Country Park Stake - Returning to Church

Message from Stake President Tim McCoy

Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Country Park Stake,

We love and pray for you.  We know of our Heavenly Father's love for each of you, and His desire that we all return to Him.  We know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, including sacred ordinances and covenants, is the way to peace and happiness in this life, and in the life to come.  

As invited by the letter from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dated May 19, 2020, Safely Returning to Church Meetings and Activities, and the associated Guidelines for Safely Returning to Church Meetings and Activities, and after prayerfully considering the unique size and demographics of the wards/branches in our stake, the following plan has been developed for resuming sacrament meetings in our stake.

As you know, there are many considerations related to the decision to return to church.  We want everyone to be able to be safe, and to feel comfortable worshiping together.  While the number of reported COVID-19 cases in Utah continues to increase, we note - with gratitude - that deaths resulting from this virus are not increasing exponentially.  Although many of us are enjoying worshiping at home with our families, we are aware of Elder David A. Bednar's recent instruction that "if the faithful are not gathering, sooner or later they will begin to scatter."  We believe that the time to resume gathering has come.

We ask all members to carefully review these guidelines in preparation for returning to church meetings. Just as we have done in the careful development of this plan, we emphasize the importance of proceeding cautiously as we all adapt to the continuing challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Bishops and branch presidents, in counsel with their Ward/Branch Councils, may provide additional complementary direction as they prayerfully implement plans for their units.

(NOTE: Each of the guidelines outlined in this plan is subject to change, as needed, due to changing conditions.)

GUIDELINES FOR SAFELY RETURNING TO CHURCH MEETINGS
South Jordan Utah Country Park Stake

Building Meeting Schedule:

Beginning Sunday, July 12, we will resume Sunday meetings in each of our buildings. One ward will be assigned to meet in each building one Sunday per month, as follows:

• July 12 (and the 2nd Sunday of following months)
• Stake Center – 1st Ward
• 2700 West Building – 6th Ward
• 1988 West Building – 8th Ward

• July 19 (and the 3rd Sunday of following months)
• Stake Center – 5th Ward
• 2700 West Building – 4th Ward
• 1988 West Building – 2nd Ward

• July 26 (and the 4th Sunday of following months)
• Stake Center – 7th Ward
• 1988 West Building – 3rd Ward

This rotation will continue until further notice. Given the limits on the number of participants allowed in each meeting (maximum of 99), and social distancing guidelines for sacrament meetings, wards will hold multiple meetings on their assigned Sundays. Information regarding assigned meeting times for ward members will be provided by your Bishop.

Meetings for the Pheasant Run and Glendale branches will continue to be suspended due to restrictions related to their facilities.  We invite members serving in those branches, as appropriate, to attend their home wards.

High-Risk Individuals and Administering the Sacrament in Homes. The Utah state guidelines encourage particular care with respect to high-risk individuals (those 65 years and older and those with underlying medical conditions).  Out of love and concern for high-risk individuals, and in accordance with direction from the Utah Area Presidency, we discourage members 65 and older and those with underlying medical conditions from attending in-person sacrament meetings at this time.  However, we welcome all to worship at this time, and ask that you exercise wisdom and caution, and counsel with your Bishop, if you are in a high-risk category.

High-risk individuals and others who may choose not to gather in sacrament meetings for a time are encouraged to continue their Sabbath Day worship in their homes. Additionally, all members should continue their in-home Sabbath Day worship on the Sundays on which their wards are not scheduled to meet. Worthy priesthood holders, under authorization from their Bishop, may continue to prepare and administer the sacrament at home as part of their Sunday worship. If there are no worthy priesthood holders in the home, the Bishop may authorize other worthy priesthood holders in the ward to prepare and administer the sacrament in the homes of members who request it.  As with the temporary meetings described above, we remind you that in a coming day we will all be invited to gather together on the Sabbath as the only means to receive the Sacrament.

Members who have any of the principal COVID-19 symptoms (i.e., fever, dry cough, etc.) or who have been exposed to someone known or believed to have COVID-19 should not attend sacrament meetings until they have been symptom free for at least 14 days.

Sunday Meeting Guidelines:

Our in-person Sunday meetings will proceed as follows:

1. A 45-minute (maximum) sacrament meeting will be the only Sunday meeting scheduled in our buildings. All other meetings normally included in the Sunday block continue to be suspended.
2. We ask that you arrive in advance of your scheduled meeting time to allow ushers to help direct you to your seat, taking into consideration appropriate social distancing between families and individuals. Additionally, because there will be no other meetings in the Sunday block, we ask that you not enter any other rooms in the building. The exception to this is the restrooms, which will be available for use, as needed. We encourage members, particularly children, to use the restroom at home prior to coming to sacrament meeting.
3. Members are strongly encouraged to wear masks. Available seating will be marked to ensure at least a 6-foot radius (side-to-side and front-to-back) is maintained between household groups. Two rows will be left open between each occupied row in the chapel, with the first row left open. Individuals from the same household, including single adults who share the same home, may choose to sit together.
4. There will be no choir numbers, choir practice or other special musical numbers as part of our sacrament meetings until further notice.
5. The sacrament meeting program will include the following:
• Prelude music
• Welcome by the conducting member of the bishopric with some instructions. (We will not have printed programs at this time.)
• Opening hymn
• Invocation
• Ward/stake business (if any)
• Sacrament hymn
• Administration of the sacrament
• Short talk(s) (7-10 minutes) by one or two individuals
• Closing hymn
• Benediction
6. Hymn books will not be available in the chapels.  If your bishopric chooses for your ward to sing the hymns (as opposed to simply listening to the music to reduce the particulate matter resulting from singing), we encourage you to download the Sacred Hymns app to your tablet or phone and bring your device with you to sacrament meeting. As a reminder, the name of the wireless network in our buildings has changed to “Liahona.” The network can be accessed using the password “alma3738.”  This network is for church purposes only.
7. Following each sacrament meeting, ward leaders will ensure the building is thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the next meeting. Special attention will be given to areas that are touched, such as door handles, light switches, water fountains, pews, microphones, organ and/or piano and pulpit.  Additionally, care will be taken to clean the sacrament trays as thoroughly as possible.

Additional information specific to your ward, including details regarding assigned meeting times on the days your ward will meet for sacrament meeting, will be provided by your Bishop within the next few days. We also encourage all ministering brothers and sisters to share this information with the individuals and families to whom they minister to ensure all members of our stake receive this information.

We are grateful for the efforts you are making to carefully follow the directions from national, state, and local leaders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to gathering with you for Sabbath Day worship beginning in the next few weeks.

Thank you for your continued faith and faithfulness.  We love and pray for you, and know of God's love for each of you.

Sincerely,

The Stake Presidency

Tim McCoy
Craig Martin
Glen Walbeck