Happy Thanksgiving to All!  I am happy and excited to announce that our Covid Implementation Team has updated their guidelines for in-person worship and small group gatherings. As of 11/21/21, small groups are able to resume gathering at Redeemer.  We will resume in-person worship on January 9th. While it is a big relief that we will once again be able to meet and worship together, I know there might be some frustration with waiting until January to do so. However, there are many things that need to happen and processes to be put in place in order to meet in the Sanctuary.  Our worship committee is in the process of preparing the online worship services through the end of the year, some of the people involved in the worship process have already planned time off, and we will need to rearrange the pews to allow for social distancing between groups of families, as well as prepare how to handle the situation should someone who was at worship tests positive for Covid. The guidelines are listed below. 

Jean Pollock, Council President

This is the summary of the big changes:

• Current Step 1 is active NOW and allows for in person gatherings for both worship and small groups
• When people come into the church for worship they will take their communion, pamphlet and fill out an attendance form with Name, phone number and vaccination status (optional), and drop off collections as we aren’t passing an offering plate during the service. 
• We would collect attendance form for all gatherings and file them in the office in a confidential location so that we can call people if needed
  • If someone tests positive for COVID-19 and their symptoms started within 3 days of attending an event at church, they need to call or email Redeemer as soon as possible. 
  • We will have members call those who attended the event that day to let them know that they have been exposed and will NOT disclose the member who tested positive.
• Start date for small groups Nov 21st 
• Start date for in person worship – Jan 9th
• Possible in person carol singing outside on Dec 24th  — Please contact Jean Pollock if you are interested in leading this event.
• Small groups will need to email the church office to reserve a date/time for a meeting room so we don’t double book the spaces; and follow all of the established protocols (log attendance, clean afterwards, etc.)