COVID-19 Update
UPDATED MARCH 1ST, 2022
Dear People of St. Michael’s, New guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) significantly eased mask recommendations as part of updated guidance for dealing with COVID-19. Their new metric indicates Delaware County is in the “Moderate” community level, so the Rector and Medical Advisory Group have approved the following:
- Change signs on facility doors. For those who are more comfortable wearing a mask during in-person worship or gatherings in the building, please wear one. Wear a mask, it is required. If you are still uncomfortable with in-person worship, we continue to offer the livestream option for the 9:15 a.m. service.
- People at high risk for severe illness should talk to their healthcare provider about whether they need to wear a mask and take other precautions.
- We can return to rehearsing and singing without masks.
- Food service can start in the facility beginning March 1; e.g. funeral luncheons, outside groups catering, youth snacks, etc.
- Coffee Hour is back on!
- There will no longer be limits on group sizes.
- For your information, our Sunday School and childcare leaders may elect to be masked out of consideration for the safety of our youngest members, some of whom are unable to be vaccinated. If other children want to mask out of similar consideration that is fine, but masking will not be required. Please contact Emily Given or Maria Leal for guidance.
For the first time in two years we will invite worshipers to come forward to receive the elements in both kinds, bread and wine. For the wine, we ask that you intinct only (dipping the wafer into the wine) or you may pass the wafer over the chalice. Receiving in one kind (bread) is full communion.
We know that for some this is welcome news. For others it may be a cause of concern or worry. And there may be many who are somewhere in between. Whatever your response to these changes, let us continue to grant each other grace and rejoice in our common mission as a congregation. Whether you worship, learn or serve online or in-person, we are blessed to be one church of disciples following Jesus Christ together.
We are looking forward to seeing more and more of you in worship!