UPDATE ON 04.04.21
Reservations are now open for all in-person services at the Hazel Dell campus through the end of April.
Online reservation form, click here »
UPDATE ON 04.01.21
from Palm Sunday worshipers:
I was emotionally moved just to be back in our church setting. I felt very safe and very grateful to be there. - Nancy
The Messiah staff and CLT did a great job with all the safety measures. But most of all, it felt so good to be back that I had to fight the urge to stand up and cheer for our church community and its leaders! - Mark
... last Sunday was wonderful for me ... and my entire family. Being back in the Sanctuary - in person - felt so natural, and SO GOOD! I appreciated all of the efforts Messiah Staff have taken to keep people safe ... and it was so nice to see fellow members again - in person! - Kari
It was a great feeling being able to worship once again in the sanctuary! It definitely filled a void that has been there since the beginning of the pandemic. -Randy and Jennifer
UPDATE ON 03.29.21
Online reservation form, click here »
The sign-up for in-person Good Friday and Easter is ongoing. Seating is limited, so a reservation for you or your household is required. You may also call the church office (360.574.7081) to make your reservation. Sixty-one (61) in-person worshipers were present for Palm Sunday service, which went off smoothly and safely.
NEW and PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Here are some helpful things we learned and need to share with in-person worshipers beyond the mandated requirements »
- arrive early - no later than 9:45a
- park anywhere - but the only open entrance to the main building will be the front doors under the breezeway
- wear a jacket - the sanctuary will be chilly. All windows and doors will be fully open ... all morning.
- you may exit the building after service using any door
Please read below for how we are keeping the return to in-person worship a super-safe experience for everyone.
The following are the in-person worship services opportunities at the Hazel Dell campus this Holy Week, March 28 - April.
03.28.21 - Palm Sunday
10:00a In-Person Worship Service
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
04.01.21 - Maundy Thursday
6:00p Livestream Worship Service »
04.02.21 - Good Friday
10:00a In-Person Worship Service
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
6:00p Online Worship Service »
04.04.21 - Easter Sunday
6:30a Outdoor In-Person Sunrise Service behind Eisenhower Elementary School
10:00a In-Person Worship Service in the sanctuary
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
UPDATE ON 03.27.21
Online reservation form, click here »
A few seats are still available for Palm Sunday, March 28, 2021. Service begins at 10:00am. Please arrive early for check-in.
Please see the entire schedule of Holy Week services below.
UPDATE ON 03.22.21
Online reservation form, click here »
The sign-up for in-person Good Friday and Easter services will begin Wednesday, March 24, at 9:00a. Seating is limited, so a reservation for you and your household is required. You may also call the church office (360.574.7081) to make your reservation starting at 9:00a.
NEW and PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Based on the extended-family in-person worshiper experience for a baptism on Sunday, March 21, here are some helpful things we learned and need to share with in-person worshipers beyond the mandated requirements »
- arrive early - no later than 9:45a
- park anywhere - but the only open entrance to the main building will be the front doors under the breezeway
- wear a jacket - the sanctuary will be chilly. All windows and doors will be fully open ... all morning.
- you may exit the building after service using any door
Please read below for how we are keeping the return to in-person worship a super-safe experience for everyone.
The following are the in-person worship services opportunities at the Hazel Dell campus this Holy Week, March 28 - April.
03.28.21 - Palm Sunday
10:00a In-Person Worship Service
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
04.01.21 - Maundy Thursday
6:00p Livestream Worship Service »
04.02.21 - Good Friday
10:00a In-Person Worship Service
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
6:00p Online Worship Service »
04.04.21 - Easter Sunday
6:30a Outdoor In-Person Sunrise Service behind Eisenhower Elementary School
10:00a In-Person Worship Service in the sanctuary
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
UPDATE ON 03.21.21
All seats for Messiah's in-person Palm Sunday service are now reserved. You may still register for Palm Sunday seating using the online reservation site, though the form is now a waitlist. Those at the top of the waitlist will be contacted in the event of cancellations.
