Face masks now optional

Updated in-person worship guidelines: Face masks are optional in services as of March 2, 2022 because of the current low number of infections and hospitalizations in the community. This change comes considering the guidance and recommendations of SCDHEC, MUSC and the CDC. 

Please worship from home and do not attend small group meetings if you are exhibiting any COVID-like symptoms, are aware of an exposure, or have been asked by a school or other institution to quarantine or isolate.

Thank you for your continued consideration.

Reminder of our worship safety guidelines

In-person worship guidelines:

Due to the significant rate of COVID-19 community transmission, the CDC continues to recommend indoor masking in public settings for everyone. While a large portion of our congregation is vaccinated, there is a significant number of children who have not yet had the opportunity to be vaccinated, which affects the health and safety of the vulnerable and immunocompromised among us. Please continue to wear a face mask in church, even if you are fully vaccinated.

Please worship from home if you are exhibiting any COVID-like symptoms, are aware of an exposure, or have been asked by a school or other institution to quarantine or isolate.

Thank you for your continued consideration.

Updated in-person worship guidelines for delta variant

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Updated in-person worship guidelines:

Out of concern for those most vulnerable, we continue to follow CDC guidelines and current recommendations for indoor gatherings include social distancing and that face coverings be worn by all individuals.

Please wear a face mask and maintain social distancing while gathered for church, regardless of your vaccination status.

Thank you for your continued consideration.

Covid-19 Task Force Update

Photo Credit: Andrew J. Whitaker for The Post & Courier

The CDC has announced new guidelines for people who have been fully vaccinated. In general, people are considered fully vaccinated:

  • 2 weeks after second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

  • 2 weeks after Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

Fully vaccinated people can worship without wearing a mask or social distancing. Per CDC recommendations, people who are not yet fully vaccinated should continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.

In-person Worship

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A reminder as you consider coming to worship in person any week:

If you are experiencing one or multiple of the following symptoms, we invite you to enjoy our online service in the comfort of your home:

  • Fever at/above 100.4 degrees

  • Incessant dry coughing

  • Loss of taste or smell

  • Fatigue

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

  • Chest pain or pressure

  • Find more symptom guidelines at cdc.gov



INDOOR WORSHIP SERVICES

All attending the service will be required to wear masks, with the exception of children 3 years of age and under. Childcare will not be provided. Ushers will show attendees to their seating area. Attendees will remain in their seating areas to the maximum extent possible and attendees will be highly encouraged to fill out an informational insert with a method of contact (e.g. email address). Giving is encouraged online or via text, but there will a place designated for tithes/offerings to be dropped that can be utilized either before being seated or after the conclusion of the service. Attendees will pick up their own bulletins on the way into the service. Hymnals/bibles/reading materials will all be removed from the pews. Liquid hand sanitizer will be available upon entry. Sanitizer wipes will be available in the pews.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will there still be online church?

-       Yes. In-person Sunday services will now be available, but online church will continue.

What is the maximum occupancy we will be allowing at service?

-       Both the COVID Task Force and Music & Worship committees don’t foresee a maximum occupancy issue arising, especially given the number of church attendees before the outbreak occurred and the sheer size of the sanctuary. This does NOT preclude ushers from turning people away should a massive number of folks show for the indoor services. If this does occur, the COVID Task Force and Music & Worship committee will immediately thereafter begin exploring the exact number of occupants the church can safely admit.

 

Are there any criteria (i.e. positive case number spike) for suspending service and going back to strictly online recorded worship?

-       Not at the moment. Again, this does NOT preclude a suspension from taking place. Local positive COVID cases will certainly be something the COVID Task Force will continue to closely monitor, and the committee will be vigilant and swift with its recommendation to suspend service if a spike in positive cases occurs.

 

What sort of cleaning regimen will take place following an indoor service?

-       Pews, high contact surfaces, and bathrooms will be cleaned after each service. Disinfectant wipes will be strategically placed throughout the sanctuary so that high contact surfaces, including doorknobs and handrails, can be disinfected after each use.

 

What happens if a positive COVID case in the congregation is discovered following a service?

-       Cress will emphasize to the attendees during the service that if they so please, they can fill out a contact card to let us know they worshiped with us that day. If a church attendee tests positive for COVID and contacts the church, their identity will not be revealed to the congregation, but attendees from the affected service who provided their information will be contacted. The church office will send out emails to folks who filled out the contact cards, letting them know that someone who worshiped with them on that particular Sunday has tested positive.

