Our doors are open for in-person worship.
Please see our Covid-19 Updates Page for any safety measures and precautions.
As you all know, the mask mandate in Pennsylvania has been lifted; however, businesses, schools, and organizations can still make decisions to keep masks in place. At Trinity's regular July council meeting it was decided that, for now, Trinity will keep the masks in place for all who are entering the building for worship. Doing so will keep us from monitoring who has been vaccinated and who has not been vaccinated, it helps eliminate any division and assumptions about who is or is not vaccinated and why, and it gives Trinity time to monitor positivity rates for just a little longer.
Please understand that we are doing this so that even our most vulnerable members are protected AND to help them feel comfortable attending worship (in person and not only online). Being careful (not fearful) has served Trinity well during the last 18 months and for that we are grateful. Lastly, always remember that the masks are not about the wearer but the other person.
When the world says “If you do not feel comfortable, stay home” the appropriate thing for the church to say is “we love you and will do what we can so you can feel loved, welcomed, and safe.” And so we do.
Thank you for understanding and please know that Council will take up this matter again - as it has done every month during the last 18 months..
Please see our Covid-19 Updates Page for any safety measures and precautions.
As you all know, the mask mandate in Pennsylvania has been lifted; however, businesses, schools, and organizations can still make decisions to keep masks in place. At Trinity's regular July council meeting it was decided that, for now, Trinity will keep the masks in place for all who are entering the building for worship. Doing so will keep us from monitoring who has been vaccinated and who has not been vaccinated, it helps eliminate any division and assumptions about who is or is not vaccinated and why, and it gives Trinity time to monitor positivity rates for just a little longer.
Please understand that we are doing this so that even our most vulnerable members are protected AND to help them feel comfortable attending worship (in person and not only online). Being careful (not fearful) has served Trinity well during the last 18 months and for that we are grateful. Lastly, always remember that the masks are not about the wearer but the other person.
When the world says “If you do not feel comfortable, stay home” the appropriate thing for the church to say is “we love you and will do what we can so you can feel loved, welcomed, and safe.” And so we do.
Thank you for understanding and please know that Council will take up this matter again - as it has done every month during the last 18 months..
June 1
May 17, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced changes to COVID-19 protocols for individuals who have are fully vaccinated with the Covid 19 vaccination (fully vaccinated means having received both shots, where applicable, plus two weeks). In addition, Pennsylvania has revised its guidance and, beginning May 31, most mandates other than the wearing of masks are lifted. These revisions are important because they mean that the “light at the end of the tunnel” is becoming more visible each day.
We, here at Trinity Reformed UCC of Collegeville, take these changes in protocols very serious and the church council will continue to take recommendations and guidelines as well as science into consideration as it decides what is best for the church and its members and guests.
Trinity Council decided to restart in-person services on June 6th with the 9:30 worship service. This date remains unchanged and so do most of our pandemic protocols. Although much of our adult population has likely been fully vaccinated, we must be mindful of those who cannot or have not yet been vaccinated and to not allow ourselves to be divided into two sides (vaccinated and unvaccinated). Therefore, masks will be required for all and at all times, there will be a sign-in sheet for contact tracing purposes, and social distancing will be observed when ushers seat people. We also ask that you remain seated while in the Sanctuary. We do encourage you to let the ushers know if you wish to be seated next to people who are in your “pod” – meaning people that you live with and/or closely interact with outside of worship.
We, here at Trinity Reformed UCC of Collegeville, take these changes in protocols very serious and the church council will continue to take recommendations and guidelines as well as science into consideration as it decides what is best for the church and its members and guests.
Trinity Council decided to restart in-person services on June 6th with the 9:30 worship service. This date remains unchanged and so do most of our pandemic protocols. Although much of our adult population has likely been fully vaccinated, we must be mindful of those who cannot or have not yet been vaccinated and to not allow ourselves to be divided into two sides (vaccinated and unvaccinated). Therefore, masks will be required for all and at all times, there will be a sign-in sheet for contact tracing purposes, and social distancing will be observed when ushers seat people. We also ask that you remain seated while in the Sanctuary. We do encourage you to let the ushers know if you wish to be seated next to people who are in your “pod” – meaning people that you live with and/or closely interact with outside of worship.
