In-Person Worship Information and Seating Chart

We are so excited to begin in-person worship on October 11! Please watch this short video and read the protocols before pre-registering. A seating chart is provided to assist you in choosing a place to participate in worship. You will need to pre-register each week or you can reserve for any Sunday up until the end of the year. We will see you Sunday!

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF SHERIDAN

PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES FOR INDOOR/IN-PERSON WORSHIP DURING COVID

The Sanctuary has been divided into three zones with “bubbles” within each zone:

• The chancel area is a zone that is reserved for worship leaders only. The organist and pianist will remain at their instruments. The pastor will stay in the pulpit. Song leaders will sing from the lectern.
• The nave and balcony have been divided into “bubbles” with two- and four-person (maximum) for each bubble. Persons will reserve a bubble for themselves via the Signup Genius App or website at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040a4ca4a822a3f58-inperson while using the map provided on the church website at this link FUMC Sheridan in-person worship registration for reference.
• The final zone is the narthex, through which all persons will enter and exit the building. Two bubbles will be reserved for guests and two bubbles will be indicated for persons using a wheelchair. The bubbles reserved for guests may be filled “last minute” by persons who have not made reservations on a first-come/first-serve basis and at the discretion of the Usher/Greeters. Each bubble will be indicated by signage.

At least two Usher/Greeters will staff the narthex. The Usher/Greeters will direct persons entering to proceed directly to their bubble, be seated, and remain in place for the duration of the service. Usher/Greeters will also instruct persons entering the building to be seated immediately and (attempt) to have a maximum of two families entering the narthex at any time. A box will be kept in the narthex for persons to leave an offering. The stairwells to the balcony will be one-way traffic only (indicated by signs), with one stairwell to go up and one stairwell to go down. Usher/Greeters will indicate that persons must wear a mask that covers mouth and nose in order to enter the building.

Signs will be posted on the two outside doors to the narthex indicating that masks are required; persons with Covid-19 symptoms in the past 14 days to not enter; and encouraging persons with underlying conditions to not enter. Signs will be from the Arkansas Department of Health. The men’s and women’s restrooms in the narthex will have signs directing only one person/family in the restroom at a time. A hand sanitizating station will be at each entry point. Usher/Greeters will have extra masks for persons without one. The doors from the sanctuary to the hallway leading to the church offices and choir room will have signs indicating that they are for emergency exit only. Persons will be discouraged from entering this area. The outside door to the area with the church office will have a sign indicating that it is not an entrance for Sunday morning.

The Order of Worship will be consistent with the order that has been conducted for online streaming during the pandemic in order to keep the time of service to 35-40 minutes maximum. Only two hymns will be sung (generally with only two verses). Congregants may sing, but must remain masked. Prayer requests will not be taken from the congregation during the prayer time. Children will be encouraged to stand in place during the Childrens’ Moments. On Sundays on which Holy Communion, self-contained packages of the communion elements will be placed in each seat for persons. Holy Communion will be partaken in pew seating only.

At the conclusion of worship, each bubble will be dismissed from back to front by an indication on the screen(s). When one’s bubble is dismissed, persons are encouraged to immediately exit the building. Persons may park in any of the parking lots, however, each family will be asked to leave a space between vehicles. 

---

Seating for B1 and B4 are permanently reserved for guests. Please only sign up for C1 or C4 if you need wheelchair-accessible seating. You may pre-register by filling out the online form on SignUp Genius at www.signupgenius.com/go/9040A4CA4A822A3F58-inperson