Morristown Seventh-day Adventist Church

Goal

• The response plan must be staged, localized by county based on official, publicly available, vetted scientific data.

  • The Tennessee Department of Health Epi Curves - New cases by County will be our primary source when filtered for Hamblen County.

  • The Harvard Global Health Institute and Brown School of Public Health COVID Risk Levels Dashboard will be our secondary source when filtered for Hamblen County.

• The stages in our plan aim to be proportional to the exponential growth of COVID-19.

Overall

• We will continue to live stream during all stages.

• Communication of changes between stages will be shared by OneCallNow, website, church landline phone voicemail greeting, and Google Voice voicemail greeting.

STAGE 1: Based on Friday's numbers 0-9 cases per 100,000 people average in the past 7 days in any of our counties (the highest of Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson)

• All activities normal

• Good public health practices

  • Anyone who is or feels immuno-compromised should stay home.

  • Screen each attendee

    • Prospective attendees may not attend if any of the following are true: cough, fever over 100.4, shortness of breath, or contact with anyone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

    • Each attendee temperature taken at door with contactless thermometer.

• Educate

STAGE 2: Based on Friday's numbers 10-44 cases per 100,000 people average in the past 7 days in any of our counties (the highest of Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson)

• Modify some activities

  • Screening described above PLUS

  • Disinfection of high contact surfaces before, during, and after services.

  • Social distance seating options available to all who want it (six feet distance between non family members)

  • We are exploring an offering bag on a pole.  If not the offering will be collected as people exit.  There will be no hand to hand passing of the offering plate.  

  • Parents may choose to allow their children to come up front for the children's story.  The children's offering will not be collected.

  • Potlucks will be available with food served cafeteria style with new plates each serving.

  • Church Board will be in person and online/phone conference to accommodate immunocompromised church board members.

  • No communion.

  • No overnight events. [The Elder's Board will explore outdoor events where each family is socially distanced from one another on overnight events.]

• Begin to implement response plan

• Communicate

STAGE 3:

3a response (Executive recommendation we believe to be important OR based on Friday's numbers 45-49 cases per 100,000 people average in the past 7 days in any of our counties (the highest of Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson)):

• Modify and cancel some activities

  • Screening and modified activities above PLUS

  • Social distancing mandatory for all participants.  Multiple Church and Sabbath School services may be needed.

  • No handshakes or hugs

  • Masks are still optional.  The use of masks as currently used is of questionable scientific benefit.

• Communicate

3b response (Executive recommendation we believe to be important OR based on Friday's numbers 50-54 cases per 100,000 people average in the past 7 days in any of our counties (the highest of Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson)):

• Cancel all but the most essential in-person activities

  • All previous restrictions PLUS

  • No children’s Sabbath School Divisions.  Only Youth, Young Adult, and Adult Sabbath School divisions.

  • Consider allowing or eliminating other non-church service events on a case by case basis

3c response (Executive Order OR based on Friday's numbers 55-59 cases per 100,000 people average in the past 7 days in any of our counties (the highest of Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson)):

• Church closure with only streaming staff and participants.  Usually nine or less people are permitted per Executive Order

• All in person official church gatherings are cancelled

• Drive in church where family members stay in their vehicles will be permitted for Sabbath School and Church services

3d response (Executive Order OR based on Friday's numbers 60+ cases per 100,000 people average in the past 7 days in any of our counties (the highest of Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson)):

• Stream from homes only