Brothers and sisters –
With vaccine availability currently outweighing demand and case counts continuing to drop, I am excited to announce that starting this Sunday, May 16, we will return to our full church meetings, including in-person second hour classes and primary meetings. While this roll out will certainly come with some continuing adjustments, I wanted to include as much information as possible. Please let me know if you have specific questions I can answer.
Meeting schedule starting May 16:
10:30-11:30 = Sacrament meeting
11:30-11:40 = Passing period
11:40-12:30 = Second-hour classes, including primary
Sacrament meeting
- Sacrament meeting will be held in person for all members. Members are encouraged to attend in person and participate in the sacrament ordinance with the ward. Specific permission to administer the sacrament at home needs to be granted by the bishop.
- For the time being, sacrament meeting will still be broadcast at the link here. Because of this, the sacrament ordinance will continue to be done at the end of sacrament meeting.
- We will no longer require that a row be between families seated in the chapel, meaning more people can sit closer to the front than in past weeks.
- Masks will be required by those administering the sacrament.
- Please be respectful of others’ choices regarding mask wearing.
- Hymn books will again be available to those who desire to use them.
- We will continue to have hand sanitizer readily available at both entrances of the chapel.
Adult & Youth Second-Hour Classes
- Starting with Sunday School classes this week, adult and youth classes will be held in their regular rooms for the full 50-minute duration.
- Teachers will make reasonable accommodations to broadcast class to those unable to attend. Families are encouraged to work with teachers to find working solutions.
- Please be respectful of others’ choices regarding mask wearing.
- For specific questions about a class or quorum meeting, please reach out to the organizational president.
Primary & Nursery
- Junior primary and senior primary will split time between class and singing time. Specific information about class room assignments and primary schedules will be coming from the primary presidency in coming days.
- Teachers will make reasonable accommodations to broadcast class to those unable to attend. Families are encouraged to work with teachers to find broadcast solutions suitable to them.
- Singing time will be held in the primary room and will also be broadcast for the time being for those unable to attend in person. More information will be available from the primary presidency.
- Please be respectful of others’ choices regarding mask wearing.
- Nursery will be held. Specific adjustments and accommodations will be announced by the primary.
Other Notes, Thoughts & FAQs
- Members are encouraged to remain kind, understanding and patient — with ward leaders, teachers and each other — as we continue to transition back to our regular meeting schedule.
- Members are still encouraged to limit time in the foyer of the chapel after meetings, instead socializing outside the building as weather permits.
- Building cleaning assignments will again move to twice per week. As always, organizations using the building during the week should clean up after themselves, including taking out trash.
“Church members, including youth, should help clean and care for meetinghouses. As members provide such service, their reverence for the Lord’s house deepens. Where possible, members should fulfill this responsibility as part of weekly events when they are already at the meetinghouse. Members may also be asked to help clean other Church facilities.” (General handbook, 35.3.1)
- Organizational activities may resume, but reasonable efforts should be made to make all participants feel comfortable and the building should be cleaned after use.
- Some stake sports have resumed (specifically co-ed volleyball on Wednesday nights). Additional sports will be announced as they become available.
- Baptism information will continue to be coordinated between families, the primary presidency and the stake baptismal coordinators. For now, baptisms will continue to be held twice a month (on the first and third Saturdays). Any adjustments will be announced as they become available. For questions, please talk to a member of the primary presidency.
I look forward to seeing you all this Sunday!
Bishop Bennett