What to Expect at In-Person Gatherings

Written By Creative Cove

There truly is something special about the church physically getting together. In order for us to do that safely, we’ve reimagined what gathering means for us. 

  • Auditorium Seating

    • We revamped our auditorium seating to ensure that we are practicing social distancing (eg. 6-feet apart guidelines) in our services. 

    • We ask that parties leave 3 seats in between them and the next party.

  • Masks Required

    • In accordance with guidelines from the CDC, all of our guests in attendance must wear masks (available for those who forgot to bring their own). New York guidelines state participants at church activities are required to wear face masks, except children under 2.

  • Pre-Screening

    • All attendees at one of our physical services will be required to answer a set of pre-screening questions during the registration process. Answers to those questions will determine your eligibility to physically attend. If you are not eligible to physically attend, we encourage you to join us at tfhny.tv.

  • Early Arrival Times

    • Attendees are encouraged to arrive 20-30 minutes prior to the service you plan to attend. Our teams will facilitate a hands-free experience for you, so that you can enjoy The Father’s House with the assurance that you are in a safe and healthy environment.

    • Volunteers encouraged to arrive 45-60 minutes prior to service.

  • Symptoms Information

    • If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below, we strongly encourage you to enjoy TFH Online:

      • Contact with anyone confirmed to have COVD-19 (in the past 14 days)

      • Fever over 100 degrees (in the last 72 hours)

      • Cough or sore throat

      • Shortness of breath

      • Chronic medical conditions

  • Kids Ministry

    • Temperature Checks: Every child will receive a special temperature check from a friendly volunteer from the Kids Ministry.

    • Limited Capacity: It is our desire to give every family an incredible experience during this season. To accommodate families, we are limiting our kids areas to 50% capacity.

    • Traffic Flow: Families will follow a specific flow of traffic into and out of the kids wing. This will be communicated upon entry to our check-in areas. 

    • Social Distanced services: Our Late Childhood rooms will have special circles on the floors to signify safe seating. Kids will also remain in the same groups the entire service. 

    • Overflow: In the event that our Late Childhood space reaches capacity, we will open the fishbowl for kids seating.

Reshaping the Worship Experience

The Father’s House worship experience is part of what makes our community special. As we welcome you back and reopen, safety is our top priority. Below you will find some of the precautions we are taking to ensure your worship experience will be safe and healthy.

  • Going “Hands Free”

    • From the moment guests approach our facilities, they will be greeted with a hands-free environment (air fives are encouraged!)

    • Doors will remain open whenever and wherever possible. 

    • All physical handouts will be replaced with digital versions.

    • We will have new ways to spend time together in between services. You may notice less refreshments, but our cafe is still open with a limited menu.

    • Communion will be distributed in a way that you only handle your specific elements. 

    • Giving Kiosks have been added to the main auditorium for in person giving

  • Online Giving

    • We are encouraging online giving. Due to the priority of safety, we will not be passing offering buckets during our worship experience. Look for offering buckets at the exit of our auditoriums.

Readying our Facilities

The Father’s House will ensure that certain Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available for all of our guests. We will also increase the cleaning and disinfection of all of our facilities to help provide a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

  • PPE Requirements

    • In accordance with guidelines from the CDC, all of our guests in attendance must wear masks (these items will be made available for those who forgot to bring their own). New York guidelines state participants at church activities are required to wear face masks, except children under 2.

  • Hand Sanitizer and Soap

    • Hand Sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol and soap will be widely available to all.

  • Increase cleaning and disinfecting

    • At least once per day and after each service, all bathrooms, hard surfaces, and areas frequented by guests will be cleaned and disinfected using an EPA-approved, hospital grade disinfectant.

  • When we welcome you back home, you will find:

    • Automatic hand towel and soap dispensers in bathrooms

    • Hand sanitizing stations, equipped with automatic dispensers, available throughout the lobby and highly trafficked areas.

    • All pens and handouts from seat backs in our auditoriums have been removed to minimize personal contact. Look for giving kiosks on the sides of the auditorium and in the lobby.

    • We will have no handouts or welcome cards at our main entrances. Everything will be digitally provided.

    • Signage encourage social distancing and proper hand-washing will be placed throughout the building.

We are dedicated to keeping The Father’s House safe during this time. We look forward to seeing you soon! Our leaders and teams would be happy to assist you on site if you have anymore specific questions.

Creative Cove
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