Churches are beginning to re-gather. Many are working hard to create safe places for their church to meet for worship and Bible study. Deep cleaning and sanitation procedures of public spaces are an important part of each church’s plan.
Other areas to consider as you regather for live, in-house worship services are your media and stage areas. These areas play an important part of our services, and often include multiple volunteers or leaders, with many hands-on pieces of gear.
What equipment needs cleaning?
While going through this deep cleaning process, don’t forget tech equipment. Make sure the equipment is clean before the worship teams arrive. Wipe down keyboards, the computer mouse, as well as the desk itself. Other equipment needing attention can include the sound board, lighting controls, cameras, or video equipment. Don’t forget the stage. Keyboards, pianos, and drums will need to be cleaned between users or after each service. And don’t forget the microphones!
What tasks can be simplified or eliminated?
With churches considering more service times on top of physical distancing protocols, it may be difficult to staff certain areas. This will include your media booths, stages, choir lofts, and green rooms.
This may be a time to apply the “KISS” (Keep It Simple Saint) principle. If it’s possible to simplify or eliminate some tasks, now is the time to do that. Some positions could be combined and others automated.
If you are considering adding service times, it may be best to spread volunteers or worship leaders out, physically and across service times. Reduce the number of people on stage or in the Choir by assigning them different weeks or service times.
What procedures should change?
The drive behind all of these changes is not based on what we have to do according to guidelines and rules. It’s about doing what makes our people and our teams feel safe and valued. Everyone will have different expectations, so err on the side of caution.
We love the fellowship and comradery that comes with serving together on a team, but there may be some things that will change, at least for a while. Many teams meet to pray or go over details before a service. You may consider other options, where the group can spread out while still being able to meet. There may need to be rules in place regarding how many people are allowed in the tech booth. What about training? That may need to change to another day, or shift to online or video options.
Now is also a great time to look at some new ideas for service planning, rehearsals, or communication between teams. It will be more important than ever to stay connected while minimizing physical contact.
The main take away is to look for those areas that might be easy to overlook and include them in your plans as you re-gather. And whatever you do – don’t forget to clean the sound booth!
