Community of Christ

Shenandoah Congregation (San Antonio, TX)

Hybrid Worship

Phase II summary

Hybrid worship details

Detailed history of hybrid worship guidelines: May 23, 2021

“Longer than a month of Sundays”

March 15th, 2020 was 14 months ago.

62 Sundays ago.

At 62 weeks, it will have been exactly two months of Sundays since the building was used.

The Shenandoah Reopening Committee was formed to “provide the ability to safely gather back in the church building in a way which ‘protects the most vulnerable’ (Doctrine & Covenants 164), complies with local, state, national, World Church requirements, and offers a ministry which meets the needs of all in attendance.”

As a result of Bexar County’s new case levels, the committee submitted a Shenandoah Phase I Reopen Plan in which we would reopen the church building via a “Fully Vaccinated Congregation Hybrid Worship” approach.

This means that “Anyone wishing to physically attend a worship service in the church building would need to have completed the vaccination regimen and have waited the required 14 days after the last shot was administered.” That said, with the hybrid approach, online services will still be fully available as they are today.

Under this Phase I Plan, the Shenandoah Congregation reopened for physical gathering for those who are fully vaccinated starting Sunday, May 23.

March 15, 2020

Doors close

Shenandoah stops gathering physically.

March 15, 2020
March 22, 2020

Online services begin

Shenandoah holds its first online service.

March 22, 2020
April 5, 2020

First Communion

Shenandoah holds its first online Communion service.

April 5, 2020
March 19, 2021

World Church issues new guidance

Congregations cannot physically reopen for non-vaccinated congregants until the local county meets a specific threshold which is less than 10 new cases per 100,000 residents and is sustained at that level. Bexar County has never met that threshold.

March 19, 2021
April 28, 2021

Town Halls

The congregation hosts several Town Hall meetings to consider reopening plans.

April 28, 2021
May 10, 2021

Reopening plan approved

A hybrid reopening plan has been approved by the Mission Center Presidency as well as our Field Apostle and overwhelmingly supported by the congregation.

May 10, 2021
May 23, 2021

Reopening Phase 1

Shenandoah reopens physically for fully vaccinated participants. Zoom streaming continues for everyone.

May 23, 2021
July 31, 2021

Updated Guidelines

Masks are required while singing in person.

July 31, 2021
January 14, 2022

Omicron Update

Boosters are now required for in-person worship, and masks are required at all times in the church building.

January 14, 2022
March 5, 2022

Masks

Masks are now optional in the sanctuary, except when singing.

March 5, 2022
April 28, 2022

Phase II

Vaccination is no longer required to enter the sanctuary. Masks are now optional throughout the building, except when singing.

April 28, 2022
July 1, 2022

Phase II

Masks are again required throughout the building.

July 1, 2022