Return to Church Plan

Binbrook U. C.

  1. Remove all hymn books, Bibles, etc. from the Pews   

  2. Every 3rd pew is available for seating, the non-seating pews are “roped off” with streamers. Families can sit together, others apart.   

  3. After Services the high touch areas will be sanitized, top of pew backs, hand rails, door knobs, etc.   

  4. All three washrooms will be available for use with a cleaning bucket in each with Lysol or bleach and water solution and cleaning rags/towels with a sign asking users to clean all surfaces they will touch before using and after, dropping the used cleaning towel in the pail provided. All but the Wheelchair washroom doors will be propped open to limit touching after hand washing.   

  5. A greeter will meet worshippers at the door, squirt hand santizer in each persons hand, inform them of the seating arrangements, that there will be no congregational singing, and to limit talking to control droplet spread. Give them a surgical mask if they don’t have one, and invite them to use the hand sanitizer as they leave church. 

  6. Mark the sidewalk with tape 6 feet apart so people can keep their distance as they enter the building.   

  7. Ushers will take attendance on a copy of the membership roll, which can then be given to Public Health Officials for contact tracing if a congregant becomes Covid-19 positive in the next 14 days. The membership roll lists will be printed and left in church office. There will be a new list printed and dated for each week.   

  8. Worship bulletins will not be used, but the service will be presented on PowerPoint.   

  9. Congregants will be asked to leave their offering in the pew, and the Envelope Secretary will pick up and put in a paper bag or box using rubber gloves after the service is over. Offering envelopes and cash will be kept in a secure place for 3 days before being counted and deposited.   

 10. Soloists will sing some of the hymns, and Aaron (our keyboardist) will record the others as he has done during the shutdown. Aaron will play prelude, offering, postlude, and perhaps play along with Ella or other soloists. Some hymns may just be played instrumentally.   

  11.       Rather than shaking hands or hugging in greeting, congregants will be encouraged to wave, or bow. Elbow bumping brings people into too close a contact.   

 12.       When leaving the building congregants will be asked to leave row by row leaving 6 feet between people, and save the social distancing conversation for outside where it is safer.   

 13.       One family at a time allowed in elevator, only with face masks. Elevator operator will wear face mask, and have a sanitizing bucket to wipe down where the last rider touched before admitting another rider, and will wipe down all touched surfaces after the last rider.   

 14.       A procedure for Communion will be discussed before World Communion Sunday.   

 15.       In Baptism, only the parents will hold the child, and bring their own water to be poured (dripped) on the child from a vessel brought by the parents.   

 16.       In Confirmation, only the (masked) minister will lay on hands, and will sanitize his hands before and after each Confirmand.