Dear First Baptist Family,
We are excited to announce a reopening plan for FBC Madisonville on Sunday Morning July 12th at 10:30am. As you know we have had to suspend our on campus activities for the past several months as a way to love and protect our community and help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. We know that you have missed being here at church and our staff and deacons have spent many long hours praying and planning for a safe return to worship. (Please See Phased Plan To Reopen Below).
We understand that many of you may have health concerns or may not be comfortable returning to on-campus worship just yet, and we want everyone to know this is not a test of your faith or of your faithfulness. If you are at risk or are uncomfortable in any way please stay home and worship with us online or on the radio. We want you to gather again only when you feel it is safe for you.
As we come back to worship on campus things will look and feel very different for a while. We have put several procedures and precautions in place to keep everyone as safe as possible in an effort to “love our neighbor as our self” as we worship together.
Worship Guidelines: What To Expect When You Come Back To Worship
Our plan right now is to Reopen Sunday Morning Service Only (no evening services yet). To help limit exposure and practice safe social distancing there will be No Sunday School, No Nursery, No Kid’s Celebration (Children’s Church) and No Choir. Also during worship there will be No Congregational Singing (special music only) and No Greeting Time or Touching (please no hugs, handshakes, or high-fives). Instead of passing an offering plate during worship, we will have Giving Stations set up in the foyer to receive your offering. The service length will also be slightly shortened to limit exposure time.
Please enter the building through the front glass doors or the Tellico Street entrance only. The elevator will be manned by a volunteer and available for those who need assistance. Volunteers will clean and sanitize high traffic areas of the building during the service and all other areas of the church besides the sanctuary and foyer will be closed.
Greeters Will Take Your Temperature before you are allowed to enter the building. Worshippers are strongly encouraged to Wear Face Masks (masks will be provided if you do not have one). This is not only for your protection but for those around you. We will also have no touch hand sanitizer stations available throughout the building for your convenience.
Worshippers Should Practice Social Distancing (stay 6 feet apart from others). All seating will be taped off to assist with this. Ushers Will Seat You as you enter the building starting in the front of the sanctuary moving to the back and then dismiss you by rows after the service from back to front. Sorry, but you will not be able to choose your seat and to help maximize our seating capacity Immediate Families Must Sit Together during worship.
To some, these measures may seem extreme, but we want to do everything we can to provide a safe and healthy environment for worship. Your cooperation will be helpful as we take these first steps in moving back toward a full schedule in the future. Thank you!
I hope to see you all again soon!
—Pastor Chris
