LET’S STAY SAFE AS WE GATHER
Request a copy of our current COVID readiness plan by contacting Daniel Morgenstern.
Stay home if you are ill.
Help us keep our gatherings as safe as possible by staying home if you are sick or if you have potentially been exposed to someone who is/has been sick.
Wash hands often
Stay 6 feet apart: Seat Distancing and Set-up
Because the new worship space is significantly larger than Hayes, there will be plenty of room to ensure proper social distancing. When you enter the worship space, we ask you to grab and set up the number of chairs that you will need. Volunteers will be available to assist with setting up chairs, if needed. Per the State of Minnesota requirement, when setting up seats, there should be at least six feet between you or your family unit and others. There will be a tape line 12 feet from the stage where chairs cannot be set up. At the end of the service, we’d ask that each person and family restacks their chairs. We also invite you to have fellowship with one another before or after the service, while maintaining proper social distancing.
Wear a Mask: (required in indoor settings) Due to the State of Minnesota mask mandate and to keep us in good standing with our insurance company, masks are required when inside our worship center for anyone six and older. Restoration Covenant Church will respect and honor any exemptions to this as outlined by the state’s mask mandate. Please bring your own mask to use, but we will have disposable masks available. When entering the new worship center, there will be hand sanitizer stations, not only at the entrance, but throughout the space that we highly encourage you and your family to use.
Return to In-person Worship at New Location
We’re excited to be offering in-person worship at our new location at 14201 Cedar Avenue, along with continuing to stream our worship gatherings online. Through prayerful consideration, constructive conversation and the review of both county and state recommendations and requirements, a dedicated committee (listed below) recommends the following as we safely regather, return, and relaunch as a church community. The Restoration Covenant Church mission and vision remain true and at the forefront of our decision making. We will continue to be a community of people restored by Jesus bringing hope to the world.
We are the Church
Please know that there will be things that will look and feel different as we regather together. Regardless of how your family chooses to participate in church, we want you to know we’re glad you’re a part of our church family. The foundation of why we gather together is not changing. We gather together to worship Jesus and to spread the hope He brings as one body in Him.
Continued Online Presence
To begin, we will maintain our live streaming services, every week on our Facebook page and on our website. We will also begin gathering for in-person worship at the new worship center (14201 Cedar Avenue) every other week. This allows us to ensure we have an adequate number of volunteers ready to make our Sunday morning experience the best it can be. This will also allow us to make any necessary adjustments in the midst of ever-growing shifts around the COVID-19 pandemic. We will create Facebook events for each Sunday we are meeting in person, as well as a calendar that will be available on our website for easy access. We encourage you to indicate if you will be joining us, interested, or not joining on the Facebook event to give a rough estimate of how many to expect. This is also a great opportunity for you to invite friends to both our online and in-person worship.
Come Early!
As you come to the worship center, there will be designated doors for entering and exiting to ensure a proper flow of people coming in and going out. Each will be clearly marked. Please note that if you’re planning to join us for our in-person worship, you’ll need to give yourself enough time to be in your seat by 10am so that we can start our broadcast without interruption.
Masks Required
Due to the State of Minnesota mask mandate and to keep us in good standing with our insurance company, masks are required when inside our worship center for anyone six and older. Restoration Covenant Church will respect and honor any exemptions to this as outlined by the state’s mask mandate. Please bring your own mask to use, but we will have disposable masks available. When entering the worship center, there will be hand sanitizer stations, not only at the entrance, but throughout the space that we highly encourage you and your family to use.
No Bagel or Coffee Service
While bagels and coffee on Sunday mornings were certainly a favorite for all ages, Restoration will postpone providing a bagel and coffee station for the time being. If you decide to bring your own food or beverage to use before, during, or after the service, you may remove your mask to consume the food or beverage, with the expectation that your mask be put back on after consumption.
Seat Distancing and Set-up
Because the new worship space is significantly larger than Hayes, there will be plenty of room to ensure proper social distancing. When you enter the worship space, we ask you to grab and set up the number of chairs that you will need. Volunteers will be available to assist with setting up chairs, if needed. Per the State of Minnesota requirement, when setting up seats, there should be at least six feet between you or your family unit and others. There will be a tape line 12 feet from the stage where chairs cannot be set up. At the end of the service, we’d ask that each person and family restacks their chairs. We also invite you to have fellowship with one another before or after the service, while maintaining proper social distancing.
Digital Worship Folder
Throughout the worship space, there will be posters set up with a QR code for you to scan with a smart phone and access a digital worship folder and connection card. If you’d like to take notes during the service, we encourage you to bring your own pen and paper or use your own device.
Restoration Kids
Before our in-person services you can pre-check your kids into Restoration Kids and use contactless check-in.
After checking in, kids will enter the worship center with their family. Following the kids’ blessing song, kids will line up with their class by the coffee area, while maintaining a physical distance of six feet. Their teachers will walk them to the Ministry Center in the adjacent building. Immediately after worship service, follow the signs on the Ministry Center door to check-out your child.
Restoration Kids classes will look a little different as we start again. Here is what you need to know:
- Instead of starting in large group, kids will go straight to their small group lesson time
- Masks will be worn by both adults and kids
- All efforts will be made to distance when possible and there will be no activities that involve extended periods of closer than six feet
- Each kid will have their own bag of supplies that they will use each week
- High-touch surfaces will be sanitized before and after classes
NEW! Restoration Kids Contactless Check-In
We are introducing new contactless check-ins for Restoration Kids. Watch this video for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjC4hLGOz5c)
First, you will need to download the Church Center App. After you choose Restoration as your church and enter your phone number, the app should be able to access your family information. After you have checked in each of your kids, the app will create a QR code. When you get to church, use the self check-in station to scan that code. Your child’s sticker name tag will print. You can use the QR code on your phone to pick up your child at the end of service. No more lost pick-up stickers! Contact chrystinevilhauer@restorationcov.org if you have any questions.
Relaunch, Regather and Return Committee
The above recommendations were developed by a collaborative team and approved by the Leadership Team. We appreciate all the efforts and participation from Michele Jacobson, Allison Erickson, Garrett Zaffke, Stefanie Carlson, Carrie Harpell, Janae Barriuso, Chrystine Vilhauer, Michael Van Dyken, and DeeAnn LaLuzerne.