COVID Protocols: Updated November 18, 2022
"Masks Respected, Not Required"
Dear Friends,
At the request of the Boards of Directors and Deacons, our COVID Advisory Team met this week to review our church policies in life of the most up to date information about the pandemic from the national Centers for Disease Control and Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
With the availability of effective vaccines helping to reduce overall COVID infections and the severity of infection moving us from a pandemic experience of the disease to an endemic one, public health organizations (1) encourage individuals to stay up to date with vaccines and any new boosters as they become available and recommend we each (2) assess our own particular level of risk (due to pre-existing health conditions, etc.) and (3) take whatever steps we view necessary to avoid infection (masking, etc.). Please see the appropriate recommendations for what to do if you do become infected.
So the COVID recommends the church maintain our “Mask Respected, Not Required” policy for fully vaccinated persons 2yo+ and drop our policy on seating only every other row in the sanctuary. Hybrid worship will continue, but we will no longer require greeters to be masked, and will leave the decision for children to mask or not up to their families. Please, as you are able, remain up to date with your boosters and MAKE SURE TO GET YOUR FLU SHOT, as well. Of course, the COVID Advisory Team will continue to monitor the situation and make recommendations for policy changes they deem necessary to meet changing circumstances.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us. You may email Rev. John at his church email address here.
Thank you, and Peace,
Rev. John MacIver Gage
Rev. Maddie Foster
The COVID Advisory Team:
Phil Gotwals
Cy Hopkins
Stephanie Oddleifson
Scott Stewart
At the request of the Boards of Directors and Deacons, our COVID Advisory Team met this week to review our church policies in life of the most up to date information about the pandemic from the national Centers for Disease Control and Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
With the availability of effective vaccines helping to reduce overall COVID infections and the severity of infection moving us from a pandemic experience of the disease to an endemic one, public health organizations (1) encourage individuals to stay up to date with vaccines and any new boosters as they become available and recommend we each (2) assess our own particular level of risk (due to pre-existing health conditions, etc.) and (3) take whatever steps we view necessary to avoid infection (masking, etc.). Please see the appropriate recommendations for what to do if you do become infected.
So the COVID recommends the church maintain our “Mask Respected, Not Required” policy for fully vaccinated persons 2yo+ and drop our policy on seating only every other row in the sanctuary. Hybrid worship will continue, but we will no longer require greeters to be masked, and will leave the decision for children to mask or not up to their families. Please, as you are able, remain up to date with your boosters and MAKE SURE TO GET YOUR FLU SHOT, as well. Of course, the COVID Advisory Team will continue to monitor the situation and make recommendations for policy changes they deem necessary to meet changing circumstances.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us. You may email Rev. John at his church email address here.
Thank you, and Peace,
Rev. John MacIver Gage
Rev. Maddie Foster
The COVID Advisory Team:
Phil Gotwals
Cy Hopkins
Stephanie Oddleifson
Scott Stewart