St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
Phase I
Start date: March 14, 2020
End date: July 11, 2020
Plan: Church building closed, all in-person activities canceled. Ongoing activities:
· Video-only Committee and Council meetings
· Live-streamed Sunday morning services
· “In Touch” outreach established
Conditions: Only Pastor, tech team, and 2-3 musicians in the building; social distancing practiced.
Comments: St. Paul’s has held Parking Lot events (5/31, 6/5, 6/7, 6/14, and 6/28) as an emergency response to the social unrest following the death of George Floyd (to distribute donated food and essential supplies to our church neighbors). The fellowship hall and the restrooms were open only to Parking Lot volunteers; social distancing and masks were used during these events.
Phase II
Start date: July 12, 2020
End date: To be determined (TBD)
Plan: Church building re-opened for Sunday morning worship services and other activities under the conditions set forth below. In-person activities to resume (with key contact person identified) include:
· Sunday morning services for St. Paul’s (Pastor Russ)
· Sunday services for ICCM (Pastor Joel)
· Sunday services for Pastor Larry’s church (Pastor Larry)
· Monday evening Bible study (Kristi B.)
· Tuesday morning Men’s Bible study (Pastor Russ)
· Tuesday afternoon Bible study (Cheryl B.)
· Street Level and Coffee House Ministry (Chad and Kristi B.)
· New Dawn Ministries (Kurt K.)
· Nursery (family use only, no non-family volunteers) (Richard B.)
Conditions: Prior to reopening
1. Council to review and approve COVID-19 plan (drafted by Re-opening committee).
2. Post the approved COVID-19 plan on church website and church bulletin board.
3. Send letter to the congregation addressing conditions for re-opening:
a. Please stay home if sick, if someone in your household does not feel well, or if you were in close contact with someone with COVID-19;
b. We strongly encourage everyone who may be at higher risk to stay home (over 65 years old, live in a nursing home or long-term care facility, chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immune-compromised, severe obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease on dialysis, liver disease);
c. Please use only the designated entrance and exit;
d. Please wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash hands or use hand sanitizer after bathroom use;
e. A designated bathroom will be available although we encourage you to avoid using the church bathrooms if possible;
f. There will be recorded music but no congregational singing;
g. On-line giving preferred, but touch-free offering will be available during the service;
h. Single-use bottled beverages may be provided or bring your own beverage (no food to be offered);
i. Please leave the building immediately after the service/activity;
j. Direct questions to Congregation President.
4. Thoroughly clean the building following State of MN and CDC guidelines.
5. Develop COVID-19 Cleaning Plan that complies with State of MN and CDC guidelines and addresses an ongoing cleaning schedule, surfaces/equipment to be cleaned, cleaning products to be used, and who will do the cleaning.
6. Remove cushions from the pews and fellowship hall chairs; remove Bibles from pew racks, magazines and pamphlets from narthex.
7. Post a sign and put up physical barrier indicating church library is closed.
8. Establish building security zones to control traffic.
Zone A: sanctuary/narthex/basement bathrooms
Zone B: Lounge/Nursery/Satre Room
Zone C: Upstairs
Zone D: Fellowship Hall
9. Designate greeters who are willing and able to provide clear direction and reinforce expectations for Sunday services.
10. Post signs indicating where to enter and exit the building.
11. Post MN Dept. of Health signs (Don’t Forget to Wash, and Cover Your Cough) and CDC sign (Stop the Spread of Germs) at church entries, bulletin boards, hallways, and restrooms.
12. Obtain extra masks to give to anyone who does not have one.
13. Mark seating areas in the sanctuary with a 6-foot social distance (sides, front, back).
14. Conduct reopening rehearsal on July 11, 2020 (for St. Paul’s Sunday morning service). Steve G. and Richard B. to lead this rehearsal.
15. Discuss reopening plan and provide a walk-through with all key contacts (Pastor Russ, Pastor Joel, Pastor Larry, Kristi B., Cheryl B., Chad, Kurt K.); all key contacts must acknowledge that they understand and agree to follow and be responsible for ensuring compliance with the St. Paul’s COVID-19 plan during their activity. This is scheduled for July 1, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., Steve G. to lead.
Conditions: During in-person activities
1. Building ventilation: Property Management or their designee will continuously maximize fresh-air into communal spaces, eliminate air recirculating, and minimize airflow from blowing across people; keep air conditioning running longer hours to enhance the ability to filter contaminants out of the air.
2. All participants able to use stairs will enter only through the main entrance (double doors up the steps facing Portland Ave.). One or more greeters will be posted at this location.
3. Attendees unable to use stairs may use the parking lot entrance.
4. The inside center doors (located near the parking lot entrance) will be locked; a greeter will be posted at this location to let in those using the parking lot entrance.
5. Hand sanitation stations will be available inside the two entrances.
6. Designated greeters or activity key contact will ensure participants:
a. Enter building at marked entrance;
b. Wear masks (provide a mask to anyone who does not have one);
c. Sanitize hands at hand sanitation station.
d. Maintain at least a 6 foot distance between people not in the same household;
e. No handshaking or hugs.
7. Ushers to direct people to marked seats in the sanctuary.
8. Occupancy for indoor gatherings must not exceed 50% of total capacity (50% capacity for St. Paul’s sanctuary = 200 downstairs, 100 upstairs balcony), with a maximum of 250 people in the sanctuary at any time (including both downstairs and balcony).
9. Outdoor gatherings must not exceed 250 people.
10. Recorded music only, no congregation or small group singing.
11. The nursery may only be used by families with small children (no non-family nursery volunteers available), and must be cleaned by users (see COVID-19 Cleaning Plan).
12. On-line giving to be encouraged; touch-free offering to be available as follows: Offering plate to be placed in back hallway and will be monitored by a designated usher.
13. Touch-free and social distanced communion to be provided as follows: Pre-packaged individual communion kits will be served, 6 feet social distance will be maintained.
Conditions: After in-person activities
1. The key contact for each activity (or their designee) will clean or ensure the cleaning of ALL areas used for the activity according to the St. Paul’s COVID-19 Cleaning Plan.
Comments: Live-streaming Sunday morning services, video-only Committee and Council meetings, and In Touch outreach will continue for the foreseeable future. For individuals at higher risk who would like to attend Sunday services, a non-sanctuary location (Fellowship Hall? Satre room?) will be discussed and possibly developed after church has been opened for at least two weeks.
Phase III
Start date: TBD
End date: TBD
Plan: Church building re-opened for all other activities under the conditions set forth below. In-person activities to resume include:
· Nursery open to non-family children and volunteers
· Adult Sunday School
· Children’s Sunday School
· Wednesday morning Women’s Bible study
· Women’s Ministries
· In-person Committee and Council meetings
Conditions:
During in-person activities
TBD
After in-person activities
TBD
Comments: In Touch outreach to continue for those unable to return to in-person activities.
Reviewed and approved by St. Paul’s Council on June 30, 2020