
Small-Group Quarantine Onsite Gathering Policy and Procedure
*Updated and effective for 10-1-20 through 10-31-20
Each month we will revisit the current small group onsite meeting for revisions and modifications. These revisions to the policy will be made based on the most current data and recommendations from the CDC, state and local government, local and national data trends, and the professional consensus of the medical community. We will release these policy modifications by the first of each month. In order to provide clarity and ease of use, we will bullet point any changes that were made from the previous month’s policy. Thank you as always for abiding by these guidelines for the safety and hospitality of all of our people.
Changes from September’s Policy
- Sunday Morning 8:30 and 11:00 am in person, inside services will happen each Sunday. Both will be limited to 40 digital registrations.
- Childcare is allowed during both services for children under 4 years old. The nursery team will follow all social distance and masking guidelines.
- All families requiring childcare will need to register by 10pm Friday night each week in order to allow our nursery director to secure the proper number of workers for that Sunday morning.
- Beyond the CDC requirements, all nursery protocols and standards along with Safe Sanctuaries policies will be followed.
- Small group spaces will need to be scheduled in one hour blocks through Chelsea via email at chelsea@gracebhm.org
- Symptoms have been updated based on new data from the CDC.
Grace Small Group / Onsite Policy
- Onsite Meeting Policy and Guidelines:
- A limited number of indoor meetings will be allowed during the month of October. They are as follows:
- Sunday Morning 8:30 and 11:00 am in person, inside services will happen each Sunday. Both will be limited to 40 digital registrations.
- The Bridge and Student Ministry groups are allowed to meet onsite, outdoor, masked, and socially distanced.
- Fine Arts Academy lessons are allowed inside the worship center, socially distanced, and masked for lessons. The restrooms will not be available except in the case of an emergency.
- Childcare is allowed during both services for children under 4 years old. The nursery team will follow all social distance and masking guidelines.
- All families requiring childcare will need to register by 10pm Friday night each week in order to allow our nursery director to secure the proper number of workers for that Sunday morning.
- Beyond the CDC requirements, all nursery protocols and standards along with Safe Sanctuaries policies will be followed.
- Onsite Meeting Participant Guidelines
- All small group participants will need to practice a "BYOE" (Bring Your Own Everything) policy. This means that anything you will need (i.e. chair, Bible, book, drinks, etc.) will need to be brought by each person and taken back home by the same person.
- All small group participants will need to wear a mask or face covering for the entirety of the small group meeting. This face covering should be worn from the moment they exit their vehicle until they return to their car. This face mask should cover the participant's nose and mouth the entire time.
- All small group participants will need to continue practicing at least a 6-foot social distancing radius from all other participants.
- There will be no access to the church building or the church's facilities, such as bathrooms or kitchens, during the small group time.
- Small groups should not bring any communal drink or food to these gatherings. This helps prevent person-to-person transmission via surfaces and utensils.
- Besides children’s church, we are only allowing onsite adult, youth, and bridge small group meetings; no children’s meetings (4th grade and younger) are occurring at this time. No children (4th grade and younger) may be brought to the church during these adult small group meetings.
- Considerations Before Coming
- If you are "At-Risk" of developing severe complications from COVID19 or live with someone in these demographics as detailed by the CDC, we encourage you to consider continuing virtual small group meetings only. As the virus continues to evolve, this list will also change, so please keep up to date and consult your primary care provider if you have any questions or concerns.
- If you have determined that you or a family member are lower risk for developing severe complications from COVID-19, then we strongly recommend the following guidelines to any small group meeting on GRACE campus:
- If any person is experiencing one or more of the following symptoms or has had contact with someone who has these symptoms, we ask that you please do not attend in person worship or in person small groups. 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
Scheduling Small Group Spaces
Small group spaces will need to be scheduled in one hour blocks through Chelsea via email at chelsea@gracebhm.org
- Gravel Parking Lot
- Fire Pit Area
- Upstairs back balcony
- Downstairs covered patio in rear of the building
- Breezeway between the Boardwalk and Back Door of the church
*Other locations if preapproved by Chelsea and Stephen
Thank you as always for your understanding and support as we continue to navigate these strange times!