In order to reopen for worship services on June 13th, a number of changes had to be made. We will be shifting from pre-recorded worship services for the last 15 months to a hybrid model of in-person and live-streaming. Everything that has been done has been with safety, equity, and accessibility in mind.

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• Our beautiful 100-year-old sanctuary lacks modern HVAC conveniences. We have a window and floor fan configuration that, when tested with a fog machine, confirmed the movement and refreshment of clean fresh air through the sanctuary multiple times an hour. This will help us follow CDC recommendations for keeping our air safe when we gather together.

• We’ve changed the layout of the Sanctuary. We will be able to host up to 100 people in the main seating area (per current capacity restrictions,) and also have needed overflow with live video and audio in the Fellowship Hall. The chairs and pews have been reconfigured to allow proper spacing between rows, and we will ask groups or parties attending worship to keep two empty chairs between their groups for social distancing.

• The spacing in the Chancel has also been opened up to allow proper spacing of all worship participants, while also reconfiguring sightlines for both in-person and on-camera live streaming. Most items on the Chancel, including the communion table, pulpit, piano and other worship equipment have all been moved to accommodate for our current needs.

• Lastly, communion will look different, with new prepackaged individual servings of bread and juice being handed out by a server with gloves on as you arrive, so that everyone can enjoy communion safely at the proper time in worship.

 

What to Expect if Attending In-Person

For those wanting to join us again for in-person worship, we will be asking you to consider a few extra steps for everyone’s safety and equity.

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• Our worship service will remain at 10:30am, with live-streaming beginning at that time. A video of our worship service will also be available for later viewing. All details can be found on our website at salemfpc.org/live.

• To join us, please reserve space for your group/party each week at salemfpc.org/live. This will help us in maintaining capacity guidelines and for contract tracing.

• We ask that everyone wear a mask when inside our building, regardless of their vaccination status. There are some in our congregation, including myself, who have compromised immune systems or underlying health issues, but still want the opportunity to worship safely in-person. This is an extra layer of protection to safely worship together.

• Seating will be by group/party. For some, that will just be their immediate household. Other groups may consist of multiple households that know they can sit safely together. Whatever your group or party size, please arrive and sit together with two empty seats between groups.

• Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the service to accommodate sign-in and spaced-out seating. The Sanctuary will be open for seating starting at 10:00am.

• Arrive through either the Winter St or parking lot doors and enter the Sanctuary from the back. Ushers will assist you with seating to ensure proper social distancing.

• There will be fellowship time after the service, both indoors in the Fellowship Hall, and outside. For safety, we encourage everyone to bring their own beverage, but individually wrapped goodies to go will be available after the service.

• We will be working to keep services to just under an hour, again, to keep things safe. 

• Yes, there will be singing! We look forward to lifting our voices together in song. So, bring a mask that you are comfortable talking and singing in!

• There will be child care and children will be dismissed for elementary Sunday School.

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To join us for in-person worship, please sign up by clicking HERE

To watch our worship service online (livestream or previously recorded), visit salemfpc.org/live

Our website and youtube channel will also host previous services you can watch anytime.  You can also search “Salem First Presbyterian” on YouTube and subscribe to the channel. 
 

We would also LOVE to see what worshipping together virtually looks like through pictures of you worshipping at home that we can post to the SFPC Facebook page!  You can post pictures on either Facebook or Instagram and tag us (@salemfpc) or email them to media@salemfpc.org.

 

For our offering time, you can give online via our website, you can send a text message to 503-676-5683, or use your bank or financial institution’s online banking services to send a check directly to the church. Thank you for your continued generous support!