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However, while our initial protocols did not allow for a time of fellowship, we will have coffee & conversation after worship on June 6th. To make it as safe as possible, our time of fellowship will take place outside on the lawn next to the church. We will have tags for individuals to wear that will let others know if they are OK with handshakes or which to stay 6 feet apart. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to let others know their level of comfort and for others to respect that.
Thank you all in advance for your willingness to continue to keep one another safe. |
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June 6th will be a COMMUNION SUNDAY. You may bring your own elements or use single-serve prepared communion that will be supplied by Trinity.
May 10, 2021
As announced on our website, we will begin hybrid worship (in person and online) starting June 6th at 9:30AM. To prepare for this service we will be publishing information about what to expect. One of the major question has always been singing. At this time, there will be no congregational singing. We are monitoring positivity rates and vaccination rates and will revisit this topic constantly - for now, however, it is not safe to reopen and sing and do everything at once.
Studies on aerosols and droplets have found singing to not be safe even with masks and 6 feet distance and it is believed that at least 80 percent of the population need to be FULLY vaccinated before singing can resume. Below is a tracker of where we currently are nationally and Pennsylvania tracks close to that with 35.5 percent of the population being fully vaccinated and Montgomery Country, PA, trails a little with 31%. Total population INCLUDES children even though they can not currently receive vaccinations.
For more information you can read these links:
https://congregationalsong.org/covid-updates.../...
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations
https://congregationalsong.org/covid-19-nfhs-study.../...
https://www.tandfonline.com/.../10.../02786826.2020.1812502
Studies on aerosols and droplets have found singing to not be safe even with masks and 6 feet distance and it is believed that at least 80 percent of the population need to be FULLY vaccinated before singing can resume. Below is a tracker of where we currently are nationally and Pennsylvania tracks close to that with 35.5 percent of the population being fully vaccinated and Montgomery Country, PA, trails a little with 31%. Total population INCLUDES children even though they can not currently receive vaccinations.
For more information you can read these links:
https://congregationalsong.org/covid-updates.../...
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations
https://congregationalsong.org/covid-19-nfhs-study.../...
https://www.tandfonline.com/.../10.../02786826.2020.1812502
November 1, 2020
September 26, 2020
Planning on attending in-person worship on Oct. 4th?
Here is what you need to know:
World Communion Sunday. Please bring food and drink to use during communion, for yourself and your family. We will bless them and each consume what we have brought.
If you attend online or watch the service later, please place something to eat and drink near you to use during communion.
Masks Required. Those attending in-person worship will be required to wear masks covering mouth and nose the entire time that they are in the building.
Remember:
My mask protects you; your masks protects me.
Arrive Early. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the begin of worship so greeters may welcome you and ushers may point you to your seats.
Attendance will be taken for contact tracing purposes and social distancing will be observed when seating people.
Please see our main page for live streamed worship!
Here is what you need to know:
World Communion Sunday. Please bring food and drink to use during communion, for yourself and your family. We will bless them and each consume what we have brought.
If you attend online or watch the service later, please place something to eat and drink near you to use during communion.
Masks Required. Those attending in-person worship will be required to wear masks covering mouth and nose the entire time that they are in the building.
Remember:
My mask protects you; your masks protects me.
Arrive Early. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the begin of worship so greeters may welcome you and ushers may point you to your seats.
Attendance will be taken for contact tracing purposes and social distancing will be observed when seating people.
Please see our main page for live streamed worship!
September 6, 2020
Positivity cases in Montgomery County went slightly up in the last 2-3 weeks. Please stay the course this holiday weekend and do your part to keep the virus from spreading. It is difficult but we have made it this far! Any rate below 5 percent is a good rate (that is the rate that statistically states that a community is able to control the spread). We are at 3/1%. Let's try for less than 1%! so that we can be sure to restart in-person services!
Wash your hands. Practice social distancing. Wear a mask. Avoid large gatherings.
BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
Wash your hands. Practice social distancing. Wear a mask. Avoid large gatherings.
BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
Exciting Announcement
August 18, 2020
What is taking so long?
What is taking so long? This may be a question you are asking yourself when it comes to reopening the church.
