The Fellowship of San Antonio

Sunday @ FOSA

Children

(Nursery-5th Grade)

Fellowship Bible Study
See below for time
Children's Church
TBA

Students

(Middle and High School)

Fellowship Bible Study
See below for time

Worship Service

​10:45 AM Online

Adults

(All Ages)

Fellowship Bible Study

See below for times

Worship Service

​10:45 AM Online

THE FELLOWSHIP OF SAN ANTONIO REOPENING GUIDELINES

FOR JUNE 2020

(These guidelines will be reviewed and updated each month)

REOPENING DATE

The Fellowship of San Antonio will reopen for in person worship services on SUNDAY JUNE 7, 2020.  We are doing our best to balance our desire to reopen the church facilities with protection for all, especially the most vulnerable.

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GUIDELINES FOR REOPENING

Below are the guidelines that we are instituting once we reopen on Sunday June 7, 2020:

• General Precautions for All Individuals:

If you have any signs of the COVID-19 virus, if you do not feel well, or if you have had contact with a person who has COVID-19, please do not come to worship, but watch the worship service online.  Symptoms of COVID-19 include a dry cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees.  All individuals that fall within the high-risk groups (age 65 and higher and those with underlying medical conditions) are encouraged to stay at home and worship with us online. 

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• Two Worship Services on Sunday:

We will have two worship services on Sundays at 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM beginning on Sunday June 7, 2020.  Having two services will allow us to practice social distancing in an even greater way by allowing the number of people who wish to worship with us to spread out between the two worship services.

• Social Distancing:

We ask that you practice social distancing at all times while on the FOSA campus.  Every other row in the worship center will be marked off and we ask that you maintain at least 6 feet distance (at least 3 empty seats) between family units.  We ask that families arrive together and sit together to ensure that we can provide 6 feet of distance while maximizing the number of people in the worship service.

• Face Masks:

We ask that all people of every age wear a face mask at all times while on the FOSA campus to protect yourself and others.  We ask that you to bring your own personal face mask to use.  If you do not have a face mask, a disposable face mask will be given to you to wear. 

Note about Social Distancing and Face Masks:

• According to the CDC, the virus is spread by coming into contact with respiratory droplets produced when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.  The problem is that over 45% of the people who spread the disease do not know that they have the virus, nor do they exhibit any symptoms.

• The main reason to wear a mask is that a mask protects others in case you have contracted the virus and do not know it.  Wearing a mask can prevent you from spraying someone with droplets if you cough or sneeze and also protects your mouth and nose from the droplets of others.  Even simple cloth face coverings can slow the spread of the virus and help prevent people from unknowingly transmitting the virus to others. 

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• When it comes to social distancing and wearing a face mask at church, we are guided by the words and example of Jesus who put the welfare of others ahead of himself and encouraged us to love our neighbor.  The Apostle Paul instructed the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians 8-10) to give up their rights for the sake of others, describing his ministry as one of sacrifice and accommodation to others.  As he wrote to the church in Corinth,

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You say, “I have the right to do anything”, but not everything is beneficial.

You say, “I have the right to do anything”, but not everything is constructive.

No one should seek their own good, but should seek the good of others.

(1 Cor. 10:23-24)

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• The words of the Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” - are applicable here as well.  Wearing a mask is the embodiment of the Golden Rule:  I wear a mask to keep you safe just as you wear a mask to keep me safe.  It is the heart and soul of compassion and it is our guiding principle at The Fellowship.

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• If you wish to worship with us and not wear a face mask, we encourage you to worship with us in your home online on YouTube Live by clicking on the link below - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf5QF9CVd4sCt5cJIavK8-Q

• Hand Sanitizing Stations and Hand Washing:

Hand sanitizing stations will be located at all entrances to our building.  Remember to wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer between washings to eliminate germs.​

• Avoid Hand-to-Hand Contact:

No bulletins, print materials or other worship items will be distributed to attendees on Sundays.  Every person should practice “touch-less” greetings with one another (no handshakes, hugs, kisses, etc.) while on campus.

• Nursery, Children and Child Care:

Because of the need to maintain strict social distancing and because of a lack of volunteers (some of our volunteers are older and are not comfortable returning), we will NOT relaunch nursery, preschool and children’s activities on Sunday morning in the initial weeks.  We will constantly be reviewing and reevaluating when children’s activities can resume meeting in person.

• Bible Fellowship Classes:

All Bible Fellowship classes - Nursery, Children, Youth and Adults - will continue meeting online until further notice.  They will NOT meet in person on Sunday mornings, but will continue to meet online on Zoom.  Please check with your teacher for the days and times that you will meet online.  We will constantly be reviewing and reevaluating when Bible Fellowship classes can resume meeting in person.

