APPROVED BY COUNCIL APRIL 29, 2021

 

Recommended by the
#GLCPDX COVID Team

Ernie Butenschoen (GLC President)
Dick Bemrose (GLC Vice President)
Mary Karter (Community Action Chair)
Kelley Irby
Roseann Libonati
Pastor Elizabeth Durant

Gethsemane Lutheran Church
Facility and Safety Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Procedures for in-person activities at church building and grounds.

Updated April 18th, 2022

Friends, please read this communication carefully and do everything you can to abide by these practices so that we can all stay healthy! These guidelines seek to support our mutual safety and well-being while in our building or on church grounds. Although we will do our best to make sure our church is a safe environment, we cannot promise that you will be safe here. Please follow these procedures below and use your best judgment when returning to our church facility.

 

These procedures reflect where we are now.

These will be evaluated, updated, and communicated as our situation changes over time.

They have been prepared in dialogue with council and staff, and are based on most current guidance from a variety of sources including the CDC,  Oregon Health Authority, and the Oregon Synod of the ELCA, taking into consideration our county’s current risk level .

 

 

 

 

Entering and Exiting the Church

The building and grounds are open to the public and visitors.
Please do not come into the church if you are sick, whether you believe your illness is COVID-related or not, or if you have had known contacts with people found to have COVID-19 within 2 weeks of contact (i.e., within the recommended self-quarantine period).
During the week, please enter and exit the church through the office door or the far south back door. (Entry doors are labeled.) 
Hand sanitizer is available when you enter the building. Use as you feel comfortable.
Everyone who comes into the building will sign in and sign out on the sheet. Please use pens from the “Clean” pen jar. The sign-in information will be used for “contact tracing” in the event that someone becomes infected with COVID-19. Engaging in this practice is a crucial way we will keep the congregation safe and cooperate with public health efforts in the wider community. All information is kept confidential and will be stored securely.

Masks and Mask Guidelines

We follow Multnomah County health guidelines and synod recommendations regarding the wearing of face masks. We update these guidelines as official recommendations change based on risk conditions, community spread and hospital caseloads. A limited supply of disposable masks are available in the church office and the narthex.

Church Life

We opened for in-person worship on June 27, 2021. We do not ask for vaccination status. We keep doors open to increase airflow in the sanctuary.
Please stop to sign in when arriving for worship. Follow current mask guidelines.
Since each person’s risk and comfort level varies, refrain from hugging or shaking hands with anyone unless you have mutual consent.
Church members are welcome in the building and grounds. Please ensure that you and each member of your group signs in and out when in the building. Sing in sheets are located in the office and far south back door.

Food and Drink

The coffee bar and church kitchen is open for member use.

Cleaning

Sanitizing supplies are provided in bathrooms. Please sanitize (spray and wipe down) surfaces after using the bathroom.

Staff

Staff follow county mask guidelines and may remove masks when in a private office. Staff sign in and out when they are in the office.

Other Building Users

The building is available to outside users. All groups using the church will be required to comply with these guidelines as part of their rental agreement.

When Someone Becomes Infected

If someone who has been in the church building becomes ill with COVID-19, they should immediately notify Pastor Robert (pastor@glcportland.org) and Anna Lewis (alewis@glcportland.org) at the church office, and follow the guidance below as soon as possible.
The church community and other building users will be notified without revealing the name of the person who is sick. Individuals who used the building during the same period as the infected person, and who may have been exposed, should contact their health care practitioner immediately and follow their guidance in regard to self-isolating, testing, and other steps. In addition, the church will also contact local public health authorities (health departments) and immediately discontinue all in-person activities until a later date when public health officials deem it safe again. We encourage anyone who is either ill with COVID-19 or is a contact of a COVID-19 ill persons to also call their local health departments for further guidance.