Why does it take so long? Well, let us try to explain:
At this time, indoor gatherings of more than 25 persons are prohibited*. While malls can be open at 50 percent and restaurants at 25 percent - each of them does not constitute ONE gathering. In a mall people may walk by each other but usually do not remain for an extended time in each other's company. Risk increases with location, number of people, and time spent in the vicinity of a person who may have the virus. In worship on the other hand, we are all gathering as ONE body of Christ and not each as individual families,we sit together for about an hour in one room with little movement of air and people. Therefore, the strictest guidance of 25 persons is what is safest for us as we consider returning to worship.
So what does 25 people look like?
On a typical Sunday, we have 1 pastor, 1 organist, 2 sextons, 2 greeters, and 2 ushers - that is 8 people out of the 25. If we include a reader than it is 9.. This leaves us with 16 people who could attend worship service.
Why does it take so long? Well, let us try to explain:
At this time, indoor gatherings of more than 25 persons are prohibited*. While malls can be open at 50 percent and restaurants at 25 percent - each of them does not constitute ONE gathering. In a mall people may walk by each other but usually do not remain for an extended time in each other's company. Risk increases with location, number of people, and time spent in the vicinity of a person who may have the virus. In worship on the other hand, we are all gathering as ONE body of Christ and not each as individual families,we sit together for about an hour in one room with little movement of air and people. Therefore, the strictest guidance of 25 persons is what is safest for us as we consider returning to worship.
So what does 25 people look like?
On a typical Sunday, we have 1 pastor, 1 organist, 2 sextons, 2 greeters, and 2 ushers - that is 8 people out of the 25. If we include a reader than it is 9.. This leaves us with 16 people who could attend worship service.
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Do we feel comfortable allowing only 17 people to attend?
What would we do with an 18th person arriving? Would you want to turn that person away? And if we have people sign up, what do we do with people that did not know or did not sign up but felt called to attend church? Do you remember that "Bouncer" TV add from the UCC? Wouldn't it feel a bit like that? As if we are bouncers that turn people away? |
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A careful check of our worship space and pews allows for seating between 32 and 46 people, depending on how many families, couples, or single individuals, while adhering to social distancing guidelines. This count does not include the pastor and organist. While this still is a small number, looking at the survey results, this number does more closely fit within the number of worshipers we can expect when we first reopen. Because of this, it is best for us to wait for the lifting of group limits before considering a return to worship;
Now you may say "Other churches are meeting!". That is correct, Some churches are holding in-person services. Many of the churches within our denominations are holding their worship outside, which has larger group limits. Trinity is limited in how it could hold outdoor services and the cost of renting a large tent as well as outdoor speakers etc. is prohibitive. It simply is not within our budget unless all of the giving is doubled or even tripled nor do we have a large enough outdoor space.
We hope this helps you to understand "What is taking so long?". It is taking so long not because we want to or because the pastor, council, or anybody else is dragging their feet, or because the UCC or our conference or our association make us wait and stay closed - but because we (that means all of Trinity) love you and care about your physical, spiritual, and emotional health and safety - yours and everybody else's - and that means we do not wish to turn people away.
*https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/#WhatPhaseIsMyCountyin
Now you may say "Other churches are meeting!". That is correct, Some churches are holding in-person services. Many of the churches within our denominations are holding their worship outside, which has larger group limits. Trinity is limited in how it could hold outdoor services and the cost of renting a large tent as well as outdoor speakers etc. is prohibitive. It simply is not within our budget unless all of the giving is doubled or even tripled nor do we have a large enough outdoor space.
We hope this helps you to understand "What is taking so long?". It is taking so long not because we want to or because the pastor, council, or anybody else is dragging their feet, or because the UCC or our conference or our association make us wait and stay closed - but because we (that means all of Trinity) love you and care about your physical, spiritual, and emotional health and safety - yours and everybody else's - and that means we do not wish to turn people away.
*https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/#WhatPhaseIsMyCountyin
August 2020
Hand sanitizer machines are in place and cleaning supplies have arrived. At this time we are waiting for the group limits to be lifted so that the Council can move forward with opening plans.
July 2020
We are now focused on our re-opening plan since achieving ‘green’ status in Montgomery County. Please carefully review the developed procedures also found in The Bell, to make sure you understand what worship will look like once the church re-opens.
