Updated March 25, 2022
Q: Are masks required?
A: We will no longer require masks indoors. The CDC has created a new county-level risk framework, where only communities at “high” risk are advised to mask indoors. If you are ill, we prefer that you stay home – but we will ask that you continue to mask up at WellSprings if you are experiencing symptoms of illness, or if you’ve recently been exposed to Covid-19. For all others, the choice to mask will always be supported, but will be up to the individual.
Q: Is WellSprings asking for proof of vaccination?
A: Yes, for some, but not for all attendees. We are requiring proof of vaccination for all paid staff, for all volunteers in YouthSpirit or the Nursery, and for all preachers, worship leaders, and musicians.
Q: Will Bell Hall be packed full?
A: No. We are planning for limited attendance and will be spacing seats to allow for social distancing. The first row of chairs at the front of Bell Hall will be set back from the stage. Rows and clusters of chairs will be set farther apart than usual. Weather permitting, we plan to open as many windows as we can, prop doors, and run the overhead fans.
Q: Can we bring food or drink inside?
A: Yes. We will set up for an outdoor Coffee Hour after the 10am service on the patio in front of Bell Hall. Since there is not a current mask requirement, you may bring food and drink back into Bell Hall.
Q: Can we sing along with the band?
A: Yes. Again, since there is no current recommendation for masking indoors, singing along is a decision left up to each individual. Regardless of your personal masking and singing decisions, your sweetest dance moves are abundantly welcome!
Q: Are we passing the hats?
A: Not hand to hand, but our greeters will bring the hats around to you. We will still open space for generosity during the service, and will offer instructions for giving by text message, on your mobile device. We will also have boxes available on the patio outside of Bell Hall for you to give by cash or check.
Q: Are we offering a time to greet one another, in the service?
A: Yes. Please feel free to stay seated during the greeting time, as a sign that you wish to keep distance from others. If you choose to rise and greet others, always ask before approaching, touching or hugging. Remember that it’s okay to say “no, thank you” or “I’m not hugging yet,” and that there are lots of options besides hugging for greeting each other warmly: you can offer an eager wave, a hand on the heart, a bow of the head, or an elbow bump.
Q: How will YouthSpirit work? What about the Nursery?
Children age 5-12 will join us in Bell Hall for the beginning of the service, then will be invited to gather with YouthSpirit after our time for mindfulness. YouthSpirit is currently held in the dining hall or sometimes outdoors. Please send your kiddos with their coats, and optionally, with their masks. Parents are asked to pickup their children from YouthSpirit after service each Sunday.
We are offering Nursery care for children ages 0-5 each Sunday. Parents, please let the Nursery caregivers know if you would like them to mask while your child is in attendance.
If you are not ready to have your children join us in person yet, please let our YouthSpirit Director, Carol Breslin, know if your family is interested in receiving materials for spiritual exploration at home.
Q: Can I still attend online, from home?
A: Yes! At 10am, a live video and audio stream of what’s happening in Bell Hall will be available on our YouTube channel. The live chat will still be available during the service, and we will continue to hold an online Coffee Hour on Zoom at 11am. Online and in-person attendees can connect and talk at our Zoom Coffee Hour “stations” just to the left of the Coffee Hour table, outside on the patio.
This effort is requiring all of us to learn new skills, so we appreciate your patience.
Regathering is so exciting – but in some ways, it’s also challenging. The mix of the familiar with the new will likely have us feeling things that are all over the map, on Sunday mornings. We’ve been and continue to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in different ways, and yet each of us deserves to be held by our spiritual community as we navigate these new changes.
Know that your Ministers and Staff, leaders, and volunteers will continue to do our best with the resources we have available to us. The Board and the Staff all welcome your feedback, just as much as we appreciate your grace and understanding. It is the strength of our connections, and our kindness as we tend to them, that charges us full and brings meaning and joy to our community at WellSprings.
Whether you join us online or in-person, we can’t wait to be with you, this Sunday morning!
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