Reopening


February 25 Update

The church leadership is deeply encouraged that all of the COVID-19 numbers, nationally and especially locally, appear to be moving in a good direction. Because of that significant progress, we will no longer be strongly encouraging masks for church services, starting on March 6. Of course, anyone who prefers to continue wearing a mask is welcome to do so, and we will be asking volunteers working with kids under five to continue wearing masks for the time being.


We intend to continue to livestream our worship services indefinitely for those who would be more comfortable at home. And we will continue to monitor any future variants or upticks in transmission and hospitalization numbers that might warrant a return to more stringent mitigation measures. 

current Status

The State College Alliance Church staff continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation in our church and community. Our goal is to continue to provide both in-person and online worship services and other opportunities to gather for worship, fellowship, and discipleship, while still maintaining our focus on care, flexibility, and transparency.  


While COVID-19 transmission remains at a lower level and there is less stress on our local healthcare system, we will be relaxing our guidance on masks during worship services and other gatherings. We continue to ask people to err on the side of caution in situations of potential COVID -19 exposure or symptoms, utilizing our weekly online services if they feel they pose any risk to others. And, while we hope and pray that the situation continues to improve, we will monitor for any negative changes that might warrant a return to more stringent mitigation measures.


Read below for more information about our current plans and some FAQs. As always, if you have any questions or comments about the reopening process, please contact us.


Sunday Morning Worship Service Details

Frequently Asked Questions

How normal will services be now that we're worshiping in the Sanctuary again? 

We're continuing to turn the dimmer switch, rather than flipping from "off" to fully "on." So, this season of church life will likely feel normal-ish, but things will remain different from pre-pandemic worship. We won't be passing offering plates, chair pads, or Communion trays. Things will still be different, at least for a while. But much will be "normal." The host, worship teams, and preacher will all be live and in person. We will be singing and praying and learning and laughing together. And we expect God to meet with us and minister to us each and every week in the Sanctuary and online, just as He has faithfully done throughout this challenging season.


What virus mitigation efforts will be in place? 

We will continue to monitor the status of local case counts, hospitalizations, and mandates and maintain our focus on care, flexibility, and transparency. At present, we plan to continue gathering without any capacity limits or social distancing requirements. During periods of high transmission rates in our community, we will follow health guidelines by strongly recommending that people wear face coverings when participating in large, indoor gatherings like worship services. We will also continue to offer our online services weekly for those who prefer to watch from home or anyone who feels like they may be a risk to others based on exposure or symptoms.


What will happen next?

It is our hope and prayer that we can continue in-person, indoor gatherings with online alternatives indefinitely. As we learn to live with COVID-19 transmission ebbing and flowing, we expect that guidelines like face coverings will also come and go. If the situation changes significantly to the point that full capacity indoor gatherings are no longer prudent, we will consider returning to stricter mitigations like capacity limits or outdoor gatherings (weather permitting). Please join us in praying for the health and safety of our church and community and help us keep meeting face to face by staying home if you're sick or had a recent COVID-19 exposure and wearing a face covering during times of high transmission.