UPDATE ON 03.20.2021.
A few seats are still available for Messiah's first in-person worship service in just over a year. The service is on Palm Sunday, March 28, at the Hazel Dell campus at 10:00a. A reservation is required. You may register online using the link below or by calling the church office at 360.574.7081.
Online reservation form, click here »
UPDATE ON 03.14.2021
Online reservation form, click here »
The sign-up for Palm Sunday begins at 9:00a, Monday, March 15, 2021. Seating is limited, so a reservation for you and your household is required. You may also call the church office (360.574.7081) to make your reservation starting at 9:00a.
Please read below for how we are keeping the return to in-person worship a super-safe experience for everyone.
UPDATE ON 03.13.2021
As we prepare to offer in-person worship services at the Hazel Dell campus starting Holy Week, please note the schedule of services below.
03.28.21 - Palm Sunday
10:00a In-Person Worship Service
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
04.01.21 - Maundy Thursday
6:00p Livestream Worship Service »
04.02.21 - Good Friday
10:00a In-Person Worship Service
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
6:00p Online Worship Service »
04.04.21 - Easter Sunday
6:30a Outdoor In-Person Sunrise Service behind Eisenhower Elementary School
10:00a In-Person Worship Service in the sanctuary
10:00a Livestream Worship Service »
The Options and The Sign-Ups
Messiah will offer four in-person worship opportunities during Holy Week. The three indoor services (Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter) will have limited seating and require advanced sign-up. The fourth will be an Easter sunrise service behind Eisenhower Elementary School with no sign-up needed.
The process for signing up for in-person worship on Palm Sunday will be online or by phone starting Monday, March 15. A link to the online reservation form will go out in Monday's Northern Highlights and be posted at the top of this article. These links will go live at 9:00a. You may also call the church office (360.574.7081) starting at 9:00a to make your reservation. Following current Washington state mandates, we can seat 59 worshipers in the sanctuary. You won't want to dawdle as the seats are likely to go quickly.
After reviewing the Palm Sunday process and making improvements, we will open the reservations for Good Friday and Easter.
Early Easter, In-Person and with plenty of seating and standing space!
The fourth opportunity for in-person worship during Holy Week will be an Easter sunrise service behind Eisenhower Elementary School with no sign-up needed. We will meet, rain or shine at 6:30a. Mask-wearing and social distancing will be observed. If you're experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please attend the livestream at 10:00a. This service will include Holy Communion. Worshipers are encouraged to dress warmly, bring their lawn chairs if they prefer to sit, and to carry umbrellas if it looks like rain. For an idea of what this service will look like, see the banner photo on Messiah's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/messiahvancouver.
Full Disclosure
While many people are looking forward to a return to in-person worship with anticipation and excitement, you should know that to comply with current mandates and keep Messiah's insurance coverage in force; the experience will look and feel different than pre-pandemic. We will require mask-wearing and social distancing for starters, and all singing will be restricted to a single voice. You should also be aware of the remote possibility that your image may be viewable in the YouTube broadcast of services. The sanctuary may be a bit chilly as all windows and doorways will remain open per CDC guidelines. These are but a few of the differences. For the complete list, which the Church Leadership Team reviewed and adopted, click here ». When you sign-up online, you'll be required to confirm you've read and agree to the full list. These efforts will keep worshipers safe.
FIRST RELEASED 03.08.2021
At its March meeting, The Church Leadership Team (CLT) approved a plan for in-person worship to resume at Messiah's Hazel Dell campus beginning Palm Sunday, March 28. The reopening will follow the new Phase 2 reopening guidelines from the State of Washington. Messiah's staff members are in the process of putting together the operational details to comply with state requirements. They will update everyone with vital information in upcoming issues of The Northern Highlights, including the method(s) for reserving your spot in the sanctuary on Palm Sunday and beyond! Hooray!
THIS ARTICLE WILL BE UPDATED EACH WEEK.