COVID-19 Update: Local Requirements and Summit’s Precautions
You may be aware that earlier this week, our governor lifted the emergency COVID-19 restrictions put in place by local authorities for the state of Florida.
As dynamics continue to change in our community and we see positive trends in both the management of the spread of the virus and in the administration of the vaccine, we are paying close attention to the guidance of our local counties. By keeping pace with our community, we can contribute to our local efforts to beat the virus and, of course, be good neighbors.
In the last few days, both Seminole and Orange Counties have addressed what local COVID-19 mandates are being modified or lifted and county schools have done the same. Below you will see what is changing at Summit to continue to reflect the county guidelines in our adult environments and public school guidelines in our children’s ministry and Summit Students environments.
The recent executive order from the governor, signed May 3rd, has suspended local requirements and mandates for businesses related to COVID-19. Seminole and Orange Counties have subsequently adjusted their recommendations as well.
Therefore, masks are now recommended but not required at Summit campuses (with the exception of children’s ministry areas and student ministry gatherings).
Out of a desire to extend hospitality to those of varying comfort levels, staff and volunteers will continue to wear masks while serving on Sundays for the time being.
RSVPs for in-person worship services and children’s ministry are no longer needed going forward.
Capacity limits are being lifted for in-person worship services. (Children’s ministry classrooms will still operate with capacity limits due to continued precautions that align with public schools and volunteer availability.)
Our existing precautions will continue to be required for children’s ministry, including masks worn by kids and volunteers while in children’s ministry areas of campuses and by adults during drop-off and pick-up, as we look to public school guidelines and precautions for Base Camp classrooms. We will continue to follow Seminole County and Orange County Public Schools’ guidelines at least until the end of the semester.
A note about current RSVPs: If you have already RSVP’d your child for Base Camp on May 9th, they still have a spot in a classroom! After this Sunday, classrooms will be first-come, first-serve.
Similar to Base Camp, Summit Students gatherings will also follow Seminole County and Orange County Public Schools’ guidelines and require masks while indoors at least until the end of the semester.
We understand that any changes we make, especially in such sensitive matters as COVID-19 protocols, come with widely-ranging responses both in how we feel and what we do. I am grateful that Summit is a church where we can honor how each of us feels and thinks, even in instances where not everyone’s feelings and thoughts line up. In the same way, I am grateful that Summit is a church where what we do can share a common alignment around our vision but does not need to look uniform. Every week we have means for people to join together in worship that range from indoor, in-person services to gatherings that meet outdoors to our online service available for you to use in facilitating your own worship gathering with those in your life and in your “bubble.” Each of these environments represents good and right ways to gather in worship and allows us to lovingly serve each other’s needs and preferences.
If changes we are making as a community, both now and moving forward, impact what worship environment is best suited to you and your guests and you are unsure how to best move forward, please let us know. We can help get you connected with the places, the details, and the people that will best support your ability to connect and worship as a part of Summit.
Thank you for being an amazing church family and for modeling consideration for others and unity of believers as we navigate circumstances that have been unprecedented and acutely divisive. I am honored to serve alongside you in living out Summit’s vision.
John Parker is the lead pastor at Summit Church. He enjoys woodworking and boats and dreams of building his own boat in the coming years.