NOVEMBER 29 and DECEMBER 2 services have been cancelled
Please read an important update letter from the pastors here
Since May, the Chapel has been operating under "reduced capacity" guidelines to help balance the need to slow the spread of COVID-19 and also remain faithful to Christ's command for His church to "gather together." (Hebrews 10:23-25)
Below are the pastors' responses and directions concerning various aspects of social distancing, government guidelines, etc.
SAFE PRACTICES THAT WE ENCOURAGE:
Upon arriving at the Chapel, please consider the following health/wellness practices:
- Hand Sanitizer: All who visit will be required to use hand sanitizer upon entering the church building (provided by the Chapel).
- Gloves: will be provided if people would want them.
- Social Distancing: Please respect the various degrees of social distancing that some may or may not want to practice. Ask before you give someone a hug or handshake. Stand away and ask before you come near to talk. Respect the areas marked off for social distancing by not congregating in these areas. Consider taking conversations outside the building.
- Seating: Please sit with your family. We encourage you to sit at least four chairs away from other families. There will be fewer chairs in the auditorium to help facilitate this spacing. Chairs are also set up in the Fellowship Hall to accommodate those who desire even greater social distance.
- Offerings: Freewill offerings will be collected in a box on the welcome table. As an alternative, congregants can continue to mail their offerings to the church throughout the week.
OHIO MASK MANDATE:
- On July 23, Governor DeWine issued a mandate that Ohioans wear masks at all public gatherings.
- At the Chapel, we have decided to encourage the congregation to follow the Governor's mandate to wear a mask. Thus, we encourage all attendees to wear a mask unless they fall into the category of exemptions provided in the Governor's mandate.
- At the present time, we recognize that wearing a mask is inconvenient, but it doesn't prevent the church from gathering or practicing in our faith in a way contradictory to NT teachings.
- We also want to encourage the congregation to be loving, encouraging, and not judgmental towards anyone who doesn't wear a mask at the present time.
- The Elders have written a detailed letter about the mandate and we encourage you to read it here.
- Pastor Jonathan taught on the believer's submission to earthly authorities: Honoring Authority on YouTube.
OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE THE UNITY OF THE BODY
- Love Your Neighbor: The elders want to emphasize mutual respect for one another, please "love your neighbor" by being considerate of our different preferences and comfort levels.
- We know that our enemy, Satan, is doing all he can to drive wedges and divisions between us. Dear brothers and sisters, let us put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) in order to combat his flaming arrows.
"This is His commandment,
that we believe in the name of His son Jesus Christ,
and love one another,
just as He commanded us"
1 John 3:23
that we believe in the name of His son Jesus Christ,
and love one another,
just as He commanded us"
1 John 3:23
Frequently Asked Questions:
When Should I Stay Home?
You should stay home if you are experiencing 2 or more of the following symptoms (taken from CDC website):
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
What If I Can't Come?
We recognize that there will be members and attendees who want to come, but can't due to various reasons. We plan to record the service and post it to our YouTube Page by 8:00pm on Sunday evenings.
You can find it here: Grace Brethren Chapel on YouTube
What Should I Do If I Receive A Positive COVID-19 Test?
Since there have been numerous false-positive tests reported, the elders of the Chapel recommend that you get a second test to confirm the results. You may even need to get a third test, if the first two tests return different results.
Upon confirmation of a positive test result, here is the policy enacted by the elders on July 19, 2020:
“If an individual is tested for Covid-19 and the test is confirmed positive, we request that the individual disclose the information to the elders, who will then disseminate it to the Chapel family. If an individual discovers that they have had a secondary level of exposure to Covid-19 (meaning they were in the proximity (6 feet) of someone who tests positive), we ask that they also disclose that information and relevant details to the elders. We will then decide on a case by case basis whether that information needs to be disseminated to the congregation or not.
We do not plan to suspend present ministry operations if it is discovered that an individual in the congregation tests positive for Covid-19. However, by disclosing the information, we arm the congregation with knowledge that they can use to determine whether they want to risk gathering or not.
This policy represents a point in time and is subject to revision and change as new information or new guidelines regarding Covid-19 come to light.”
What Ministries Are Currently in Operation?
Sundays:
Wednesdays:
You should stay home if you are experiencing 2 or more of the following symptoms (taken from CDC website):
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
What If I Can't Come?
We recognize that there will be members and attendees who want to come, but can't due to various reasons. We plan to record the service and post it to our YouTube Page by 8:00pm on Sunday evenings.
You can find it here: Grace Brethren Chapel on YouTube
What Should I Do If I Receive A Positive COVID-19 Test?
Since there have been numerous false-positive tests reported, the elders of the Chapel recommend that you get a second test to confirm the results. You may even need to get a third test, if the first two tests return different results.
Upon confirmation of a positive test result, here is the policy enacted by the elders on July 19, 2020:
“If an individual is tested for Covid-19 and the test is confirmed positive, we request that the individual disclose the information to the elders, who will then disseminate it to the Chapel family. If an individual discovers that they have had a secondary level of exposure to Covid-19 (meaning they were in the proximity (6 feet) of someone who tests positive), we ask that they also disclose that information and relevant details to the elders. We will then decide on a case by case basis whether that information needs to be disseminated to the congregation or not.
We do not plan to suspend present ministry operations if it is discovered that an individual in the congregation tests positive for Covid-19. However, by disclosing the information, we arm the congregation with knowledge that they can use to determine whether they want to risk gathering or not.
This policy represents a point in time and is subject to revision and change as new information or new guidelines regarding Covid-19 come to light.”
What Ministries Are Currently in Operation?
Sundays:
- Sunday school and childcare for all ages, beginning at 9:30am.
- Corporate worship service, including childcare and children's church, beginning at 10:30am.
Wednesdays:
- All children's ministries, including childcare, beginning at 6:45pm.
- Youth group for teens in grades 6-12, beginning at 7:00pm.
- Adult prayer meeting, beginning at 7:00pm.
