CCC Re-opening Update – May 2021

Here is the latest update for the Church and Retreat Center

Indoor Gatherings
Our Covid-19 Workgroup met last week to consider updating our timetable for re-opening in light of the latest CDC and Montgomery County Guidelines. Our County plans to enter into Phase 3 on May 28. We are unclear what this means for in-person worship for faith communities. At this point, the following County guidelines are in place:

• Indoor capacity is at 75% of maximum occupancy.
• No limit on outdoor gathering size.
• Small group meetings follow guidance for indoor and outdoor gatherings.
• In worship, social distancing with seating in every other pew is still in effect.
• Face coverings are still in effect inside.
• Choral and congregational singing is not a good idea, inside and outside. Soloists are permitted with restrictions.
• Health screening for worshippers are still in effect.
• Surface cleaning and disinfecting is still in effect.

Understanding that the guidance may change again, our church building still remains closed. We are now looking at an in-person return to worship in mid-late September. This allows time for us to get used to re-entering life again, making technology upgrades for hybrid worship (live + livestreaming), and for planning for space usage for both CCC and outside user groups. We also want to see what happens with MCPS, as well as monitor vaccine availability for 2-11 year olds.

Part of the reality of re-opening is that in order to balance the 21/22 budget, we are not recommending additional custodial support for the first quarter of the fiscal year for worship and meetings. While I don’t like the budget to necessarily dictate when we worship together in the building, the reality is that opening the building this Summer will mean thousands of dollars in additional expenses that we cannot currently sustain.

 

Outdoor Gatherings
We are now allowing groups to meet outside on the church grounds. For now, we continue to ask that people remain masked for outdoor gatherings at the church. The struggle that so many venues face is that vaccinated people have low risk, yet unvaccinated people (including young kids and those medically unable or unwilling to take vaccine) have much higher risk, and no one wants to be the business of checking vax-cards. The following outdoor meeting guidelines are in effect:

• Please make sure to schedule your meetings with the Church Office in advance (cccoffice@cccsilverspring.org).
• All meeting participants must either sign in our be registered for the meeting. Sign-in/registration also means agreement with our Covid-19 waiver.
• There is no indoor access to the building — no restroom use or access to tables and chairs.
• Please bring your own chairs. Custodial support is not available for set ups.
• Please clean up after yourselves when you leave.
• Outdoor meetings during school/daycare hours are limited due to the usage of our grounds by the teachers and students.

Retreat Center
We are pleased to announce that we are now accepting multi-family bookings at the Retreat Center. This means that for groups comprised of more than one household, if all in the group are vaccinated then no masks are required in or outside. If any in the booking are not vaccinated (including children) then we request that all Retreat Center users mask inside and then outside no masks unless operating within 6 feet. While eating and drinking, mask off. There are still lots of weekday openings at the Retreat Center this season, so now is a good time to book that West Virginia vacation!

 

In Closing
While we work out the technical details of re-opening, we understand there are emotional issues at stake for some. Getting back together is like taking the first plunge into the pool when swim season opens. Some take a running leap and enjoy cannon-balling into the water. Some want to dip their toes in before entering. Others prefer to sit to the side and watch the action. We are trying to create space for all of these expressions for those in our church who are making very personal decisions about what level of risk they are willing to take right now. Thanks for your patience as we figure this all out. The Re-opening Workgroup will meet again in mid-June. By then we will have more data and be able to clarify the next steps for our ministries and programs. I appreciate your ongoing prayers and support!

If you have a moment, please take the survey and let us know your thoughts about re-opening at CCC.

Yours on the journey,

Pastor Matt