COVID Worship Protocols

People need to be assured that the church is taking the necessary steps to ensure safe practices for whatever may arise during this time. Let people know, the church staff and leadership will be diligent in staying in consistent communication on how the church will stay connected during this time and when it is safe to return to church.

• Be mindful of seekers, newcomers.
• Welcome often. Beginning, middle, and end. Yes at the end!
• Shorten service but make sure it is still meaningful, worshipful, and a good use of time.
  • In this day and time of hybrid worship, and with sitting in church in masks, be mindful of the length of service, and mindful that people may not feel comfortable going to the restroom at the church, or wearing masks for a long period of time. And be mindful that folks at home have a harder time staying engaging during longer online services.
• How can we keep in touch?
  • Ask people to check-in “Wilson family is here!” 
  • Ask people both online and in-person to check in via Digital communication card/pew pad (link digital card info again here)
  • Have some printed communication cards for non-tech-savvy folks to use at in-person worship.
• Make safety protocols clear, but inviting and not frightening.

Connect with your congregation online. Set up a Google form to collect information for online worship attendance, prayer requests and more. Download easy to use instructions and get started today.

• Weekly Connect Card
• Google form

• Masks are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected but does not have symptoms. Masks are not meant to be a substitute for personal protective equipment such as surgical masks, respirators, or other medical personal protective equipment.
• Masks are strongly encouraged in settings where individuals might raise their voice (e.g., shouting, chanting, singing).

Sampling was performed for 10 min each for: (1) normal silent breathing, (2) reading a book loud, (3) singing, and (4) singing with a face mask.

Results:

• Normal singing generated significantly more aerosol particles than normal talking (p = 0.002).
• Loud singing produced more particles than normal singing (p = 0.002).
• 135 (85-691) particles/s for breathing,
• 270 (120–1380) particles/s for normal talking,
• 570 (180–1760) particles/s for loud talking,
• 690 (320–2870) particles/s for normal singing,
• 980 (390–2870) particles/s for loud singing, and
•  1480 (500-2820) particles/s for loud singing with exaggerated diction.
• For loud singing with a face mask, the emission rate was 410 (200–1150) particles/s. Hence, a simple face mask reduced the amount of generated aerosol particles from singing [with mask] to a level similar to normal talking without a mask (no significant difference, p = 0.08).

• Use pre-recording where possible
  Have a single song leader/soloist
• If using ensembles or choir, have them standing 12 feet from audience and 6 feet from each other.
• Masks or face shields are still strongly recommended.
• No mic sharing. Wipe and sanitize between uses if necessary for multiple people to use the same microphone.
• Encourage masks during congregational singing. Require masks for un-vaccinated worshipers. Be mindful to still be gracious and warm, but give clear notice that these are expectations when attending in-person worship.

• When planning to do online worship, there are several platforms available. Some of the most common are Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Zoom. All of these are free platforms accessible by phone, tablet, or computer. As well, Zoom offers the added benefit of allowing people to simply call in, which is a great asset for those who may not have access to internet devices.
• Plan the online service ahead of time. Advertise the expected length so people can plan accordingly. Thirty minutes is a great time window for brief liturgy/music and a message. Sixty minutes is a good maximum recommended length for full services. If you are doing a separate online only service apart from your in-person worship, stick to 30-40 minutes maximum.
• If you have online giving setup, before you go live, be sure to post how to access this on the livestream.
• Mention this in the description of the post, in the comments during the giving moment, and on screen if using PowerPoint, ProPresenter or any other presentation software.
• Use a steady camera. It is not a good idea to have someone (or you) simply holding the camera while streaming live. Use a stand of some sort.
• Livestreaming music requires a livestreaming copyright license. Otherwise only livestream the sermon portion of the service, but be mindful that material used must be your original work unless otherwise approved for public performance. Breakthrough materials are public domain and okay for livestreaming. If sermons from books or sites are used such as SermonCentral or SermonSpice, these sermons may not be live-streamed. Livestream copyrights.
• When preparing to livestream, do a test run first to make sure the audio is clear on a cellphone or tablet. Make adjustments accordingly. Keep the camera still and try to avoid placing it somewhere people might walk in front of it, blocking the view of the focal points.
• Council of Churches has given permission for using NRSV and RSV translations.
• Give people a time expectancy for how long the service will be.
• Either send out something for families to do with kids or offer a children’s message towards the beginning of the service (perhaps after the opening music).
• For people hard of hearing or deaf, YouTube offers free closed captioning if you pre-record the service. Also you can have a sign language interpreter on screen (via inviting them to the facebook livestream) signing as you preach.
• UMC has granted free permission for book of worship content, and the hymnal. You still need a livestreaming license for all other content.

