COVID Response

Updated Friday, January 21, 2022

As we continue to try to safely navigate the ever-changing COVID situation, Messiah’s COVID Task Force met on Tuesday, January 4, and established these updated safety guidelines. It’s times like these that challenge our faith and our patience, but our top priority is to ask, “what is the most loving thing I can do?” With that in mind, here are the updated guidelines. These guidelines are in compliance with the MN Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and therefore are subject to change as necessary:

 

Messiah Church Office

• The church office is open Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm.

Worship

• Join us for in-person worship Sundays at 8:30 and 10:30 am.
• Registration for worship is not required.
• Singing during worship is permitted.
• Physical distancing of 6 feet will continue to be observed. Please space yourself accordingly.
• Gatherings in Heritage Hall are limited to 50% capacity. There will be no food or drinks served in the building for the remainder of January, at which point the COVID Task Force will re-evaluate the COVID statistics for Hennepin County and surrounding cities.
• If you test positive for COVID, we ask that you quarantine for 10 days before returning to in-person activities at Messiah.
• If you are sick or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID, please enjoy our online services.
• Online worship is available, also on Sundays at 8:30 and 10:30 am CT or on demand anytime at www.MessiahChurch.org/live.

Masks

• We require all those who enter our building wear a face mask. (This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, ages 2 and up.) We suggest that all staff and guests wear a high quality mask (preferably the equivalent to an N95) while in the building.

Children

• We require all those who enter our building wear a face mask, including children (ages 2 and up). We suggest a high quality mask (preferably the equivalent to an N95).
  
• To protect the most vulnerable among us, Messiah Church requires staff and volunteers who work directly with children and youth to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
• KID Street Sunday School (for ages 3 through 5th grade) is offered at 8:30 and 10:30 am. Children begin in the worship service and are dismissed together mid-service.
• A nursery is available for infants and toddlers (birth through age 3), Sundays at 8:30 and 10:30 am.
• KID Street Wednesday Nights is offered weekly from 6:30-8 pm. Nursery care on Wednesdays is available upon request – please contact Amy.
• If you or your child(ren) are sick or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID, please refrain from attending in-person activities. If you test positive for COVID, we ask that you quarantine for 10 days before returning to in-person activities at Messiah.
• Parents of children can contact Amy Madson, Director of Children and Family Ministry, at amadson@messiahchurch.org for more information and ways to connect.

Youth (Middle and High School)

• We require all those who enter our building (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) wear a face mask. We suggest a high quality mask (preferably the equivalent to an N95).
  
• To protect the most vulnerable among us, Messiah Church requires staff and volunteers who work directly with children and youth to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
• 6-8th Grade Sunday School is offered in person at 8:30 and 10:30 am. Youth begin in the worship service and are dismissed together mid-service. On the first Sunday of the month, all youth attend worship and receive communion with their family.
• Wednesday Night Youth Group programming is offered weekly from 7-8 pm. At this time, no dinner will be served prior to Youth Group.
• If you or your youth are sick or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID, please refrain from attending in-person activities. If you test positive for COVID, we ask that you quarantine for 10 days before returning to in-person activities at Messiah.
• Parents or youth can contact Sami Tierney, Director of Youth and Family Ministry, at stierney@messiahchurch.org for more information and ways to connect.

Adults

• We require all those who enter our building (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) wear a face mask. We suggest a high quality mask (preferably the equivalent to an N95).
  
• Groups can gather in the building, but room capacity limits will determine what space is available. Contact Phil Weiler, Director of Operations, at pweiler@messiahchurch.org for more information and to schedule a space.
• If you are sick or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID, please refrain from attending in-person activities. If you test positive for COVID, we ask that you quarantine for 10 days before returning to in-person activities at Messiah.
• Adults can contact Heather Felt, Director of Community Engagement, at hfelt@messiahchurch.org for help joining a group, for Bible study, or other ways to connect with others.

Funerals and Weddings

• Funerals and weddings may be held with no capacity restrictions but still observing 6 feet of distancing and wearing face masks.
• There will be no food or drinks served in the building for the remainder of January, at which point the COVID Task Force will re-evaluate the COVID statistics for Hennepin County and surrounding cities.

Staff

• Messiah Staff are available primarily by email while working remotely and coming into the building as needed.
• If a staff person tests positive for COVID, they must quarantine for 10 days and provide proof of a negative COVID test at the end of those 10 days before returning to work.

COVID Exposure

• The State of Minnesota is estimating that the peak for COVID infections will take place around the 3rd-4th week of January. This estimated range is based on holiday gatherings at Christmas and New Years.
• If you are sick or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID, please do not attend in-person activities at Messiah.
• If you test positive for COVID, we ask that you quarantine for 10 days before returning to in-person activities at Messiah. Messiah Church is following the quarantine guidelines set forth by the MN Department of Health. If you have any questions surrounding these guidelines, please visit their website at www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/quarguide.pdf.
• If you test positive for COVID within 10 days of attending a worship service or other in-person event at Messiah, we ask that you contact our Director of Operations, Phil Weiler at pweiler@messiahchurch.org and report the date and event you attended while possibly contagious. Names and identities of this report will be kept confidential, but notification of possible exposure will be sent to those in attendance.

 

We thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this challenging time. If you have questions about our COVID policies please contact Phil Weiler, Director of Operations, at pweiler@messiahchurch.org.