To:       Calvary Tabernacle Church of God Family

Fr:       Pastor Hiram Claudio

Re:      Date for resuming worship services in our building

Date:   June 13, 2020

 

Greetings, Saints!  I trust this letter finds you well and enjoying our Precious Savior’s many and abundant blessings.

Earlier this week, Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone announced that our county is now entering phase 2 of the re-opening plan from the COVID-19 pandemic.  On Saturday, June 6^th, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that in any New York region reaching phase 2, houses of worship could resume meeting in person – at 25% of the facility’s capacity.  Thankfully … we are now cleared to begin gathering together again in our building!

 

I’m sure we’re all excited about being able to come together again after being sheltered at home for over 3 months.  Lori and I have been praying and planning for weeks as we both knew this moment would eventually arrive.  I’m happy to announce that we will resume our 10am Sunday service, in our building, on Sunday, June 28, 2020.  This is truly a reason to rejoice!

Yet, while this excitement is completely justified, we will be required to observe certain guidelines that have been established.  Here is what this will mean for us:

• We have purchased extra masks for people to wear (in case you don’t have one) – we ask you wear a mask while in the building
• We have purchased extra hand sanitizer dispensers and placed them throughout the building – we ask you to use them as you enter the building and after using the restrooms
• As CDC guidelines strongly recommend social distancing of 6 feet, we will be roping off sections of the pews – we ask that you be flexible with this temporary arrangement
• Similarly, the CDC also strongly recommends, specifically for houses of worship, that we refrain from handshakes, hugging and other physical displays of affection
• If you are ill, we ask you to please stay home until you’re feeling better and join us through our Facebook Live stream
• If you are in a high-risk category because of a compromised immune system, we ask you to please stay home and join us through our Facebook Live stream
• Until further notice, we will not have our fellowship meal time after the conclusion of the service
• As you enter the building, to fully support Suffolk County’s efforts as it pertains to contact tracing, we will ask everyone to sign-in.  In the unlikely event that anyone of us is diagnosed with COVID-19, this will allow us to let others know who may have been in contact with them and encourage them to be tested

I understand that this all feels very different.  But, as we come back together, my focus will be your health and safety and I’m committed to taking every possible measure to ensure both.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to give me a call at 1-631-882-8559.  I am SO looking forward to seeing each one of you again … blessings!