Where progressive theology meets traditional worship.
Please join us for Live Stream Worship
With an abundance of love and care for the health and safety of every individual during the current COVID-19 outbreak, it remains prudent for Plymouth to continue a guarded approach to gatherings of the membership. Your support and understanding during this time of transition is deeply appreciated. Live Stream Worship will continue each Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Beginning Sunday May 9th, Plymouth Congregational Church will begin a return to some of our normal ways of functioning. Below are the guidelines that will be followed. Services will continue to be streamed online for those who do not wish to or are unable to attend. The Reopening Plan Guidelines will be discussed and reevaluated at the monthly Cabinet meetings. We are following some of the CDC guidelines recently issued on April 27, 2021. https://religionnews.com/2021/04/27/cdc-director-masked-fully-vaccinated-people-can-attend-worship-indoors/
The Cabinet committee's recommendations have been made with thoughtful deliberation. We are endeavoring to maintain a balance between safety and the desire to return to full in-person worship and fellowship. We are on the cusp of full reopening and these recommendations are not permanent. We need to be aware that COVID variants and cases are now in all 50 states. The B.1.1.7 variant first found in Britain is the most common source of new coronavirus infections in the United States. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/health/coronavirus-variant-tracker.html)
If you are feeling ill or suspect exposure to COVID-19 or its variants, please stay home.
Reservations will no longer be needed but other safety measures will remain in place. Pews will be marked with tape to designate 38 seating areas, 32 on the main floor and 6 in the balcony. Each pew area comfortably seats 4 people (more if you have small children).
Attendees may enter through any of our entrances: north, south, and west. Ushers will be present at the entrances to assist with any questions.
Coats, scarves, gloves, hats, etc. should be kept with you.
Attendees are required to wear masks while on church property including the duration of the service. We will be open to the public if the mask requirement is followed. Masks will be available at the entry if you do not have your own.
We are maintaining approximately 5-6 feet of social distancing between households. We have slightly reduced the distancing to allow for more seating areas. Pews have been marked to designate where members can sit to ensure social distancing. If different households would like to sit together, that is their choice.
Hand sanitizer will be available at the entries.
Worship bulletins and offering plates will be available at the entrances/exits.
Singing to the hymns and choral responses is okay for masked and vaccinated persons. The choir will return to in-person participation soon, with a reduced number of singers. They will be masked.
Coffee, lemonade, and cookies will be served outdoors near the North entry after the church service. Please remember the importance of wearing masks and keeping a safe social distance as you gather to greet one another, and that greeting one another outdoors rather than in the Sanctuary or Fellowship Hall reduces risks for everyone.
The Nursery and a modified Sunday School is tentatively scheduled to begin again on Sunday May 30th after most schools have been dismissed for the summer. Attendants caring for the nursery-aged children will be masked.
Use of the church building during the week by members or outside groups will be welcome and may begin again on Monday May 10. Groups who meet here will be given the current CDC guidelines and updated as the guidelines change. We will refrain from scheduling back-to-back or overlap use of a room by different groups.
Thank you for your dedication to Plymouth Church, and for your understanding of our efforts to keep everyone safe during this time of transition.
