Church of the Village Covid-19 Prevention Policy

Updated September 23, 2022

From the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Church of the Village has been diligent about protecting everyone connected to our church community. We have followed guidelines offered by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the City and State of New York, as well as those shared by the NY Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our leadership has stayed on top of new developments and adjusted our policies periodically to fit evolving conditions.

We recognize that for our members, supporters, visitors, and staff who are in proximity to New York City or visit our building, the status of the pandemic has shifted dramatically. The rates of infection, hospitalizations, and especially deaths have fallen to very low levels. This does not mean they cannot go back up and we will continue to monitor the situation. In addition, mask requirements have been lifted for most public spaces, including public transportation in NYC.

Therefore, we have decided to lift our own mask requirement for entry to our church building. This applies to staff as well as members and to groups that rent or use space in our building.

We continue to strongly recommend that everyone be vaccinated and boosted to the highest extent for which you are eligible. The most recent bivalent booster is available to anyone age 12 or older (Pfizer) or 18 and older (Moderna). The bivalent boosters protect against the original Covid-19 virus strain and provide stronger protection against Omicron, which is the most widespread and transmissible variant. To find a location and schedule your vaccination or booster anywhere in the United States, click here! This is not for your protection only, but for the well-being of our community, our city, and the country.

Also, we strongly encourage those persons at higher risk for infection or hospitalization – especially those with underlying health conditions – to continue to take all appropriate safety measures like masking and social distancing. All of us need to self-monitor for symptoms and follow CDC guidance about self-isolation and testing (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html).

Finally, while not yet widespread, we encourage everyone to be alert to the rising number of cases of Monkeypox. Among those most at-risk are some members of the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV. However, this virus is not limited by gender or sexuality and can spread to anyone, anywhere, through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact. The Human Rights Campaign provides excellent resources on their “What You Need to Know” web page.

201 West 13th Street, New York, NY 10011
212.243.5470