North Madison
Congregational Church

North Madison Congregational Church

Covid Protocols Revised December 2021: Full Version

 

 

Indoor Worship Protocol - Congregation

• We are pleased to continue to host virtual worship via Zoom and FaceBook live from the sanctuary (worship will be hybrid—both live and virtual). Ongoing tech improvements will continue for our hybrid worship as we grow into it over time.

• Ushers have the key role in ensuring Covid-19 safety and compliance in the sanctuary. Ushers by each entrance will guide worshippers as they enter and exit

• All who enter will wear a mask that fully covers mouth and nose, and all qualifying age groups are required to be vaccinated

• Windows will be open during worship; worshippers should dress accordingly. Blankets will be provided in some pews.

• Individuals from different households will sit 6 feet apart. Family or Friend “pods” may group in pews in the sanctuary or chairs in Fellowship Hall. There are 57 spots in the sanctuary and 19 in Fellowship Hall. With pod groupings, we anticipate accommodating 70+ individuals.

• Worshippers should be careful to remain six feet apart from others when moving through indoor spaces and should refrain from physical contact.

 

What to expect when you arrive

• Those without mobility challenges will please enter via the side sanctuary doors across from the NoMad Fire Department or via the door into Fellowship Hall. Those with mobility challenges may enter at the top of the ramp by the office door. Proceed to the sanctuary, honoring social distancing and wearing a mask (masks will be provided if needed).

• Hand sanitizer, extra face masks, and a selection of red, yellow, or green stickers to indicate worshippers’ comfort level at being approached by others while indoors will be readily accessible.

• An usher will greet worshippers and guide them to appropriate seating! They will ask if worshippers are:

  • sitting with their family and whether they have children planning to attend children’s church;

  • are joining a “pod” with others with whom they feel safe sitting;

  • are sitting solo and whether they are willing to sit in a pew six feet from another solo person).

• Pews that are not available will be clearly marked.

During worship you can expect:

• Covid Protocol instructions will be announced by the deacon.

• Choir members will occupy front pews and sing with KN95 masks, distanced from the congregation.

• The children’s story will take place in front of the sanctuary with clearly marked socially distanced spots for each child.

• Children’s Church will continue to be held outdoors or downstairs immediately following the story.

• Each pew will contain a clipboard. Worshipers should complete the attendance form on it. This will help with contact tracing in the event that we need to alert worshippers that someone attending worship has become Covid +.

At the conclusion of worship:

• Worshippers should remain seated until an usher returns to release each row. 

• Exit doors will be propped open

• Worshipers who wish to enjoy the postlude should remain seated and follow social distancing to exit at the conclusion of the postlude.

• Those with children attending Children’s Church will be invited by an usher to depart out the front door of the sanctuary to rejoin them.

 

Contact Tracing

• NMCC is committed to contact tracing and informing the congregation when they might have been exposed directly or indirectly to the Covid-19 virus.  Therefore, the following protocol should be followed by all congregational members and friends in the case of an exposure. 

• If you have been notified that you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive within the last 14 days and you have not been in any contact with anyone at the church during the previous 14 days, then you do not need to notify the church. 

• If you have been notified that you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive within the last 14 days and you have attended church service or other meeting/event at church, you should email the church office at office@northmadisoncc.org notifying the church of the possible exposure and the office will send out a general notification of the date and time of the possible exposure, with your name withheld unless you give permission to share it, so that members & friends can self-monitor for symptoms and/or schedule a test. 

 

Post-exposure Testing and Quarantining

• While many folks are fully vaccinated with a booster, there is growing evidence that breakthrough infections are occurring with both the delta and omicron variants and that the viruses are being transmitted via vaccinated individuals. 

  • If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive within the last 14 days, please obtain a PCR test on days 5-7 after your exposure. If your test is positive, we ask that you quarantine and participate virtually for 14 days from the test date. If you test is negative and you are fully vaccinated and asymptomatic, you may attend worship in person. If you elect to skip testing, please participate virtually for 14 days.

  • If you are feeling unwell on the day of the worship service, we ask that you join the worship service virtually to minimize exposure and, if appropriate, test to limit the potential spread of the delta and omicron variants. 

 

Return to Virtual Worship

The Covid Task Force will continually monitor levels of infection or exposure both within the congregation and in the communities we serve. A decision to return to virtual worship for a period of time will be communicated to the congregation via an all-church email.