Effective August 8, 2021
City Hope Fellowship will base our current safety protocols on the CDC’s recommendations, which were updated July 27th. These protocols will be updated as pandemic conditions and CDC recommendations change in the future.
The Lord commands us to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:39) and “in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Phil. 2:3-4). Therefore we encourage everyone to follow current public health recommendations to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including vaccination for those who are willing and able.
Sunday morning worship:
Following the latest CDC guidelines, all in-person worshippers are asked to wear masks and maintain recommended social distancing.
Small groups:
Smaller gatherings, such as our weekly small groups, have the potential to be less risky based on circumstances and the vaccination status of those in the group. We will leave specific protocols up to each small group, and we recommend they each follow CDC guidelines. These include:
Wearing masks and maintaining social distancing for indoor gatherings.
Small, outdoor gatherings are considered low-risk. Fully vaccinated people do not need to wear face masks, but masks are recommended for unvaccinated people.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Where can I find more details about the CDC’s recommendations? You can find the summary of changes to CDC’s recommendations here (updated 7/27/21) and their full recommendations here.
Who is considered “fully vaccinated”? For the purposes of the CDC’s guidance, people are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or 2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson).
Why do I have to wear a mask even if I’m vaccinated? Vaccination significantly reduces one’s risk of getting infected, but it does not eliminate that risk. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that vaccinated people who are infected with COVID-19 may still spread the virus, even if they show no symptoms just as much as unvaccinated people. Wearing a face mask reduces the likelihood that someone would unknowingly share the virus with others.
Do my children need to wear a mask on Sunday morning? CDC guidelines say children ages 2 and up should continue to wear masks. Sunday school and children’s church teachers will wear masks as well.
When will we resume having a staffed nursery? We’re evaluating how to resume regular nursery activities in a safe way. We recognize that doing so will rely on having enough fully vaccinated volunteers to staff the nursery every week, along with additional precautions. For now, we’ll continue the “bring your own nursery” approach.
Will there still be a livestream for Sunday morning worship? Yes.
Why are we following CDC guidelines instead of State of Indiana guidelines? Decisions made by government officials must take into account many factors, including economic and political considerations. CHF is only concerned with the health and safety of our members, friends, and neighbors. Thus, we will follow best practices that are based on medical recommendations from our country’s principal health protection agency.
How can I sign up to get a COVID-19 vaccine? All 3 vaccines are readily available in our community currently. You can learn more and sign up here or sign up by phone by calling 211. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for ages 18+, and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for ages 12+.
Who should I talk to if I still have more questions or concerns? These protocols were written and approved by the CHF elders. Please reach out to one of us if you have further questions or concerns and we’ll be happy to talk with you.
Paul Brown (paulbrown.bsu@gmail.com)
Adam Hoeksema (adam.hoeksema@gmail.com)
Josh Holowell (josh@hopeformuncie.com)
Paul Nagelkirk (prnagelkirk@gmail.com)