Protocols for Returning to
Cinnaminson Baptist Church
New Jersey is limiting indoor gatherings to just a very few people. The size of our church makes reopening CBC very doable, while at the same time looking out for the health of
all who will participate. The Board of Deacons has decided that it is time for our church family to come back together. Our last church service was March 8th – six months
ago.
Therefore, we will reopen the church for Sunday morning services beginning September 13th. This will also include Junior Church and Nursery. You will find some positive
changes as you return. Our nursery has been painted and refurbished with a flat screen TV on the wall. Our new audio-visual booth has been completed with new upgraded equipment that should serve us
well for years to come. And our church service itself has undergone some positive changes.
We want you to come and join us and have confidence
that we are doing what we can to make our church environment clean and safe so as to diminish the possibility of catching the coronavirus. That is what this brochure is all about – to inform you as
to the precautions we are taking to make the church safe for all of us.
- Only Come If You Are Healthy
– In the old days you might have come to church no matter what – even if you have a cold. Now it is more important
than ever that you only come to church if you are healthy. I suspect that we can do this on our own without the need for someone at the door turning you away because you have a fever. So if you sense
that you are not well – please do not come.
- Wear a Mask – Please wear a mask while entering/leaving the church (when you are most likely to come in closer contact with others). While
seated in the sanctuary, you may take your mask off, but it is recommended that you keep it on. If you get up to leave the room for any reason, be sure to have your mask on. If you forget your mask,
we have extras at church and will give you one when you come.
- Seating in the Sanctuary
– Even while seated, we would like for you to keep distance from one another. You will see that every other row of
seats is closed. Please do not sit there. In the designated rows for seating, please leave at least two seats between you and another person. (Families may sit together.) Please endeavor to spread
yourselves out in the sanctuary as much as possible. If you intend to take your mask off while seated, please sit on the side of the church where the organ and piano are. As you come to worship each
week, try to take note to sit in the same place each week.
- Exiting the Sanctuary
– After church has concluded, you may use the foyer door or the door exiting to the ramp. If you have no reason to go
back to the foyer (e.g., to pick up children downstairs or to get your coat), then please exit to the ramp. By using both exits, we will reduce the number of close encounters with others.
We understand that we need to fellowship with one another, but please save that for the parking lot rather than coming too close to each other inside. (Please pick up your mail as you enter the
church.)
- Hand Sanitizing Stations
– Bottles of hand sanitizer are located in numerous places on both levels of the church, and in the bathrooms. Please
make liberal use of these as you come and go in the building.
- Disinfecting Wipes
– Please try to use the bathrooms as little as possible. Disinfecting wipes will be located in the bathrooms. After
using the facility and washing your hands, please wipe down anything you touched with a wipe. Disinfecting materials will also be available for use in the Nursery and Junior Church
rooms.
- Keeping All Things Clean
– As you enter the church, an usher will be stationed outside to open the door for you (cutting down the number of
hands that touch the door handle.) Another usher will be located inside to wipe down surfaces that are commonly touched (e.g., stair railings). One usher will remain in the foyer during the church
service to assist in whatever needs you might have.
- Bulletins – The church bulletin will be available once again, but on a self-serve basis. Please pick one up on the podium in the
foyer.
- PPE (Personal Protection
Equipment) – Masks, tissues, gloves, and hand sanitizers will be available on the table in the
church foyer.
- Offerings – Your weekly offerings are important to the support of the ministry at CBC. But they will no longer be taken by passing a plate.
A box designated for offerings will be on the table in the foyer and another one by the exit door at the front of the sanctuary. Please use them – often. J
- The Lord’s Supper
– We will continue to observe the Lord’s Supper on the first Sunday of the month. Again, instead of simply passing the
plate with the bread and juice, the ushers will wear gloves and masks, and walk between the rows and serve you by hand.
- The Church Service
– Our church service will be restructured to some degree, in part because of the recently finished sound system in the
back of the church. Some of the songs will be projected on the wall at the front of the church; others with live music and hymnals. We will keep the service under one hour. The church service will
also be streamed to the nursery.
- Online Church
– We understand that everyone might not be willing to come back to church at this time for a number of reasons. Since
April, we have been posting the weekly sermon on Facebook. While we will not be live streaming the church service, we will record the sermon and post it early each Sunday afternoon. Our desire is to
do all we can to involve our people and to minister to those beyond our walls!
- Junior Church
– We will have two Junior Church classes for ages PreK – 2nd grade and 3rd – 6th
grade. The children in those classes will be distanced from one another at their tables. Each will have his/her own pouch of things needed for their lesson and crafts so that there be no communal
touching of things. We will only use individually-wrapped snacks.
- Security – Once the church service begins, the doors will be locked for security’s sake. If you are late, please
ring the doorbell and identify yourself on the security camera and you will be let in. The best thing to do is to come early.
- Weekly Church Cleaning
– The church will once again be cleaned by volunteer crews on a rotating basis. New measures have been put into place
to be sure that the church is thoroughly cleaned before each time we come together to worship.