In compliance with the President of the United State, the CDC, and Government of Oklahoma, A Glorious Church will be opening our doors on Sunday, May 3rd for our congregation members. This opening will have some guidelines that must be abided by in order for us to remain open.

The guidelines are set out by the Federal and State Government and they are listed below:

• Places of worship can reopen for in-person meetings or worship if they adhere to CDC-recommended social distancing and sanitation protocols.

Recommended Guidelines for Temperature Checks & Employer Policies

• Places of Worship should consider use of a touchless infrared thermometer to check the temperature of employees each day.

• Employees with a temperature above 100.4°F are recommended to be sent home until they have no fever and no evidence of COVID-19 symptoms.

• We also suggest that you ask the people attending to take their temperature before coming and stay at home if they have any symptoms.

Sanitation & Disinfecting Guidelines

•  fEnsure that your entire place of worship is properly cleaned and sanitized. Consider sanitizing pews, bathrooms, doorknobs, light switches, microphones, common musical instruments, and any other areas where germs might be transferred.

• Prior to reopening, retrain employees on best practices to avoid contamination.

• Sanitize between services, particularly high-touch surfaces.

• Clean and disinfect bathrooms regularly and ensure they have handwashing supplies.

• Consider strategic placement of hand sanitizers if appropriate.

Maintain Social Distancing At All Times

• Recommend members abstain from shaking hands and encourage doing non-contact greetings.

• Encourage sick members to remain safe at home and avoid contact with others.

• Consider continuing online services for those who are unable to attend in person.

• If possible, offer multiple services to encourage a greater chance of social distancing.

• During Phase 1 of the Open Safe and Recover Safely Plan, abstain from serving food or coffee before or after services.

• During Phase 1 of the Open Safe and Recover Safely Plan, children’s nursery should remain closed.

• If possible, consider leaving every other row or pew open and encourage family members from same household to sit together.

• Elderly or those with compromised immune systems are suggested to remain at home.

In response to the above guidelines, AGC will be conducting service for the next 14 days in the following manner:

1. We will be offering two services, a 9 am service and a 11 am service. The doors to the 9 am service will open at 8:45. All members will enter through the front door of the lobby and exit through the side door of the lobby. Upon entering the building, there will be sanitation stations set up in the lobby. Please try to not congregate in the lobby, come in and find your seat. Please sit with your family. Every other row in the church Sanctuary will be blocked off, so please take a seat in the rows that are not. When you are seated, please leave two empty seats on either side of your family. Ushers will help with this process so that things will not be confusing for you. The doors to the 11 am service will open at 10:45 am. Please stay in your cars until that time.

2. During service; we will not have an open altar for praise and worship.  (I know this is different from what we are used to, but it is just for a short season! Please be patient with us during this time.) Mainly because of the spacing of chairs, we will have to use that space to place chairs.

3. Upon conclusion of service, we will dismiss you by sections. You will be exiting the building out of the lobby side door.

4. Offering buckets will be placed on stools as you exit the church building, so feel free to give your tithes and offerings at that time.

5. We will not be having Children’s Church, Pre-school, or nursery during this first 14 days of re-opening. 

6. According to the guidelines, we are supposed to suggest that elderly and people with compromised immune systems please watch online. Be led.

7. The online service will be streamed at 11 am. We will NOT be streaming the 9 am service.

8. If you have any symptoms or have a temperature over 100, please stay home and watch us online at 11 am.

9. Facilities will be cleaned before and after each service.

10. WELCOME BACK CHURCH FAMILY!!!

Good afternoon church family, friends, and community!

A couple of days ago, the President of the United States, the CDC, and Oklahoma officials suggested all gatherings be limited to 10 people or fewer. At first, this was a shock; and to be quite honest, I was a little angry that I was being told that I couldn’t be together with my church family to preach the word of God, to encourage each other, and lift each other up at the church. Then, after a time of prayer, the Lord reminded me that we are His temple and where we go, He goes.

After contemplating the task that the government has at hand, I realized that they are not asking me not to preach the gospel. They are not trying to take the Bible out of the church. They are just watching out for the safety of the people of the United States, especially the elderly and compromised. Like if we were being bombed, they would ask us to take shelter. 

So, in honoring the President of the USA, we are making changes to our church service. The Word of God will continue to be preached, but the way we offer the service is changing for a season. Do I have faith? Yes!  Do I believe in His Word? Yes! Do I believe in laying hands on the sick and they will recover? Yes! These things have not changed and will not change. The Word is true, and the truth will continue to go forth.

• Our Sunday morning and Wednesday night service will move to ONLINE ONLY.  Our regular service times will apply - Sunday at 10AM and Wednesday at 6:30PM.

• All other activities and events are cancelled during the month of March. We will re-evaluate for the month of April. (Note: I have set aside daily, several times a day to pray over this and I am believing for this to dissipate and disappear quickly. Join me in prayer!)

• Church staff are available at the church office Monday-Thursday from 9 to 12. Offices are closed on Friday and Saturday, but feel free to call and leave a message. We will get back with you.  If you need assistance, we have people in position right now that are ready to help, so please let us know. 

Church family, let’s do our part during this temporary season of change.

• Let us continue to pray for our President and leaders of this nation. Let’s continue to pray over this “virus” and daily lift our voice before the Lord on behalf of our country and its people. 

• Let us continue to edify each other, building each other up in the Word of God. Let’s continue to help each other in any way we can - looking out for each other, our neighbors and friends. 

• Let us continue to give into the Kingdom of God by continuing to make contributions to the church by bringing your offering to the office during office hours, giving online at A Glorious church website, or giving through text to 84321.

During this time, most of all, let us remember that we trust in the Lord with all our hearts!

Pastor Chip and Candace Brim and Staff of A Glorious Church