COVID-19 Updates
August 13: Fall Update
After much prayer and consideration, we have decided to continue with the policy in place since March, and keep our facilities closed for worship and events through 2020. While we acknowledge this is sad, we are confident this is the right decision for our congregation and our staff, and challenges us to consider fresh and innovative ways to connect with others and serve our community.
If you have any questions about this decision, please email help@thirdrva.org and one of our staff leaders or elders will get in touch with you.
How will we worship instead? We will continue to offer two opportunities for Sunday worship: Third Online and Third Outside. Third Online is our digital service, streamed at 10:00 a.m. Third Outside are our new mid-sized worship gatherings happening across the region beginning September 13. Keep your eye out for more information on these services—where they will be held and when—in the next couple weeks.
What about bad or cold weather– how will we worship outside then? Streaming Third Online is always available, but we are also actively preparing to return to home-based worship as needed. So, when the weather turns colder, we’ll have a plan to equip households to gather with a few others to worship together. In the meantime, if an outdoor service is cancelled due to rain, we will alert everyone who was registered for the service.
Will we have to register for the outdoor services? Yes! Much like we’re doing now with the outdoor service in our Parking Lot, we will ask that people pre-register and sign waivers.
Will there be a cap to the number of people who can attend an outdoor service? Yes, there will be a cap but the exact number has not been confirmed.
What about our facilities—are they closed as well? Yes, as has been the policy since March, our facilities will remain closed. Our staff and leadership may be using our Fellowship Hall and outdoor spaces for select events in the coming months, but those will be subject to approval and strict safety restrictions.
Why can’t we use our facilities for our meetings or events? Our building’s rooms and hallways do not provide the space needed for safe social distancing. Although the Fellowship Hall allows needed open space that would be safe for smaller groups, the large number of activities at Third requires severe limitations in scheduling.
If I can’t use the building, how can my group meet? We continue to encourage everyone to think creatively about ways you can hold your small gathering or meeting in this new season. Although we know nothing is a perfect replacement for gathering indoors, you can always meet digitally via Zoom, Facebook Messenger Rooms, or Facebook Groups, and you can meet outside in parks, pavilions and yards. Please reach out to your ministry staff leader or Ed Satterfield for more info or help.
I have more questions about this decision. Who should I reach out to? Please email help@thirdrva.org. We’ll direct your questions to staff or elders who will get in touch with you.