• Create a regular rhythm for assessment
• Set the expectations for iteration
  • Iteration – the action or a process of iterating or repeating: such as. a : a procedure in which repetition of a sequence of operations yields results successively closer to a desired result.
• Have a backup person for everything. Make all vital roles have someone else trained to do them.
• ***Set rhythms for trying new things in worship and how to introduce them
• Communicate, communicate
• Plan to follow through…
• Budget how new things are fitting into the schedule best and who can handle this without being overwhelmed.

Following your protocols for social distancing and re-opening, as congregations begin gathering in person for worship again, we encourage these practices when administering communion:

1. Serve pre-packaged communion elements like in the picture below and have participants hold out their hand for a communion steward or hospitality person to drop it into heir hand.

• It is not safe to pass a basket or tray or have them reach into one themselves. Be prepared for worshipers who may need assistance with opening the packages and have persons available to assist and sanitize between assists.
• You may also distribute the elements as people are coming in to worship, and then when time comes ask those who need assistance with opening to raise their hands.
• Have everyone take it back to their seats and take it all at the same time.
• There are pre-packaged individually wrapped gluten free elements.
• Where the pre-packaged gluten free full communion set isn’t available, you can also purchase just the wafers individually wrapped.
• Have trash baskets available at exits for people to drop their cups in on their way out.

2. As many congregations will continue to do hybrid worship, let those worshiping online know to prepare their elements ahead of time and be sure to include them as your administering the sacraments.

3. Continue administering communion virtually as this has become a rich practice in the home for many families and will continue to serve those who may not be able to return to worship as soon as others.

4. For those doing drive-in worship, either distribute the pre-packaged elements or have people bring their own from home.

• Communion Background Music

When administering virtual communion, invite participants to wash their hands and gather a piece of bread or cracker and something to drink.  You may follow the normal format of administering the sacrament which should include the following components:

• Proclamation including scripture and message
  Prayer- asking for forgiveness and the pronouncement of forgiveness
• Greeting – The Lord be with you and also with you, we lift up our hearts…
• Invitation- It is right, and a good and joyful thing…
• Sanctus- Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God of power and might…
• Remembering the life of Jesus and the words of institution- On the night in which he gave himself up for us…
  Proclaiming the mystery- Christ has died, Christ has risen; Christ will come again
• Consecration- Pour out your holy spirit…
• The Lord’s prayer
• Offering the bread and the cup- The body of Christ given, for you.  The blood Christ, given for you.
• Then, invite them to share the elements with others in their home.

Find alternative formatting in the United Methodist Hymnal and Book of Worship. Book of Worship.

Another form of worship that as another form of the means of grace is the Love Feast. The Love Feast is a meal celebrating fellowship and unity while remembering the meals that Jesus shared with his disciples during his ministry. John Wesley first experienced the Love Feast with the Moravians in 1737 and wrote in his diary, “After evening prayers, we joined the Germans in one of their love feasts. It was begun and ended with thanksgiving and prayer, and celebrated in so decent and solemn a manner as a Christian of the apostolic age would have allowed to be worthy of Christ.” The Love Feast is celebrated especially in times when celebrating communion may not be possible.

Ministering to children during this season of virtual worship can be difficult, but there are ways to make it happen. If the church usually has a children’s message in the service, offer a 2-3 minute children’s message towards the beginning of the service and announce that it will be happening in your advertising as well as during the opening statement of the virtual service.

Here are some free resources to use and to offer families:

• Illustrated Ministry
• Our Daily Bread Resources
• Amplify Media weekly adventures through the Bible for your children