 

Covid-19 Task Force Update

Currently, Covid-19 cases are trending downward in Charleston county, which is great news. However, our insurance company requires that daily new cases numbers must decrease for 14 consecutive days. While the overall trend is downward, we have not had more than 3 consecutive days in a drop in the number of new cases, so therefore the church must remain closed at this time. Our data is drawn from SCDHEC. 

Photo Credit: Andrew J. Whitaker for The Post & Courier

Photo Credit: Andrew J. Whitaker for The Post & Courier

The number of new cases in Charleston country from the past 14 days: 

July 29 - 131 new cases

July 30 - 79 new cases

July 31 - 130 new cases

Aug 1 - 125 new cases

Aug 2 - 111 new cases

Aug 3 - 108 new cases

Aug 4 - 121 new cases

Aug 5 - 90 new cases

Aug 6 - 91 new cases

Aug 7 - 110 new cases

Aug 8 - 107 new cases

Aug 9 - 54 new cases

Aug 10 - 78 new cases

Aug 11 - 85 new cases

COVID-19 Task Force Post-Survey Update

The Second Pres COVID-19 Task Force met via Zoom this week. 

While COVID-19 deaths are not increasing in our area, hospitalizations are increasing and confirmed cases have tripled in the past three weeks. Requirements by the Insurance Board state that in order to move to stage one of reopening, cases must be in a downward trend for 14 consecutive days. Therefore, we cannot move forward with reopening for worship services at this time. Church services will continue online at www.2ndpc.org. Small groups may be able to meet in the Fellowship Hall sooner, but official determinations and stipulations have not yet been determined. The sanctuary may be opened for weddings and funerals, provided the number of attendees remains very small. 

Thank you to all who participated in the survey and special thanks and acknowledgement to David Savard for conducting the survey. While there is much to be considered and determinations are yet to be presented to session, the survey helps to assess the needs of the congregation. 

Survey Results:

Survey findings of note:

· Roughly 2/3 of participants are over age of 50

· About 80% of participants expect mask requirements

· About 60% will return when coronavirus cases are very small

· About 60% would like to continue meeting online, even if there are no government restrictions

· Roughly half of participants are in an at-risk group or share a household with a member who is at-risk

Full results can be downloaded here. →

Conclusions: There is broad support among the participants for waiting to return to in-person worship and an expectation that once we do, procedures such as masks and social distancing will be put in place to protect congregants. A majority of participants are middle-aged and older. A significant percentage are at-risk or share a household with someone who is at-risk. There is an expectation that the recommendations of health professionals be our guiding force, and not politicians or government officials.

We will continue to keep the congregation updated on our findings and considerations as we figure out a path forward in these uncertain times. Please join us for church online and do not hesitate to contact Cress, a deacon, or other church leader if you find yourself in need of prayer or care. 

COVID-19 Task Force,

Katie Mai (chair), Dr. Sallie Schuh, Julia Harlow, Gary Jaffe, Felicia Sanders and Dan Tenpas

The Task Force is referencing and considering resources provided by CAP, PCUSA, and IB as well as information from SCDHEC and the CDC. The images above outline the plan being followed and links to further resources are available below. Anyone is encouraged to contact the Task Force with questions or further consideration- any and all help available is welcome.

SCDHEC

CDC

INSURANCE BOARD

DOWNLOAD TASK FORCE RESOURCES

Church Re-Entry Survey

To our Second Presbyterian family, 

A COVID-19 Task Force has been formed to explore and coordinate reopening our church to in-person worship. We do not plan to restart in-person worship services in the sanctuary in the immediate future. We do, however, want to begin the process of evaluating the best possible time for that to occur. We are currently following guidelines set in place by Charleston Atlantic Presbytery (CAP), Presbyterian Church U.S.A. (PCUSA) and Insurance Board (IB). We are also monitoring local and state regulations on gatherings and the spread of the virus through data made available by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).

Each of these groups have recommended reopening in stages while monitoring and balancing the risks inherent to gathering in groups with the healthcare measures available in our community. The timing of the stages is determined by the virus, so we must prayerfully and rationally evaluate risks present in our community as they evolve and respond appropriately.

We understand that these are stressful and fearful times and we wish to come together in Jesus’ Spirit, to care for one another, especially those in our flock who are most vulnerable. It is our charge as Christians to love and care for one another and for our community.

We have prepared a survey to help identify risk and to explore how we can best move forward with reopening our church. We encourage and appreciate all participation. 

In the meantime, we will continue online church and outreach throughout the week. Please contact us for any questions and concerns. Please let us know how we can best serve you. With God’s help, we will work through this together.

- COVID-19 Task Force

Katie Mai, Chair, Dr. Sallie Schuh, Julia Harlow, Gary Jaffe, Felicia Sanders and Dan Tenpas