• FOSA Staff, Greeters, Ushers and Golf Cart Drivers:

All FOSA staff, greeters, ushers and golf cart drivers will wear face masks, practice social distancing and clean and wipe surfaces that might have been touched by someone.  They will also reinforce our policies regarding social distancing, face masks, no touching, handshakes, hugs, etc.  In addition, all FOSA staff, greeters, ushers and golf cart drivers will have their temperature checked each Sunday to make sure they are not sick.  Regarding golf cart drivers, please avoid the use of carts if at all possible. If you need a cart, only one person or one family unit will be allowed on a cart so as to ensure social distancing.

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• FOSA Building:

On Sunday mornings, all the doors to the church (entrance doors, restrooms, worship center doors) will be propped open so that you will not have to touch a door handle once you enter the building.  The water fountains will be blocked off and will not usable.  In addition, coffee, donuts and other food items will not be available.  During the week, we will disinfect and deep clean our building so that it will be ready for use the following Sunday.

• Wednesday Night, Parent’s Day Out, Parent’s Night Out, Etc.:

There will be no Wednesday Night activities, Parent’s Day Out, Parent’s Night Out or any other meetings and activities until further notice. 

HELPFUL ARTICLES AND DOCUMENTS

Below are some articles and documents that we have found helpful in making some of these guidelines.

CHRISTIAN FAITH AND COVID-19

What Is Christian Freedom?

https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-freedom.html

Why You Should Give Up Your Rights for the Gospel

https://ethicsdaily.com/why-you-should-give-up-your-rights-for-the-gospel-cms-24736/

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MEDICINE, SCIENCE AND COVID-19

Interim Guidance for Communities of Faith

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/faith-based.html

Medical Dispatch - Amid the Coronavirus Crisis, a Regimen for Re-Entry

https://www.newyorker.com/science/medical-dispatch/amid-the-coronavirus-crisis-a-regimen-for-reentry?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20200515&instance_id=18502&nl=the-morning&regi_id=536234&segment_id=27919&te=1&user_id=ef8df59fc1ab64b94644eb65bdca1e40

Coronavirus: The Basic Dance Steps Everybody Can Follow

https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-the-basic-dance-steps-everybody-can-follow-b3d216daa343

The Risks - Know Them - Avoid Them

https://www.erinbromage.com/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them?fbclid=IwAR2ki5BZkNFPJdry5G7swRxkLJeV9ZO1Hdy09CBja_L8Ka5y725YpkA6ZNI

Why We Wear Masks:  Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About the Mask.

https://thebulwark.com/newsletter-issue/why-we-wear-masks/?fbclid=IwAR1P4-3yaj55k0zjoz97lOejc-AaRbxL5cUypyu8nivweml61Bs2whFyDXo

From Camping To Dining Out: Here's How Experts Rate The Risks Of 14 Summer Activities

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/05/23/861325631/from-camping-to-dining-out-heres-how-experts-rate-the-risks-of-14-summer-activit

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How the Coronavirus Spreads In Those Everyday Places We Visit

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2020/05/23/your-guide-how/

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CHURCHES AND COVID-19

What Churches Really Think About Opening Up

(FYI – Mike Fanning went to school with a pastor quoted in this article – Rev. Jay Wolf of the First Baptist Church in Montgomery Alabama)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/14/opinion/coronavirus-churches.html

CDC: Arkansas Coronavirus Outbreak Linked to Church Services

https://www.axios.com/cdc-arkansas-church-coronavirus-outbreak-fb265e5a-5db7-4ace-9bc4-098e0d09e7fd.html

CDC: High COVID-19 Attack Rate Among Attendees at Events at a Church — Arkansas, March 2020

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6920e2.htm?s_cid=mm6920e2_w&fbclid=IwAR0RodB4qgNVdNRpSCDQw_3Ctyc9uZJenv40EqVq4m9PRKoYKK7Fz11HtsI

Two Churches Reclose After Faith Leaders and Congregants Get Coronavirus

https://www.chron.com/coronavirus/article/Two-churches-reclose-after-faith-leaders-and-15282942.php

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SAN ANTONIO AND COVID-19

COVID-19 Economic Transition Team: An Addendum to the Health Transition Team Report and Guide to Reopening San Antonio and Bexar County Business

https://therivardreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Economic-Transition-Team-Report.pdf

Why San Antonio Was the Readiest – and the Most Reluctant – to Reopen

https://therivardreport.com/why-san-antonio-was-the-readiest-and-the-most-reluctant-to-reopen/

More San Antonio Churches Opening Doors Again for Public Worship

https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/More-San-Antonio-churches-opening-doors-again-for-15275345.php#photo-19421954

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The Fellowship of San Antonio

23755 Canyon Golf Road

San Antonio, TX  78258

Tel: 210-402-3672

Fax: 210-402-3682