ST.MATTHEW TRINITY
LUTHERAN CHURCH

SAFE WORSHIP DURING COVID-19​

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Guidelines for Safe Worship

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Please find below our required guidelines to follow upon your return to St. Matthew Trinity.
 

• Wear a mask or face covering. As masks with air vents are not sufficient protection for those around you, we ask that you wear a mask without an air vent to services. If you don’t have an alternative, an usher will provide you one.

• No singing during the service. 

• Keep at least 6 feet of space between individuals and/or family groups.

• If any of the following apply to you, please stay home and join us virtually for two weeks to ensure the safety of our congregants:

  • If you have had a fever, cough, sore throat, lost your sense of smell or taste during the past two weeks. 

  • If you tested positive for the COVID-19 virus or were in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 during the past two weeks.

  • If you traveled to one of the states on the NJ travel advisory list during the past two weeks. The list is regularly updated, if you have been outside of the NY/NJ area, please check by clicking here.

 

What to Expect

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While there are new regulations in place at St. Matthew Trinity, there will be familiar faces, music, and liturgy to welcome you back! Below are some of the changes that you’ll experience upon your return. Note that as the number of cases in New Jersey change, the items below may alter as well.
 

• Please wait in line for an usher to guide you to your seat. Remember to keep 6 feet apart from other individuals/family groups.

• Ushers will ask for your phone number and name, which will be utilized for contact tracing in the event that a congregant contracts COVID-19. 

• Individuals and family groups will be seated in specific pews to ensure physical distancing of at least 6 feet.

• Once seated, please remain in your pew until the end of service (unless you need to use the restroom). 

• To access the bulletin, simply scan the QR code found in your pew with your camera phone. A limited number of printed bulletins will also be available upon request. 

• Please speak softly during church, especially when reciting the Lord’s Prayer or creed.

• If restroom facilities are needed during the service, please speak to an usher. They will ensure that only one person/family group utilizes the facilities at a time. Parents, we ask that you accompany your children.

• Please use the hand sanitizer provided on the way into and out of the sanctuary.

                                                                                          

Love Your Neighbor — And Yourself

 

Our Reopening Team is doing their best to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection. However, while strict protective and proactive measures have been taken, the church is an indoor space with older ventilation — meaning that we, like all other public spaces, cannot completely eliminate the risk of COVID-19. We therefore ask you to consider your own health and recent experiences before attending service.

 

People who have the following characteristics or health conditions are at higher risk for severe disease if they are infected with the COVID-19 virus: 
 

• People aged 65 and older

• Those that have a condition that puts them at higher risk for severe COVID-19 (e.g. diabetes, respiratory disease, liver or chronic kidney disease)

• People who are immunosuppressed due to medications, disease or pregnancy

• People who are overweight or obese

 

We recommend that people in these high-risk groups join us via our livestream. 

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at office@stmatthewtrinity.org.