lot to talk. No Sunday School classes are meeting just yet. Adult SS is via zoom Children are returning on June 1st, I think. We are still broadcasting worship service via Zoom and FB. More are staying at home than are returning in person. I am in Knoxville, and this is our protocol also. First service back was Easter Sunday. I went a couple of Sundays, but the Eucharist is truncated, and I am not comfortable with the way the elements are being given. We are asked not to sing the hymns or responses, and the service is so stilted that it is not worshipful for me. I miss not going, but will wait until the restrictions are eased enough for the service to become more normal.
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Post by Sharon on May 10, 2021 12:16:40 GMT
Yes, we've been going except for a few months like May to Sept. or Oct. I can't remember the exact times we didn't go. We resumed Sunday School several months ago. Nobody is required to wear a mask. Since we had been having dinner with friends for months, we were comfortable.
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MorningPerson
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,543
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Jul 4, 2014 21:35:44 GMT
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Post by MorningPerson on May 10, 2021 12:24:56 GMT
Our church is starting back in person next Sunday and I'm not comfortable going. Masks will not be required. I teach Sunday school to children under the age of 12. Maybe they have learned to social distance in the past year. Before COVID they would climb all over me, come to church sick, cough, sneeze, pick their nose, etc. and I would just come home and decontaminate every Sunday. The kids have been back to school for months and our state's cases are relatively low, under 500 new cases per day. There are several anti-maskers & anti-vaxxers in my church community. I have been fully vaccinated. I'm not sure if I'm using this as an excuse because I have enjoyed my free Sundays, lol. Are you back to church with regular services and SS classes? Are you fine with it? Given the bolded sentence, it would be a hard no for me on going back there. Not just now, but ever. I don't want to be part of a community that has such little regard and respect for their fellow humans that they refuse to mask or vaccinate. I can feel my blood pressure going up just thinking about this. This past year has resulted in me finding out who some "friends" really are. People who I thought were sincere, God-loving, do-the-right-thing people, but when it comes to taking care of each other, forget it. Their allegiance to Trump and his ideas has taken over and I hate what they've shown themselves to be.
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Post by mammajamma on May 10, 2021 12:28:06 GMT
Sadly we are not. Our church has been back in person for months. Social distancing and masks were required. But the choir doesn’t wear masks when they sang. Now that DH and I are vaccinated, we would attend if it was just us but we have two kids. They no longer do social distancing although masks required. But since I live in Texas where the pandemic has been a fight all along, that doesn’t guarantee that people wear the masks correctly.
I have asked my church to hold some service outside and they never have. That has really bothered me. The CDC has finally admitted its airborne. This is huge in our way to mitigate. We could much safer gather outdoors AND lose masks if spaced if they would worship outdoors.
Now I just feel hurt that they couldn’t adapt and hold some service outdoors. I know churches in other areas do this. Our weather has been just about perfect for outdoor activities for most of the pandemic. Might need a jacket sometimes but that would be fine with me.
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Post by Bridget in MD on May 10, 2021 12:39:22 GMT
Ours has been back in person since before Christmas, but they are still doing FB Live services. My parents (who attend the same church) have been going. My family has not. I am the only one fully vaccinated + 2 weeks post shot. My DD just got her 2nd shot sat, and my DH gets his on tuesday. DS isn't 16 yet. Both kids have been attending school in person 2x a week, but the school is extremely strict on guidelines and protocols where my church or its members, I don't feel, has been. They are masking and socially distancing, but the organist tested positive for COVID on Christmas eve and when that happened, I decided we would not put ourselves in that kind of risk until we were fully vaccinated. I know we can still get COVID even with the vaccine, but hopefully by the time DS can get the shot, more people will have it too.
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Post by mikklynn on May 10, 2021 12:44:20 GMT
No, we are not planning to go in person for a while yet. Our very small church will have the first in person service next Sunday. We'll stick to Zoom.
Minnesota is still at around 1,000 cases per day.
