ARC & COVId-19 response: what you need to know
The rise and spread of Covid-19 has changed the ways we engage with our church community, but it hasn't stopped us from engaging. We still welcome. We still worship. We still know. We still serve. We still share.
Below you'll find resources with information on the how, what, where, and why of operations at American Reformed Church amid this pandemic. If you want to get involved, or get more involved, please contact the church office at americanchurchoc@gmail.com or 712.737.4430.
in-person worship protocols
ARC is meeting in person at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Services are also live-streamed on ARC's page on Facebook.
The ARC Executive Committee has discerned the relaxing of many of our protocols due to decreasing positivity rates of Covid-19 and increasing numbers of people who have received the vaccine. We are eager to return to our pre-pandemic practices in the upcoming months.
Congregational connection through in-person conversation will take place both before and after worship.
The ribbons and tape separating pews at ARC have been removed. The congregation is encouraged to use common sense in spreading out throughout the sanctuary.
The nursery will be open for families to use as needed for ages 3 and under. The nursery will NOT be staffed, but families may supervise their own children in the nursery while watching the livestream on the nursery screen. Feel free to come and go using the nursery as needed.
Printed order-of-worship bulletins are available by the sanctuary doors.
Full congregational singing led by the Worship Team has resumed.
The ARC Facilities
Reopening Planning Team will evaluate and adjust these protocols as needed. It
is important to acknowledge that if there is a spike in coronavirus
infections in our area or there are other complications at any services, it is
possible that in-person worship for future Sundays will be suspended and we
will focus to virtual worship only.
news from ARC: email newsletters distributed on thursdays
We are now communicating important news to church members and friends through weekly newsletters, sent by email on Thursdays (and printed and mailed to those who don't receive email). If you're not on our mailing list and would like to receive these newsletters, please email americanchurchoc@gmail.com.
NEW DOOR ACCESS CONTROL & VIDEO INTERCOM SYSTEM INSTALLED
In an effort to provide greater safety for ARC staff and the ARC building, the consistory approved a project to install a web-based door access control and video intercom system at church. Because ARC hosts the Orange City Food Pantry, we often have guests present in our facility. We want to ensure that when those friends are being served, there are at least two staff persons present, and that all persons are screened before entering the building. We also want to ensure that the lower-level main entrance vestibule is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday for food pantry donations. Finally, we want to make sure there is greater consistency for the main doors on the upper and lower levels being unlocked and locked at the same time for worship on Sunday mornings and on other days and times for other events. Our new system allows us to schedule times for these events. Please note that the upper-level (west) doors are unlocked during normal office hours, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The interior lower-level (east) doors remain locked for building security; if you need to enter through those doors during office hours, please ring the “doorbell” so that office staff can grant you entry. (This is similar to what is done at our local public schools.)
