ZION UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Service Personnel: Please keep the following service personnel in your prayers at this special time of year: Joshua Taylor, Seth Garner,Justin Lovellette, Anthony Rauch, Ruth Rauch.

The following is a notice from the Spiritual Council of Zion:

In-person services will begin again Sunday, October 11at 10 a.m.

The following guidelines have been developed by a task force from the Official Board for the purpose of allowing us to have services in person. The safety and health of all our church family is our only concern and we understand the worship experience will be quite different in these difficult times. We have consulted CDC and Indiana-Kentucky Conference recommendations in developing these guidelines:

No one over age 2 will be allowed in without a mask. If you are unable or unwilling to wear one for the duration of the service, please do not come to services. Live stream version of the service will continue for those who are not able or do not wish to attend in person.

Use Third Street entrance ONLY. Please do not use your key to enter by the back door. Extra parking spaces will be maintained close to the door for those who need a handicap spot. The elevator will not be unlocked. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Please allow extra time for everyone to get settled. Please remain in your pew once you are seated. An usher will assist anyone needing help with the lift chair.

Hand sanitizer will be available to use as you come into the sanctuary. Social distancing will be required.

We have purchased sanitizing equipment from Aquablast which will allow us to sanitize the sanctuary after each service. This equipment is being used by the school systems to sanitize buses. This allows us to sanitize both hard and soft surfaces without damage.

Your presence here will be recorded in the event contact tracing is required due to exposure to the virus, either here at church or elsewhere in the community.

All Bibles, hymnals, ritual of friendship books, writing materials, etc. in the pews will be removed. Please bring a Bible of your own if you wish.

The offering plate will not be passed. It will be located on a table as you come in so you may drop your offering in. Offerings may still be mailed to the church office.

If you must use the restroom, please use the one in the upper hallway by the Sunday School rooms or the one in the lower hallway across from the lounge so that Kacie does not have to clean and sanitize all of the restrooms.

For the time being, there will be no Sunday School, no Fellowship Hour, no nursery, no congregating after church on the sidewalk or parking lots, and no choirs. We look forward to adding these activities back into the worship experience as soon as it is safely possible to do so. Please be patient and considerate of others.

There will be ushers to assist you. There will not be greeters. Ushers will dismiss worshipers after the service.

This is a fluid situation which is continuously changing. Additional changes may be needed. We are anxious to reduce these restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so. Please be patient as we endeavor to adapt.

We have purchased equipment which will allow us to "live stream" the services in real time on Sunday morning. A link will be emailed out to all those for whom we have an email address. If you have an email address and are not receiving the link or other emails, please contact the church office to provide your email. You may also find the link on Facebook at Zion UCC. Thank you to Rev. Rossman, Shelly Nussbaum, Kim McDonald, Stacey Smith and Eric Smith for all their efforts to keep us connected and worshiping together. Please call Kim McDonald(260-442-5720) if you would like to do special music for these services.

We  recognize many of our church family will be severely impacted financially during this time of crisis. We encourage you to utilize the many resources available as far as food and financial help and know that our members will continue to support and look out for our neighbors, families, and community.

It is also critical that we continue to contribute financially  to Zion during these times of cancelled services. Our expenses continue regardless of the tithes and offerings coming in and we ask  those who are able to mail in your regular offering. There are also many banks who offer bill pay services at no cost. The mail is monitored daily. For those who are not able to do so, we understand your difficulties. Zion has shown time and time again that our faith is strong and we can do all things through Christ. Thank you to all those who have made  contributions. It is much appreciated. Please continue to mail or drop them off when possible.

Anyone would like to receive the Sacrament of Home Communion who is not a regular recipient, or anyone who would like to have a home visit is asked to contact the church office (724-3502), and the necessary arrangements will be made.