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rickmer
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Jul 1, 2014 20:20:18 GMT
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Post by rickmer on May 10, 2021 14:08:06 GMT
i am in toronto and don't go to church - but ours are not open at all yet. kids are still off school and most stores only have curbside pick up - so can't imagine churches will open before those.
our lockdown is supposed to end may 20. no one is under any expectation that will happen. i think *perhaps* the end of june? hoping???
with what you say, i wouldn't go. i would wait a couple of weeks and see if there are any flare ups, then if i felt compelled to go back, i would still wear a mask, sit far from people and carry my hand sanitizer. even if i had both shots. very few people here have both doses, it's been a struggle for many to get their first. my kids can't be vaccinated yet and wouldn't want to give it them.
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Post by scraphappy0501 on May 10, 2021 14:24:34 GMT
Our church re-opened late last May, but only in very small numbers. You had to make a reservation for a specific Mass and at first only 20 people could attend. Every other row of pews was cordoned off and the pews that were able to be occupied had blue tape marking every 6 feet to help maintain social distancing. Masks were required and there was no singing. Our priest came around to the congregants in the pews to distribute Communion in the hand only. No altar servers or deacons at Mass. As the summer went on we were able to increase to 50 people per Mass and reservations were required - same masking and distancing requirements, although singing had resumed. By the Fall reservations were no longer required for Mass but social distancing and masks were still required. Being a Catholic parish in Utah (i.e. not a huge congregation) we didn't have issues with too many people attending Mass to make social distancing difficult.
Fast forward to now - we still have the general dispensation by our Bishop but Mass attendance at our parish is increasing. We're still able to maintain social distancing and masks are still required. There still are no altar servers at Mass. Other than that, church feels almost back to normal.
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Post by jjpeapea on May 10, 2021 14:28:28 GMT
I taught Sunday School yesterday for the first time since March 8, 2020. The parents had to register their kids and agree to the guidelines. There was a registration limit of kids per classroom. I think the kids were used to everything from their school because they all came with a mask and sat on their dot on the floor. All three of us in my household are fully vaccinated so I'm not too worried about passing anything on to a household member. Many of you have different situations from mine, and we all need to be cautious and careful.
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Post by workingclassdog on May 10, 2021 14:32:08 GMT
I have not yet.. our church is very big and not just there yet.. I am thinking maybe in a few weeks. I really should be fine though, since I have been leaving a 1/2 way normal life, work, shopping and all that. But I haven't done any large gatherings yet, except maybe 8 of us together. Maybe I am making excuses as I do love my day off and not going anywhere. I have been watching (sometimes) online services though..
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Post by librarylady on May 10, 2021 14:33:42 GMT
I forgot to say--anyone attending church must bring their own communion elements. No sharing at the table etc. Prayers are said and the elements consumed together.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 5:26:22 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 10, 2021 14:34:53 GMT
Our church has been open since May 2020. Masks are optional. We social distanced at first, but not anymore. Communion is in pre-packaged containers and we pick one up as we come in.
We have always sung.
We have not had any outbreaks of covid in our congregation.
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Post by Mel on May 10, 2021 14:39:26 GMT
Ours restarted around the end of January (until then it was online so we could watch/participate if we wanted to).
We have been a couple of times since then. Masks are required when you are doing anything other than sitting in the seat (people are separated adequately). You can choose to stand & sing, or sit but if you sing, mask should be on.
SO & I are both fully vaccinated so I'm a little more comfortable about going back now. Our DD is being confirmed at the end of the month. That is a WHOOOOLE other story though!
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Post by auntkelly on May 10, 2021 14:47:47 GMT
We went back to our home church right after Easter. They are observing some covid precautions like only allowing people to sit in every other pew, but they are not observing as many precautions as I wish they would.
We have been attending the little country church by our lake house ever since the stay at home order was ended last spring. It’s a tiny church and they have been doing everything possible to keep parishioners safe during services.(requiring masks, taking temperatures, requiring social distancing, etc.).
I honestly don’t care what other people do. However, I think this virus is going to be around for many years, perhaps the rest of my lifetime. I think we are all going to have to learn to live with the constant threat of covid. My husband and I have had covid and we are fully vaccinated. We feel it’s time to get on with life, while taking reasonable precautions. We remain open to the possibility that we may have to shut down again if the spread of covid gets out of control or a new variant pops up in our area. However, for now, we are going to go ahead and live life according to our new normal, which for us means returning to in person church services. I completely understand and respect that other people are choosing to stay home. We all have different comfort levels.
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