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**UPDATE: Phase 3 per CA Beyond the Blueprint Health Orders as of June 15th 2021

COVID-19 Update & the Delta Variant

Effective midnight on Sunday, July 18th there was another mask mandate that went into effect given a spike in some numbers in California, especially LA county and Long Beach. This means on Sunday if you are going to be in person please have your mask, and we will continue to keep you up to date with information as we get it. Not only is this a local mandate, but we want to continue caring for each other at all times looking for ways to show each other the sacrificial, other-oriented love we see in Jesus towards the vulnerable.

As a community, we have intentionally chosen to remain online during this season of COVID to care for everyone in our community especially our most vulnerable. As we regather in person, our priorities remain the same with care for the community as a whole in shalom - nothing missing, nothing broken. After 6 weeks of meeting outside on the patio, several weeks indoors, and following local guidelines we are ready to move into Phase 3. We have followed every requirement and recommendation to prepare our building, staff, and volunteers to create a safe environment for everyone.

Our goal and our heart are to move at a pace that respects our whole community knowing that we are not all at the same level of comfort or hold the same beliefs about the restrictions/recommendations. We understand that some of you have been ready and eager to meet in person and be in the building for some time and the waiting has been very hard. We understand that there are people in our community that are unable to meet in person even with the safety measures we are implementing. We care for all of you wherever you are finding yourselves and we honor your position.

We will continue streaming the Sunday gatherings and hope to provide each of us with as many opportunities for connection as we can. And please let us know if there is anything else that would help you to feel more connected as valued members of our community. We invite you into prayer and discernment with us as we are all eager to be with one another.

Please watch the video below from the Pastoral Lead Team to learn more.

Phases for Reopening the Building

Phase 3 - June 27th

• Beginning Sunday, June 27th we will host worship gatherings and children’s ministry in the building without capacity limitations

• Registrations are no longer required to attend in person & we will not be performing COVID symptom screening at the door

• You are free to enter without a mask if vaccinated & you are free to wear a mask for comfort, consideration, or concern (SEE DELTA VARIANT UPDATE ABOVE)

• Masks are still required for all children/youth over the age of 2 and for all volunteers in the Children’s and Youth ministry (per health order)

• Hospitality will serve coffee, tea, & water before and after each gathering to enjoy out on our patio

• Air Conditioners with MERV-13 HEPA filters will run while the building is in use to circulate clean air

• Cleaning and sanitizing with CDC approved cleaning products will take place after each gathering, including sanctuary chairs

• As before, we will continue live streaming every gathering for those joining us from home

Q & A

When are we meeting inside?

We began meeting inside on June 13th. After 6 weeks of worship on the patio, we have prepared our building to be in compliance with CDC and OSHA guidelines. We also use sanitizing equipment to clean the building in-house after each gathering.

What will we have for the children?

Children’s ministry will continue utilizing 3 classrooms with limited capacity:

• A toddler room - capacity at 4 children

• A preschool/lower elementary classroom - ages 4 to 1st grade, capacity at 12 children

• An upper elementary classroom - 2nd grade to 5th grade, capacity at 10 children

What if my child needs to use the restroom? - To limit time spent in the restroom, trips will no longer be in groups with a teacher. Please take your child prior to dropping them off in the classroom area. This has the added benefit of having each child enter the classroom area with freshly washed hands. If a child needs to use the facilities during the gathering, a teacher will text the parent to accompany their child to the bathroom and return them after. If you feel your child is comfortable and able to use the restroom unaccompanied, you may sign a release stating they can walk to the bathroom and return without supervision.

To learn more, read the updated Children’s Ministry Reopening Guidelines below.

Will our volunteers with children/youth be vaccinated?

Due to HIPAA laws, we are not able to share the personal health information of our volunteers/staff. We will do everything in our power to maintain a safe and sanitary meeting environment and will still enforce all CDC regulations for our gatherings.

Specific Needs/Asks

• FINANCIAL SUPPORT - As we move into the next phase of meeting inside the sanctuary with fewer restrictions, we are still required to sanitize our indoor facilities in accordance with OSHA and CDC requirements. Although this cost is lessened by doing in-house cleaning, it will still be an added cost. You can help by financially supporting the cleaning & supply costs by adding to your regular tithe or beginning to give and donating to the Hospitality Fund (note in the memo it’s for the building cleaning fund).

• VOLUNTEER for the Cleaning team to sanitize the building; Hospitality team to help with set up, check-in, & coffee; the Production team to help with the technology needed to live stream; Children's Ministry; or anywhere else you can/want to serve.

• SHARE the information you receive with others in your community, if you don't have an answer for a question, ASK the Pastoral Lead Team or Sam Smidt, the Operations Manager.

• PATIENCE and TRUST in our leadership as we work hard to reopen our building.

Have more questions? Email us at lbcf@lbcf.org