Discover The Changes Made To Help
Keep Everyone Safer During This Pandemic
Length of Sunday Worship Services
Sunday worship services will be approximately 45 minutes in length. This adjustment in service length allows time for cleaning the Sanctuary for the next worship service and prevents the crossing of paths for entering and exiting worshippers.
Reservations
For your safety, we ask that you make reservations to attend a Sanctuary Worship service. In the event the church office is informed that a participant in the Worship service you attended is diagnosed with Covid-19, we will contact you using the contact information you provide.
Entering and Exiting the Sanctuary
Please enter the Sanctuary doors 5 -15 minutes prior to the beginning of a worship service. When entering the building, please share your name and the number in your party with the host at the door. The host will confirm your reservation. When exiting the Sanctuary following the service, please plan for those in the back of the Sanctuary to exit first, with those in the front rows exiting last. This helps ease traffic flow and maintain social distancing.
Sanitizing Pews
In between worship services, the pews - the wood and the cushions - are fogged to ensure that what you touch and where you sit has been sanitized. The disinfectant foggers emit a fog that is odorless, kills the virus that causes Covid-19 in seconds, and dries quickly.
Purifying the Air
Advanced air purifiers have been installed for the Sanctuary and Narthex (the entrance into the Sanctuary). These air purifiers kill 99% of many kinds of airborne molds, bacteria and viruses - including such viruses as H1N1, and the virus that causes Covid-19. Importantly, while the air traveling through the air conditioning system is being purified, this does not eliminate the need for masks, social distancing and refraining from singing, since those around us may impact the air we breath prior to it traveling through the air conditioning system.
Social Distancing - Between Pews and Within Pews
To foster social distancing of six feet, every other pew will be open for seating. To foster social distancing within each pew, “spacers” are draped over the back of the pew to identify places for seating and to ensure 6 feet remains between each party. These “spacers,” which are grouped for parties of 1, 2, 3, 4+ persons, will help you quickly identify open seating to accommodate the number of persons in your party.
Offerings
In lieu of passing offering plates, Offering Boxes are in the Sanctuary to receive your Sunday offering while entering or exiting the Sunday worship service. Thank you for honoring God and the ministry of Ocala West UMC with your thoughtful giving!
Connect Cards
Before each service, a Connect Card will be placed on the pew where you sit. This Connect Card will help you offer prayer requests, share your attendance, and make a reservation for next Sunday’s worship service. Just drop the Connect Card, with your offering, into an Offering Box as you exit.
Holy Communion
When celebrating Holy Communion, packaged elements for holy communion (with liturgy) will be placed on the pews with your Connect Card. Due to the need to wear masks and the difficulty some have of opening pre-packaged communion, the elements will be blessed during the service for you to receive at home.
Bulletins
In lieu of bulletins, the main screens in the Sanctuary will be used to highlight what is happening in the worship service.
Leading Worship Without Masks
Those leading worship on the chancel may remove their masks while speaking to help the congregation hear and understand worship leading and preaching. Those speaking will remain in the chancel area and more than 12 feet from the first row.
Sunday worship services will be approximately 45 minutes in length. This adjustment in service length allows time for cleaning the Sanctuary for the next worship service and prevents the crossing of paths for entering and exiting worshippers.
Reservations
For your safety, we ask that you make reservations to attend a Sanctuary Worship service. In the event the church office is informed that a participant in the Worship service you attended is diagnosed with Covid-19, we will contact you using the contact information you provide.
Entering and Exiting the Sanctuary
Please enter the Sanctuary doors 5 -15 minutes prior to the beginning of a worship service. When entering the building, please share your name and the number in your party with the host at the door. The host will confirm your reservation. When exiting the Sanctuary following the service, please plan for those in the back of the Sanctuary to exit first, with those in the front rows exiting last. This helps ease traffic flow and maintain social distancing.
Sanitizing Pews
In between worship services, the pews - the wood and the cushions - are fogged to ensure that what you touch and where you sit has been sanitized. The disinfectant foggers emit a fog that is odorless, kills the virus that causes Covid-19 in seconds, and dries quickly.
Purifying the Air
Advanced air purifiers have been installed for the Sanctuary and Narthex (the entrance into the Sanctuary). These air purifiers kill 99% of many kinds of airborne molds, bacteria and viruses - including such viruses as H1N1, and the virus that causes Covid-19. Importantly, while the air traveling through the air conditioning system is being purified, this does not eliminate the need for masks, social distancing and refraining from singing, since those around us may impact the air we breath prior to it traveling through the air conditioning system.
Social Distancing - Between Pews and Within Pews
To foster social distancing of six feet, every other pew will be open for seating. To foster social distancing within each pew, “spacers” are draped over the back of the pew to identify places for seating and to ensure 6 feet remains between each party. These “spacers,” which are grouped for parties of 1, 2, 3, 4+ persons, will help you quickly identify open seating to accommodate the number of persons in your party.
Offerings
In lieu of passing offering plates, Offering Boxes are in the Sanctuary to receive your Sunday offering while entering or exiting the Sunday worship service. Thank you for honoring God and the ministry of Ocala West UMC with your thoughtful giving!
Connect Cards
Before each service, a Connect Card will be placed on the pew where you sit. This Connect Card will help you offer prayer requests, share your attendance, and make a reservation for next Sunday’s worship service. Just drop the Connect Card, with your offering, into an Offering Box as you exit.
Holy Communion
When celebrating Holy Communion, packaged elements for holy communion (with liturgy) will be placed on the pews with your Connect Card. Due to the need to wear masks and the difficulty some have of opening pre-packaged communion, the elements will be blessed during the service for you to receive at home.
Bulletins
In lieu of bulletins, the main screens in the Sanctuary will be used to highlight what is happening in the worship service.
Leading Worship Without Masks
Those leading worship on the chancel may remove their masks while speaking to help the congregation hear and understand worship leading and preaching. Those speaking will remain in the chancel area and more than 12 feet from the first row.