Learning to live our faith, Learning to use Christ as our example and Learning to love God and one another!

Submission date: 7/20/20 Approved by: FBC Marshall Executive Leadership Committee   

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH of MARSHALL POLICY

for COVID-19

   I.        Overview of Policy

  This Policy covers the criteria that FBC Marshall uses to ensure the safety and well-being of its members and the community in regard to the COVID-19 virus. This Policy was developed by the Executive Leadership Committee with information from the Centers for Disease Control and various State of Michigan agencies.   The Executive Leadership Committee continues to monitor COVID-19 as government guidance changes through the COVID-19 pandemic. This document has been prepared with information available by the issue date. It will be kept under review and updated as the situation develops, with each update issued as a new version.     

II.         Church Responsibilities   Ø  The church will continue to institute measures to physically separate or create distance between occupants. Ø  The church will clean and sanitize as is appropriate. Ø  The church will provide masks, hand sanitizer and tissues as needed. Ø  The church will make adjustments to the worship service to best ensure the health and well-being of it’s members and visitors. Ø  The church will suspend in-person worship services when and if the State of Michigan indicates a large spike in positive COVID cases within the county/state OR if there is a positive case within the church identified.  

III.        Worship Attendance   Ø  If you are experiencing ANY COVID symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing) to please stay home! Ø    Ø 

Attendance: We ask that all persons who are considering attending worship take their own temperature at home prior to coming to the church. If it is 100 degrees or higher, please stay at home. Ø  Entrance(s): There will be designated persons at the entrance(s) with masks, hand sanitizer and those collecting tracing information (see below).   Ø 

Masks: We ask that all persons who attend worship at FBC Marshall wear a mask while they are within the building. If you need to place the mask below your nose or need to remove it completely, we ask that you stay in the designated areas outside of the sanctuary.   Ø 

Children’s Church: There will be no children’s church or activities until such a time that it is deemed safe for these activities to resume.   Ø 

Communion: will be done with the bread/juice being available at the back of the sanctuary as people enter. Bread and juice will be in separate containers and will be provided in a contactless manner.   Ø 

Offerings: Offerings will be taken in a contactless manner with the plates being easily identifiable in the back of the sanctuary.   Ø 

Exposure: If an individual who has had close contact (less than 6ft) with a person who has COVID symptoms or has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus for 15 minutes or more (with or without mask) will be notified once the church has been notified following the Contact Tracing procedure listed below. o   All individuals that have been in contact with a person with symptoms or testing positive, will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days after exposure or until they no longer have symptoms which follows the CDC recommendations located here:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/index.html    

Testing   We will not be providing any testing.  

Contact Tracing Information   Ø  Should a member or visitor of FBC Marshal test positive for the COVID-19 virus, FBC Marshall will follow CDC recommendations for contact tracing and will submit our tracing information to the appropriate County and State agencies.   Ø During services someone will be available at the entrance to help facilitate the collection of this data (name, address, phone or email). If someone does not wish to give information they may choose to opt out. They will not be barred from worship but may be asked to sit in an alternative location away from the sanctuary.