in-person worship at pluckemin presbyterian church

In order to follow state regulations and keep everyone safe it is important that you read the new procedures that we will be following at worship each Sunday. Thanks for your understanding, cooperation and careful observation of all of these necessary safety measures. 


We look forward to seeing you soon! Please contact the church office with questions: by phone at 908-658-3346 ; by email at office@ppch.org ; or our Facebook page for more information.

What, when, and where

✔  NEW SERVICE TIMES
Our service time has changed. We will offer one in-person worship service each Sunday:

8:30am - Arrive for Screening

9:00am - Worship Service Starts

✔ SANCTUARY ONLY

Only the Sanctuary will be open for the indoor worship services. The rest of the building remains closed. Entry and exit into and out of the Sanctuary will only occur through the doors at the rear of the Sanctuary which face Route 202/206.

✔ BATHROOMS
Bathrooms should be used only if necessary. For everyone’s safety, we ask that bathroom usage be kept to a minimum.

❌ NO NURSERY CARE, SUNDAY SCHOOL, OR CHILDREN'S WORSHIP

HOW WILL WE KEEP ONE ANOTHER SAFE?

❌  NO PHYSICAL GREETINGS
Please no handshakes, elbow/fist bumps, hugs, kisses, or touching. All interactions must observe the 6-foot social distancing requirement and we will all be screened upon entry.

✔  FACE MASKS
State regulations require Face Masks be worn at all times inside & outside on church grounds. Anyone unmasked will be asked to put their mask back on in order to remain in line or in the building. (Preachers & worship leaders are allowed to un-mask while leading & then re-mask.)

✔  BRING YOUR OWN
No bulletins, church bibles, pens, offering envelopes, prayer cards, or children’s worship bags will be available. You can bring your own (please take them home after). You may download an outline of the Sunday service by following a link that will be provided each week in the eBlast.

❌RESTRICTED ITEMS
No food or drink will be allowed in worship at this time.

✔ AT RISK 
If you are at greater risk for Covid19 or are concerned about your health and safety for any other reason, we invite you to prayerfully consider staying home and worshipping online. The In-Person Worship Service will be LIVE STREAMED via FACEBOOK live. We will also continue to offer our PRERECORDED WORSHIP SERVICE posted to FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE. It is available at 6 am every Sunday   While we would love to see you in person, please know that your well being is our highest priority and we support you not coming to in person church in order to prevent contracting Covid19. Some of the at-risk groups include: chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, prolonged use of corticosteroids or other immune-weakening medications, severe obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and undergoing dialysis, and liver disease.

❌ FUTURE CLOSURES 
Please be aware IF circumstances arise that require it, the session will close the church building again and notify you of this change. Such closures could include if the Governor or state so orders a shutdown, if there is a significant outbreak in Covid19 in our area, if there is a confirmed case of Covid19 among staff, volunteers or attenders that necessitates a temporary closure as well as other unforeseen circumstances.

✔  CONTACT TRACING

We know that Covid19 is still spreading in our nation, state and community and anyone can contract it. If you are diagnosed with or suspect you might have Covid19 within 14 days of attending worship please contact the church office immediately. We will not criticize, stigmatize or be angry with you. We need to know so we can notify anyone affected and keep you and our whole congregation safe. We promise to serve you, support you, encourage you, help you through your illness and will keep your identity confidential.


 

what about my children?

Children must also wear masks, remain in the pew during the entire service and stay with their parents at all times. The necessary restrictions in place will make this experience too difficult for many of our young children and their families. We ask all parents to prayerfully and carefully consider if their children will be able to follow the Pluckemin Church in-person worship guidelines.


We recommend that parents with children under 5 seriously consider not bringing them to church if they cannot follow the safety guidelines. We also recommend that parents of all children 12 and under go over the guidelines with their children to consider whether the in-person worship service or the online at home worship experience will be more worshipful for your family members.

registration

 Google Wallet     To come to our in-person worship services at Pluckemin Church you must register your family group ahead of time. 

Google Wallet   People can only sit together with others from their family group. A family group is defined as:

  • a family that lives together
  • individuals sharing one residence
  • individuals agreed to be quarantine partners during the pandemic thereby accepting the responsibility of reduced social distancing

Google Wallet   Due to state restrictions for safe indoor meetings and the observance of social distancing, a maximum of 20 individuals or up to 48 people seated in family groups are allowed in the Sanctuary at one time.


Google Wallet   Seating will occur on the first floor of the Sanctuary only. Balcony seating will be closed for the time being.


Google Wallet   There are only two ways to register: 
       1. Online Registration:  Fill out the online form below

       2. Telephone Registration: Call the church office 908-658-3346

 Google Wallet   Registration for the next Sunday’s services closes on Tuesday at midnight 

Google Wallet   In order for your registration to be accepted you must tell us:

  • the number of people in your group;
  • the first and last name of everyone in your group
  • the phone number and email of each adult in your group
  • You must sign the registration form. By signing up to attend Worship, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. By attending Worship, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold The Presbyterian Church at Pluckemin, its trustees, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.

