February 27, 2022

After many months of watching the COVID case counts and hospitalization numbers climb, I am thankful they are subsiding. I am grateful this progress is such that mask mandates for Winston-Salem and Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools are lifting. The COVID Protocols here at Centenary are changing with these numbers as well. 

 

Our new guidelines, which we are incorporating in our daily operations this week, are: 

 

• We encourage all persons to be vaccinated and to receive their booster shots when appropriate. This is our best communal line of defense. 

 

• We respect the fact that some cannot be vaccinated because they are immunocompromised.

 

• We will not require the wearing of masks at indoor ministry activities including worship, faith formation classes, and group meetings. We encourage those more comfortable wearing a mask to continue to do so, however

 

• In order to protect children in the nursery and pre-school age group ministries we require all volunteers, staff, and visitors to wear a mask over their nose and mouth while in areas where ministry with this age group is occurring.

 

• The north balcony is reserved for those who prefer a masked, socially distanced section for morning worship. 

 

The measures outlined above will allow us to be the Church together in ministries of worship, discipleship, and transformation while also keeping each other safe and healthy. I ask each of you to do your part to help us live Jesus’ words to love our neighbor as ourselves and fulfill our mission of transforming the world.