May 1st Restrictions Lifted

As governors alter their state mask mandates and vaccinated Americans feel safer to return to public places, Holston Conference is also responding to reduced numbers of coronavirus cases by giving local churches freedom to decide how to proceed through the rest of the pandemic.

Beginning May 1, a conference-wide “protocol” of requirements and restrictions, established to prevent people from spreading COVID-19 on church property, will no longer be in effect.

The only requirements that remain in place: “You still have to wear a mask,” said the Rev. Jeff Wright, “and you still should social-distance as much as possible.”

Churches are also expected to follow U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations. Vaccinations are “strongly encouraged,” Wright said.

For the last year, Wright has chaired a 14-member task force, created by Bishop Dindy Taylor, charged with navigating the spread of COVID-19 throughout Holston communities in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and North Georgia.

The task force created and implemented a 29-page document in June 2020 that has both been praised and criticized for protective measures such as prohibiting congregational singing and limiting the number of people inside church buildings.

Beginning May 1, local churches in Holston Conference may set their own protective guidelines for resuming activities.

For example, they can sing during worship, as long they’re wearing masks, Wright said. They can have Sunday school and offer a nursery to parents. They can also return hymnals and Bibles to the pews, since the CDC noted in early April that the risk of contracting the virus from touching a contaminated surface was less than 1 in 10,000.

Wright and the task force announced the end of the Holston Conference safety protocol in an April 23, 2021, email to church members and leaders.

“In lifting the Protocol, we are not saying just do what you want to do,” the email said. “We are still trying to save lives. Wesley’s three simple rules -- Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love with God -- must still guide our hearts, our minds, and our actions.”

On April 29, Wright said in a telephone interview that Holston churches are still expected to proceed carefully. If church leaders alter the pandemic safety plan they submitted to their district superintendents over the past year, the task force requests they inform their district offices of their new plans, as a matter of record.

“We’re still in the middle of a pandemic that hasn’t gone away yet,” Wright said. “What we want them to do is to be safe.”

Wright said he is often asked why congregants are still required to wear masks if they have already been vaccinated or if their states have ended mask mandates.

“Our answer to that is because the CDC says so,” Wright said. “We’re hearing in the news about how many people are not getting vaccinated, so we’re still trying to ‘do no harm’ and keep people safe.”
 

We are committed to meeting the standards set forth by the Holston Conference in Taking steps forward faithfully and safely.  

When having outdoor worship we will utilize both in car parking and lawn chair seating.  Cars will be parked in designated areas and volunteers will serve to direct people where to park.  Lawnchair seating will be marked with a 6ft distance between spots.  Persons seated in Lawn chairs or on blankets will be asked to mask; participants older than two must mask.  Persons in cars must remain in their cars and they are encouraged to roll windows down periodically to help cycle air.  

We will be using both an FM Transmitter and PA.  The FM transmitter will transmit over 500 yards.  The worship leaders will be on an elevated platform allowing for easier lines of site.  

We have staff who will be helping with registering attendance; they will also be on the lookout to ensure proper social distancing and that people stay in the group they came with.  The will be tracking participation through our check-in provider and updating a google document for registering attendance. 

Any offerings will be received electronically and there will be drop boxes at the entrances to the worship area. The drop boxes will be collected after worship and stored in the security office until counting.  

In an effort to let everyone know of the plan for outdoor worship, we will utilize MailChimp, remind-text, Facebook, the website, and our video services.    

The building will not be open to the use of restrooms.  

Staff is reaching out to the local law enforcement to make them aware of the service.  

Our insurance provider has approved our process for outdoor worship.  

 Those leading worship will maintain social distancing.  We will also utilize plexiglass as a barrier for worship leaders to be behind. 

The leadership will be on a platform at least 15 feet away from the congregation.  

Each person involved in the leadership of the service will have their own microphone.  

Gloves and masks will be worn while setting up and tearing down.  

Anything touched by multiple users will be sanitized.  

We will continue to utilize existing protocols regarding the counting of money. 

We will monitor the weather and act accordingly regarding rain and heat.  

We encourage everyone who is not feeling well or considers themselves to be at risk to stay at home and listen to the service on the radio at WGRV or watch via Facebook live or youtube at Asbury UMC Greeneville and Asbury connected.  

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