Coronavirus & EBCC

Currently we are NOT holding in-person meetings at the church, but are conducting all services virtually on ZOOM. When we do resume meeting again, the following protocols will be followed:

1.     Entrance into the church will be through the front doors ONLY!  Inside the foyer, you will be greeted by someone who will take your temperature, and will have you  sign a pre-screening COVID questionnaire for the following:  dry cough?  Shortness of breath?  Muscle aches?  Headache?  Fatigue?  Close contact with someone who has COVID-19?  Etc.  If you answer YES to any of these questions, you will be sent home.  PLEASE check yourself before coming. If you feel sick, please stay home and watch the service on ZOOM or listen to the podcast of sermon posted after the service. You can speed up the check-in process by downloading HERE the pre-screening COVID questionnaire, filling it out, and bring it with you to church.  

2.     Before entering the sanctuary, please wash your hands.  A hand santizer station has been installed by the library door for your use.  You can also wash your hands in the restrooms located in the library.

3.     Masks ARE REQUIRED . NO MASK-NO ENTRY!  If you do not have a mask, we will supply you with one.  According to the governor's mandates, MASKS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES IN AN INDOOR CHURCH SERVICE !

4.     We will be practicing social distancing, keeping six feet apart.  Pews have been  roped off in the sanctuary to maintain social distancing.  Also families should sit together, and try to maintain six feet from other family units in the same pew.

5.     We will be minimizing handling things at the church.  The words for the hymns will be projected on the screen so that we will not be using hymnals.  All are encouraged to bring their own Bibles so that pew Bibles will not be touched. There will be NO BULLETINS or SERMON HANDOUTS.   As for the offering, a plate will be in the back of church for you to drop in your offering.  Regarding the celebration of communion, we will be using pre-packaged communion cups which will be located in the back of the church on communion Sundays for you to pick up on your way into the service.

     Regarding your weekly giving, if you are unable to attend the physical services,  you can send your gifts to the church's mailing address:  East Berlin Community Church, P.O. Box 491, Berlin, NJ  08009.  You can also make online donations to the church via PayPal with a credit or debit card.  Just press the "DONATE" button at the bottom of the "HOME" page and it will take you to the PayPal website.

6.     NO coffee or refreshments will be served in the fellowship hall.

7.     NO CHILDREN'S SUNDAY SCHOOL OR CHILDREN'S CHURCH until further notice.  Children will need to sit upstairs with their parents or the adult who brought them.

8.     We will continue to broadcast all services via ZOOM.  Children's Sunday School will be at 9:15 AM; Adult Sunday School at 10 AM; Worship at 11 AM.  Meeting#: 205-026-7515 (no dashed).  You will need the passcode to be allowed in the meeting.  The passcode remains the same from week to week.  If you need the passcode, contact the pastor at (856)308-3164.

9.     ALL SMALL GROUPS will continue to meet online via ZOOM.

10.     The podcast of the sermon will be available later in the day.   On the "Sermon" page you will find a list of all the podcasts available for download.  Also available are the outlines for the sermons too.  Pastor will upload the sermon outline early Sunday morning so you could print it out for the virtual Morning service.  You can also access the sermon notes at the "Handout" tab and download the pdf from this website

10.     Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of common surfaces will take place each week.

11.     If someone should test positive for COVID-19, and was in the service, we will contact those who were in attendance, and will suspend public meetings for two weeks so we can self-quarantine.  All meetings will be moved to online via ZOOM.

Every attempt will be made to keep you safe, but you must assess your own medical condition and assume the risk of returning to public meetings.

Let's check-in on one another!  Let's "bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" during this time!  Due to continued restrictions, Pastor will not be visiting in nursing homes or hospitals.  BUT if an emergency arises, please call him at (856) 308-3164.

The elders and deacons will be (virtually) meeting periodically to reassess.  We will modify these plans as needed and will keep you informed via this webpage or through other digital means.