Live In-Person Worship

LIVE In-Person Worship

WSUMC is offering live in-person worship in the Sanctuary on Sundays at 10am. For those who are not ready to return to in-person worship, we have upgraded our live streaming technology and will continue to offer worship online at WSUMC.LIVE. If you’ve never worshipped with WSUMC before, learn more about Sunday worship here.

To ensure the health and safety of everyone who attends worship at WSUMC, we are offering these specific guidelines, which we will ask all attendees to follow. Please share in our ministry of Making a Place for Everyone by adhering to these guidelines, which helps us provide a space for immunocompromised individuals, children and adults who haven’t been able to get vaccinated, and those who may be offering care to unvaccinated children and adults throughout the week.


Self-Screening
While we will not be requiring a registration form or signed health-statement, every person who plans to attend worship in-person should do a self-screening before coming to the church. Please do not come to the church if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you’ve been in close proximity in recent days with someone who has displayed such symptoms or has tested positive for COVID.

  • Fever (100º or higher)
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Sinus Congestion or runny nose (non-allergy related)
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Body/muscle ache
  • Diarrhea
  • Shortness of breath

Masks
Our masking requirements are based on the CDC and Alexandria Health Department recommendations. We will allow for optional mask use while the COVID-19 Community Level is “Low,” but will require universal masking while the COVID-19 Community Level is “Medium” or “High.” The masking policy applies to everyone, vaccinated or unvaccinated. When masks are required, they should be compliant with CDC recommendations.

To see the current COVID-19 Community Level in the City of Alexandria, visit alexandriava.gov.

 When the Community Level is “Medium” or “High,” we will allow two exceptions to the mask requirement:

  • Vaccinated worship leaders, such as the liturgist and pastor, may remove their masks while actively leading worship to offer greater vocal clarity to the congregation.
  • During fellowship time before and after worship, masks may be removed while eating / drinking, but should be put back on when not eating / drinking.

Physical Distancing
It has been a long time since we’ve been in worship with one another at the church. You may have a yearning desire to give everyone you see a hug or handshake. Please do not. Keep in mind, others may not have the same comfort as you do regarding phsycial proximity and touch. To provide a safe and healthy space for everyone who gathers, please keep the recommended 6 feet of distance between you and anyone who isn’t in your family/house group. The Sanctuary has been sectioned off to allow social distancing during the service. To allow for proper social distancing, we do ask that only one family unit sit in each sectioned area, or to maintain distancing while standing/sitting in the Fellowship Hall.

Final Notes

  • We have provided hand sanitizing stations at the entrance to the church and in the back of the Sanctuary. We encourage you to use the hand santizer as you come in to the building and as you leave the building.
  • For the time being, we will not be offering the nursery or children’s church. Children of all ages are invited to be present in the Sanctuary during worship.
  • We do invite everyone to participate and engage in worship, sharing in the corporate prayers, liturgy, and music. Because singing increases the production of aerosole spray, even with a mask on, we invite you to sing with muted energy. You’re welcome to sing, but please do not sing loudly.
  • We are asking every person who attends in person to fill out a connection card each week they attend worship. These connection cards will be used to aid in contact tracing in the situation we learn of a positive COVID case at the church.

The WSUMC Leadership Board is continuing to monitor the rising rate of COVID cases in the community. It is our hope to provide live in-person worship going forward, but should the need arise, a decision could be made in the future to return to worship only online. Your adherence to these guidelines while attending in-person will help us be able to continue to worship in-person in the Sanctuary.

Alexandria Health Department Video

Kimberly Young sat down with Natalie Tallis, of the Alexandria Health Department, to ask a few questions on how we can return to live in-person worship safely. From what kind of masks to wear, to concerns around singing and sharing in fellowship, take a few minutes and ensure you’re ready to share in a healthy and safe return to worship in the Sanctuary.