Reservations & Re-opening Information
Here at Dauphin Island United Methodist Church, we are looking forward to a more normal format and pattern of worship. Our hearts yearn for in-person worship. These are definitely trying and unprecedented times. However, in spite of all that we have been through, we have so much to be thankful for. Through hard work, discernment, and God’s grace we have achieved financial health, and we have completed some much needed renovations to our facility.
We are excited to announce that we will reopen on August 16 with a full schedule of Sunday services: 8:30 am, 11:00 am, and 5:00 pm. This is especially exciting for us, as we have been limited to one morning service for two years. Because of social distancing guidelines, we are limited to 14 people for each service. In order to provide an opportunity for everyone to worship we are requiring pre-registration for each service.
In addition to three Sunday Services we will continue to share our worship services online. You can access these services through this website, Facebook, and Youtube.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT AT ONE OF OUR SERVICES
By reserving a space for me and/or my family I affirm that I/we do not knowingly present a health risk to anyone else in the congregation.
If you are not able to use your reservation please email webmaster@diumc.org as soon as possible because we have limited seating.
PASTOR TIM'S LETTER
Grace and Peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
It has been over four months since we have worshiped together in person, and I am certain that by now you are growing weary of waiting, as I am. Waiting is naturally one of the most difficult parts of this pandemic and it pains me to ask you to exercise patience and wait a little longer.
I can assure you that we are doing everything possible to return to in-person worship as soon as it is safely possible. Our administrative council has appointed a Task Force of five members to plan and implement our safe return to in-person worship. Please pray for this team as they work diligently to meet the guidelines of the Center for Disease Control, state and local governments, and the bishop of the Alabama West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Though these guidelines may seem daunting, they are necessary for the safety of all who gather in our facilities at this time.
Whether we like it or not, this pandemic has changed many aspects of life in our culture and in gathering to worship. Not only are we waiting to return to worship, we are waiting to return to work, we are waiting to sit down in a restaurant, we are waiting to have a conversation in the grocery store from less than six feet away, and we are waiting for life to return to normal. By now, many of us are forgetting what normal looks like. We are gradually accepting the possibility of a new normal. For many of us the thought of a new normal is scary and we don’t even want to think about it. However, we must consider the challenges we face in gathering safely. We must prepare our hearts to continue in the work of Christ, which is loving God, loving each other, loving our neighbor, and doing no harm if it is in our power.
The Task Force has been working hard to make in-person worship possible with your safety as our main concern. We returned to in-person worship on Sunday, August 16 with three services: 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 5:00 p.m. Because of social distancing guidelines, we are limited to 14 people for each service. In order to provide an opportunity for everyone to worship we are requiring pre-registration for each service. A simple way to register follows: Go to www.diumc.org and follow the link “CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT.” If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Ed Holton at webmaster@DIUMC.org.
We look forward to seeing how God transforms our church in developing disciples of Christ and expands our church family. Please be in prayer for how God is guiding you to serve in the body of Christ within our church family. We are excited about the opportunities God is giving us at this time!
Yours in Christ
Pastor Tim
RE-OPENING STANDARD PROCEDURES
1. Touchless thermometer temperature for each person entering. Person with Temp above normal range will have to be turned away
2. Mask covering your mouth and nose are to be worn by all and at all times: We will have masks/gloves and hand sanitizers available at entrance/exit
3. Bulletins and other documents will be available to pick up at entrance
4. Safe social distancing for all at all times
5. Seating per safe seating in designated locations only
6. All internal doors propped open so no touching
7. All external doors to be handled by Ushers only with gloves
8. All media will have been removed from pews.
9. All service communication by voice, on screen, or available at entrance
10. All present to avoid touching and greet only with a wave!
11. Music to be conducted by Tim, Debra, Shirley and Don
12. Entrance at front with exit at back to limit safe distancing
13. Offering containers available at Entrance and at Exit.
14. Communion in pews with prepackaged “wine and wafer” units
15. The kitchen is closed. There is no gathering in the building before or after service.
16. We will have various reminder signs at key points throughout facility
17. No Nursery or Children’s Sunday School available initially.
18. All small group meetings should be on line via Zoom for the time being.
19. Should you hear of anyone becoming ill, please notify the Pastor and we will alert the Congregation immediately!
20. We will clean and sanitize entrances and exits, sanctuary and fellowship hall before and after each use!
21. Please pray for each other.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation with these limitations during this challenging time!