From the Office of the Senior, Executive & Associate Pastors

Goshen Seventh-day Adventist Church
8221 South State Street, Chicago IL 60619

October 23, 2020

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

As you are aware the Coronavirus (COVID-19) numbers are ramping up. These are serious times which require prayer and vigilance.

We WILL continue to have Worship on Sabbaths at our new normal times (11:15am Divine Worship, 5pm Bible Study) unless any new major development in the spread of this virus causes us to close our doors again, at that time we will resume worship remotely. Sabbath school for Adults & Children are held on Friday evenings at 7pm via Microsoft Teams/Conference Call, please visit our website for additional information. Please only use the front exit to enter the building during worship times. A reminder that the doors to the fellowship hall are closed to the general public until the conclusion of service at which time they will be opened for everyone to exit straight to the parking lot. If you are feeling ill, we advise that you worship with us from home and watch us live via Facebook until such time that you have recuperated.

Additional Information Regarding Reopening:

• State Mandated Seating is limited to 60 people until further notice. Please RSVP for our in Person Worship Service at https://goshensda.com/events/live-worship-rsvp
• All attendees must wear a mask at all times.
• Please be sure to sit/stand at least 6 feet from those who are in attendance (if they do not live in your household).
• We require temperature & questionnaire screening prior to entering the facilities.
• For those who are comfortable watching from home, no worries! Stream with us live on our social media platforms.

In light of this virus we are asking members and guests to refrain from personal contact as much as possible (hand shaking, etc.). We also ask that if you are not wearing a mask that you sit in our designated social distancing areas where each person will be seated 6 feet apart. We are also encouraging everyone to utilize hand sanitizing stations (located throughout the building) when necessary and wash your hands using both soap and water for the recommended 20 seconds. We will not have potluck at church for the foreseeable future.

In closing, this is not to create panic, but to exercise precaution. Let us hold fast to our faith and embrace the word of God. We are prayerful in taking these measures to help ensure the safety and security of our members and guests. As a faith tradition, we fully embrace and affirm the worth and practice of personal and family prayer and devotion. We strongly encourage all families to continue to use this time to pay attention to such spiritual disciplines and have candid conversations with your families about this critical time. Spend time talking to your children and helping them to further trust in God.