Please know that re-opening has a very fluid time-frame based on getting the needed safety supplies for the church as well as monitoring the number of COVID-19 cases in the community. The Church Council and re-opening committee understand that some of you may be eager to get back to church. Please know that we, too, look forward to the time that we can worship together and share in fellowship. The responsibility of the safety of the congregation weighs heavily on Church Council, and we want to honor the commitment we have made in making rational and informed decisions. Please read our August newsletter for more information.
Please know that re-opening has a very fluid time-frame based on getting the needed safety supplies for the church as well as monitoring the number of COVID-19 cases in the community. The Church Council and re-opening committee understand that some of you may be eager to get back to church. Please know that we, too, look forward to the time that we can worship together and share in fellowship. The responsibility of the safety of the congregation weighs heavily on Church Council, and we want to honor the commitment we have made in making rational and informed decisions. Please read our August newsletter for more information.
June 2020
The Reopening Committee continues to establish guidelines. Hand sanitizer stations and cleaning supplies are on order at this time but have not yet arrived. Montgomery County reports a flattening of the curve. We are hopeful.
May 2020
Trinity cancelled gathered worship as of March 15th, due to the recommendations by the Montgomery County Health Department, the Governor’s Office, and the Centers for Disease Control. The Church Council and we wish we had a re-opening date by now. Instead, we do not yet know when we will be able to resume church activities and gathered worship and we do not fully know how a reopening may look, The Council will establish a Covid-19 Committee that will write down specific guidelines and rules for an eventual reopening.
April 2020
Considering the current situation and the “open-endedness” of it, the council in consultation with our Christian Education team has decided to cancel Vacation Bible School for this year. I was so excited to go “To Mars and Beyond” with the kids and teachers in July, but unsure of how social distancing and VBS can go hand in hand, we felt this was the best and safest decision for our children and volunteers.
March 2020
Greeting Siblings in Christ,
We have taken the recommendations of the Montgomery County Health Department and the Governor to heart and understand that it is best if we all do our part to decrease the risk of infection with the COVID-19 virus. There is no use in closing schools and mass gatherings if the same people gather in other places. At this time it is believed that severely reducing any gatherings of people and reducing the physical person to person contact will result in a slowdown of the spread of the virus and protect our most vulnerable populations.
Because of this, the leadership of Trinity had to prayerfully consider what is best for the congregation as well as the community. We believe that the decisions made are the most loving decisions we could make at this time, and that is to close our building to all meetings and worship. If you do need to enter the building, please contact the office and we will make arrangements as needed.
If you are able, please monitor our website at wwww.trinityucccollegeville.org and/or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCCollegeville for further updates.
Please join Trinity’s leadership as we lift up in prayer all those directly or indirectly affected by this virus. We also pray for those who cannot stay home from work and those who are on the front lines of caring for the sick. Lastly, we pray that no one has to go hungry while store shelves are rapidly being emptied. Please check in on vulnerable friends and family members and see if they need anything and also check in with your kids - this is hard for us and it is also hard for them. Lastly - but most importantly - don't panic. Practice self-care and connect to the peace of Christ deep within you.
Peace and Grace,
Pastor Suzanne and the Trinity Church Council
We have taken the recommendations of the Montgomery County Health Department and the Governor to heart and understand that it is best if we all do our part to decrease the risk of infection with the COVID-19 virus. There is no use in closing schools and mass gatherings if the same people gather in other places. At this time it is believed that severely reducing any gatherings of people and reducing the physical person to person contact will result in a slowdown of the spread of the virus and protect our most vulnerable populations.
Because of this, the leadership of Trinity had to prayerfully consider what is best for the congregation as well as the community. We believe that the decisions made are the most loving decisions we could make at this time, and that is to close our building to all meetings and worship. If you do need to enter the building, please contact the office and we will make arrangements as needed.
If you are able, please monitor our website at wwww.trinityucccollegeville.org and/or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TrinityUCCCollegeville for further updates.
Please join Trinity’s leadership as we lift up in prayer all those directly or indirectly affected by this virus. We also pray for those who cannot stay home from work and those who are on the front lines of caring for the sick. Lastly, we pray that no one has to go hungry while store shelves are rapidly being emptied. Please check in on vulnerable friends and family members and see if they need anything and also check in with your kids - this is hard for us and it is also hard for them. Lastly - but most importantly - don't panic. Practice self-care and connect to the peace of Christ deep within you.
Peace and Grace,
Pastor Suzanne and the Trinity Church Council