Google Wallet  Please indicate if you need wheelchair accessible seating and space will be provided in the last row of pews on the first floor of the Sanctuary.

Google Wallet  In order to accommodate everyone safely and efficiently, all seats will be assigned. Individuals or family groups will be assigned to a seat in the order in which they register.


Google Wallet  Your registration does not guarantee you will be able to attend this worship service. After registration closes, we will make a seating chart for the worship service. If the registrations exceed our capacity to seat you, we will notify you that you will not be able to attend. We will add your name to the next Sunday service. 


Google Wallet  Please be patient as we take all registrations. Once assigned to a Worship service, changes to the assignments will occur on a very limited basis.

Google Wallet  If you are registered for church but become unable to come due to illness, work, or any other reason please contact the church office immediately so that we know not to expect you. 


Attending in-person services

 Health Screening

  • Arrival Time: Please arrive at church 30 minutes prior to the service start time to allow time for health screening. Doors will close when the service starts, after which no one will be allowed into the building.
  • Mask Up: Please put your mask on prior to getting in line and keep it on until you leave the church grounds.
  • Waiting Area: When you arrive you will wait to be scanned in designated areas outside on the sidewalk. Please follow the directions of the ushers as you proceed through the scanning and check-in areas.
  • Scanning Process: Volunteer Screeners will take your temperature with a thermo-scan thermometer (it will not touch your skin but is placed about 1 inch from your forehead). If you show an elevation in temperature (100 degrees and above) you will need to return home and cannot attend worship. If anyone in your group has an elevated temperature, everyone in the group must return home and cannot attend worship.
  • Health Questionnaire: Once you have been scanned, please check-in on the registration sheet and answer the questions on the health screening sheet. Before doing so, you MUST use the hand sanitizer provided. If you answer yes to any of the screening questions, you need to return home and cannot attend worship. If anyone in your group answered yes to any of these questions, everyone in the group has to return home and cannot attend worship. Once answered, sign and drop the health screening sheet in the box provided.


Entering the Building

  • One Way Only: Sanctuary aisles are one-way only. Back to front upon entry, and front to back upon exit.
  • Usher Seating: An usher in the waiting area of the sanctuary will direct you to your seat. Please sit in your designated seating area only. Please do not sit in the taped-off areas, and closed pews. These restricted zones provide the 6 foot distancing required.
  • Seating Process: Personal seat selection & request is not possible. Family groups will be seated together if possible and those with physical needs indicated on the registration will be seated in accessible areas.
  • Stay Seated During Seating: Please stay seated until worship begins. 


 Worshipping Together:   

Every Sunday we will be worshipping our Lord in the building together with all of those watching online.

  • Offering: You may place your gifts to God in the offering plates or boxes that will be available as you enter or leave the building. Or you can continue to donate by clicking on the GIVE NOW.
  • Singing: There will be no singing during worship at this time.
  • Keep Masks On at All Times: Please be aware that if you take your mask off you will be asked to put it back on by an usher or the Pastor.
  • Worship Staff: The Pastor will remain on the chancel for the entire service. The musicians (if any) will remain in their designated area by their instrument.
  • Volunteers: We need a minimum of 5 volunteers per Worship service every Sunday to reopen the church; 2 screeners, 2 ushers, and one audiovisual volunteer.  Please consider volunteering. No volunteers means we will not be able have in-person worship.
  • Sanitizing: Hand sanitizer, tissues and sanitizing wipes will be provided in the Sanctuary for your use during worship.
  • Air Flow: Doors in the back and front of Sanctuary will remain open to allow for continuous exchange with fresh outside air. While we will work to increase the heat and do everything possible in order to mitigate the cold, we recommend you wear warm layers when attending worship.


 Exiting the Building:

  • Dismissal Process: After the service is over please remain seated. You will be dismissed by an usher by row from back to front using the entrance at the back of the Sanctuary.
  • Exit Church Grounds: Please do not remain inside the building after the service to talk. Exit promptly and greet one another outside.
  • Outside Gathering:  Outside gathering is permitted as long as you adhere to the following:       
                  Genderless The number of people attending may not exceed 100
                  GenderlessYou MUST maintain proper social distancing of a minimum of 6 feet as recommended by the                   CDC and state guidelines
                  Genderless You MUST continue to wear a face mask until you reach your vehicle.

REGISTER HERE

 Thank you!

We appreciate your understanding, cooperation, and careful observation of all of these necessary safety measures as we travel this journey together. Please remember, it is your decision when you want to return to in-person worship in the sanctuary based upon what is safe for you, your family and all those with whom you will come in contact on a particular Sunday. If you are unable to attend in-person worship in the sanctuary, please remember to either join us on Facebook Live or watch the prerecorded service on YouTube or Facebook. Our Lord will still hear us worshipping together. It is for His glory, not ours. Please call the Church office or speak with any of the Elders if you have any questions.

in-person worship resources

Volunteer Screener Instructions


Volunteer  Greeter  Instructions