St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Valiyapally, Los Angeles: June 2020

Dear Church Family,

This is an update to our Church Reintegration Plan

On June 14th, the managing committee met to discuss our initial experience from re-opening church this past weekend. We are adjusting our plans, while keeping everyone's health and safety as the main priority, with the following changes:

1. Registration - The link is open to everyone in the church. For now, we will NOT limit attendance by prayer groups.

a. http://reopen.stthomasla.com/

b. It will be ‘first come, first served’

c. Please register for either Saturday OR Sunday

2. Maximum Capacity- We will be limited to 40 registrants per Holy Qurbana.

3. Shoes - You may remove your shoes outside of the church, instead of bringing them into church with you. Shoes will NOT be allowed in the church lobby/narthex since we are trying to eliminate crowding.

4. Arrival - Everyone participating in Qurbana MUST arrive by 9:45AM. (instead of 9:30AM)

We welcome your thoughts and feedback as we

continue to re-evaluate this plan, while keeping focused on the health and safety of our entire Church Family. We also appreciate your patience through this.

Let us continue to pray for all those afflicted by and caring for those with COVID-19

Prayerfully,

Managing Committee 2020

Dear Church Family,

On June 1, 2020, the Managing Committee made the decision to reintegrate the congregation into worship services on the church premises starting Sunday, June 14. This will be done in a phased manner (one prayer group at a time) in accordance with the LA County Department of Public Health Order of the Health Officer and the CDC Guidelines.

The following is a summary of the important highlights which we will be following. It is very important that we follow these steps so that we can keep ourselves and others healthy.

This is our plan for reintegration

a. During this phase, we will have Holy Qurbana every Saturday and Sunday.

b. The Managing Committee will assign a specific Saturday or Sunday Holy Qurbana to each prayer group. This will continue until we are allowed to have everyone gather for church together.

c. Everyone who is participating in Holy Qurbana from a prayer group MUST register via our Breeze system by the THURSDAY before their assigned Qurbana. This is the link: http://reopen.stthomasla.com

d. If a prayer group does not fill the maximum allowed spots for their Saturday or Sunday Qurbana by Thursday (refer to point c), the remaining spots will be made available to the rest of the parish.

e. Each prayer group leader should help their prayer group members register so that they can participate in Holy Qurbana

The St. Gregorios Prayer Group (Bellflower, Norwalk, Lakewood, etc) is assigned to attend Holy Qurbana this Sunday, June 14. We will inform everyone of future assignments soon.

You must not attend church if ANY of the following apply to you.

a. Those above the age of 65

b. Those with immune-compromising illnesses, diabetes, heart conditions, respiratory conditions

c. New or worsening cough

d. Sore throat

e. Shortness of breath

f. Fever of more than 100 degrees F OR any medicine to reduce fever in the last 24 hours

g. Loss of smell or taste

h. You or anyone in your household who has been diagnosed with COVID 19 in the last 14 day

i. Understandably, you will not be allowed into church if any of these apply to you

Church Protocols

a. PARKING – EVERY OTHER space, leave 1 parking spot between you and the nearest car

b. ARRIVAL TIME - Everyone must arrive during Morning Prayer on or before 9:30am. No one will be allowed to enter the church after the Holy Qurbana has begun

c. FACE COVERINGS - MUST be worn by everyone in the congregation. No admission will be allowed if a mask is not used and worn throughout the Qurbana

d. SHOES - Remove footwear outside the church and place them in a bag and bring them into church with you

e. TEMPERATURE - will be taken for everyone upon entering the church lobby by a committee member who is wearing a face mask and gloves

f. HAND SANITIZER - The committee member will also provide everyone entering/exiting the church hand sanitizer

g. SEATING - Families will be seated together at a 6 ft distance from any other family; children must stand with their parents

h. ENTERING & EXITING - The lobby entrance will be a one-way entrance only and the center aisle will be a one-way path; The side exit doors of the church will be the one-way exit from the church

i. RECEIVING QURBANA & DISMISSAL - Holy Qurbana will be given to the faithful after the final curtain is drawn and those who receive Qurbana will then dismiss from the church via the proper exit door

j. FELLOWSHIP - There will be no fellowship in the church or in the parking lot following the Holy Qurbana. Moreover, there will be no admission downstairs, except for bathroom usage, in order to prevent coming up and down the same stairwell

We recognize that the extra steps may be slightly tedious, however we ask that everyone follow these steps so that we can continue to keep the potential spread of COVID19 minimized. Furthermore, it is important that we comply with these as they are per the guidance from the LA County Department of Health and CDC. In addition to the reintegration, we will continue to livestream Sunday services.

Let us continue to pray to God for all those who are afflicted by or caring for those with COVID19.

Prayerfully, Managing Committee 2020

St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Valiyapally, Los Angeles

Pages

Live Streaming Details - 4th Sunday after Pentecost, June 28, 2020

Live Stream Details for Holy Qurbono - June 21, 2020

Church Reintegration Plan - Updated 6/15/20

Live Stream Details for Holy Qurbono - June 14, 2020

Church Reopen Plan - Starts Sunday, June 14, 2020

Church Reintegration Details