Friends, the global pandemic has reshaped our lives in profound ways in everything from how we get groceries to how we participate in worship gatherings. With the new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State of Ohio, our Leadership Team is making plans to resume meeting in-person for worship gatherings here at The University Church.
Although we will continue to monitor reports coming from Lucas County on infection and hospitalization rates, we optimistically hope to join one another for our first in-person worship gathering on Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
In an effort to protect our young children, who are not permitted to be vaccinated at this time, we will continue to require that all individuals, vaccinated or unvaccinated, wear a mask or face covering while inside The University Church building. We recognize that fully vaccinated individuals can now choose to go unmasked per the CDC’s health recommendations, but we also acknowledge the difficult position faced by families with younger children and those who have not been able to receive vaccination yet. Please join us in solidarity with our youngest and most vulnerable church members by masking, for the time being. We look forward to a time, very soon, when we will be able to meet together without masks or social distancing.
Along with temporarily wearing masks, we may need to make other practical alterations to our regular practice of gathering together for worship. The Leadership Team is working on the details, but for example, we may briefly change our practice of Holy Communion to include individual portions of bread and juice instead of sharing in a communal loaf and cup. Or we may separate the seating in our worship area to allow for better social distancing. Thank you in advance for your patience as our team works together to create an environment that is as safe as possible for everyone.
In preparation for meeting together in-person The University Church building will be professionally cleaned. From the floors, to the restrooms, to the kitchen, to the upholstered chairs in our gathering space, each area will be thoroughly cleaned, including using a misting process that will eliminate infectious contaminants from surfaces, walls, and ceilings.
Thank you for your continued perseverance, generosity, creativity, and for giving up some of your conveniences so that we all can meet together as a church family, once again. Your compassion and grace for one another is beautiful.
We are in the homestretch! We can’t wait to see you in-person and to bump elbows with you very soon.