In-Person, Indoor Service | August 30, 10:00 am

In order to love God and to love our neighbors, Grace Church of the Valley (GCV) has been meeting outside to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 since May 31. However, the GCV elders have determined they no longer accept the orders, demands, and requests of local/state government as being consistent with the spiritual health and well-being of the GCV church family and neighbors in the community. Furthermore, GCV is under God’s command to his Church to not neglect meeting together (Hebrews 10:25). Although the government has not formally forbidden GCV from meeting together outside, the practical results of ongoing restrictions (bans on singing, attendance caps, or prohibitions against gatherings and services) would effectively prevent GCV from gathering together as God commands (as well as violate people’s constitutional rights as American Christians). The elders’ desire has always been to resume ministries in person as quickly and safely as possible.

Therefore, Grace Church of the Valley will resume Sunday morning indoor worship on August 30, 2020 (10:00–11:30 am). We will continue providing a space outdoors on campus to stream the service as well as the option to livestream at home for those at risk or uncomfortable with meeting indoors. Please contact your shepherding elder or any member of the elder team with any questions or concerns that you might have.

If for any reason (conscience, health, etc.) you are uncomfortable attending an in-person worship service, we encourage you to stay home and tune in to the livestream at 8:30 am at graceofthevalley.org/live.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

- Ephesians 4:1–3

Prepare | Before You Come

We are asking that you please complete this poll to help the GCV staff prepare for August 30: Click Here.

Plan to be patient and gracious with one another. Don’t assume your preferences are the same as everyone else’s! (Romans 14:13)

Plan, pray, and prepare your family before Sunday morning.

Don’t come if you are sick, are in contact with someone who is sick, or are considered high risk.

Please be mindful of social distancing norms: six feet apart, avoid touching, avoid sharing/passing items, etc.

Face coverings are welcome but optional. (Please be patient with one another’s preferences.)

Please wear recently cleaned clothing to the worship service.

Please use the restroom before coming to the worship service to limit restroom use at GCV. Restrooms in the Worship Center and the Generations Building will be available. 

Prepare | When You Arrive

Hand Sanitizer
We will have bottles of hand sanitizer available for you to use in the lobby, near the entrances, and near the restrooms. Please do not take the bottles with you. Please be mindful of social distancing norms: six feet apart, avoid touching, avoid sharing/passing items, etc.

Offering
We will not be passing offering bags during the service but there will be two offering boxes at the back of the Worship Center where you can put your gifts. You can also continue to give online at graceofthevalley.org/giving or send gifts in the mail to Grace Church of the Valley 1101 Marion Street, Kingsburg, CA 93631.

Seating
GCV will space out seating for attendees who do not live in the same household to at least six feet apart when possible; we will also limit seating to alternate rows. Ushers will be helping people find available, socially distant seating. There will be overflow seating available on the patio and in the Generations Building, Room 203, for those who need extra space.

Communion
We will be celebrating communion on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. We will not be passing the communion elements but you can pick up prepackaged elements in the lobby on your way into the service.

Participation
We will be singing as a congregation on Sunday and we invite you to join us. Face coverings are welcome but optional.

Families with Children
If you have children, please keep them with you and under your supervision at all times before, during, and after the worship service. After the singing, parents can go with their children (age 2 through 4th grade) into the Generations Building for the Seeds lesson. Parents must stay with their children; we will not have class leaders provided. The Seeds lesson will also be livestreamed. Nurseries will be available.

Cry Room
Nursing moms are welcome to use the Cry Room in the Worship Center for extra space and privacy.

Outdoor Livestreaming
The patio outside the Worship Center will be set up as a family overflow area with a livestream of the worship service.

GCV Preparations

GCV will have adequate hygiene supplies, such as soap, tissues, no-touch trash cans, and hand sanitizer (with at least 60 percent alcohol) available.

GCV will space out seating for attendees who do not live in the same household to at least six feet apart when possible, we will also limit seating to alternate rows.

No items will be passed or shared among congregants.

Offering: We will receive offerings at stationary collection boxes instead of passing collection trays or baskets. You can also continue to give through the mail or electronically.

Communion: We will have prepackaged communion elements for congregants to pick up when they arrive.

Bulletin: We will have bulletins available to pick up on your way in.

The worship team will keep a safe distance from one another on the stage.

The sound team will limit people in the sound booth area to minimize contact with one another.

The ushers will be available to safely transport anyone who becomes sick at the facility to their home or a health-care facility.

The security team will have extra members ready to keep the campus safe and help with any issues that could cause potential harm to people in attendance.

The GCV Welcome Team will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. The welcome team will avoid the use of items that are not easily cleaned, sanitized, or disinfected, ensure safe and correct application of disinfectants, and keep them away from children.

GCV will inform those with exposure to a person diagnosed with COVID-19 to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.

In the event a person diagnosed with COVID-19 is determined to have been at Grace Church of the Valley and poses a risk to the community, we will properly clean and disinfect the area and the building where the individual was present.

GCV will communicate clearly with congregants about actions being taken to protect their health.

If you have any questions, email info@graceofthevalley.org and a pastor or staff member will get back to you as soon as possible.