Gathering Together in Person
We at the Anchor are excited to announce that we will be meeting in person again starting on April 11th with reduced capacity!
We at the Anchor believe that meeting together in person is vitally important to our spiritual and emotional health. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have spent much of 2020 away from one another and our typical gatherings. Sunday mornings and small groups have become live streams and Zoom calls. This has been a hard season, but a necessary one, to keep our community and families safe. In light of most recent measures taken from our local officials as well as the CDC, we are taking steps to move back to a hybrid in-person and online gathering on Sunday mornings.
In order to keep everyone safe, we will be at reduced capacity, require masks at all times, and have specific directions for things like communion and leaving during the service. We will also be requiring reservations to be made online. This is to both keep our numbers reduced and to help us seat families together. We know this is not ideal, nor is it everyone’s preference, but we must lay down our expectations and desires for the good of our community as a whole.
FAQs
We love you, but please stay home! If you or someone in your household is exhibiting symptoms, we ask that you do not come to service. In addition, if you or someone you’ve been in close contact with has tested positive for COVID-19, please do not attend services for 14 days following your most recent interaction with them.
Yes, our giving box located in the foyer will be available for you to place checks and envelopes.
Yes, you will need to reserve a seat for everyone in your household who will be attending the in-person service.
Note: You do not need to reserve a seat for your baby if they’ll be sitting in your lap.
Reservations will open at 12 p.m. the Wednesday before services on Eventbrite. We will announce reminders on our social media pages and send the link via email as well. Click here to sign up for our emails!
When you reserve your seats for a service, you will receive a confirmation email. Be sure to save this email as you will need to show it to a volunteer when you arrive.
Doors will open at 10:15am. If you arrive early, you are welcome to mingle together outside, remaining socially distanced.
We will not be serving the best coffee in Nashville for the time being. Please note you are welcome to bring in your own beverage. Masks will be required to be worn unless you are drinking your own beverage at your seat.
There are two coffee spots within a mile of the Anchor. Crema is located on Hermitage and The Goat which is within walking distance of the Anchor if you would like to pick up coffee to bring in with you!
No, you and your household will be seated by a volunteer once you enter. There will be a one-way flow of traffic as you enter. To maintain safe social distancing, we have distanced our seating by family group. Please do not move the chairs around.
At this time, we will not be offering kids ministry. You are more than welcome to bring your kids into service with you—we love worshiping with little ones! We will have a few things for your kids as you come in. Please do not worry if your child begins crying or is having a hard time. This is an adjustment for all of us, and we are a judgement-free zone as we celebrate being able to worship in person together again!
Please note: Changing pads will be available in the baby room. We ask that one family be in the room at a time.
Yes. In order to protect those around us, masks will be required for anyone over the age of 10. While we recommend the same for children ages 5–9, they will not be required. We recognize that this is not everyone’s preference, but we strongly believe that it is vital for continuing in-person services.
Yes! We value corporate worship, and we want to lift up our voices together to praise God. Please note that masks will be required for the duration of the service, even while we sing.
Yes, participating in Communion is an important element of worship. We will continue to participate in sharing Communion in our gatherings although it will look different than what we traditionally do. You can obtain a prepackaged Communion pack on the bar as you enter the sanctuary. We will share in the Eucharist together during our gathering. A Gluten Free option will be available as well.
After our service concludes, we will dismiss by sections to avoid congestion. It’s important that you remain seated until you are directed to an exit. Again, there will be one way in and out, according to the traffic guides on the floor.
Though we need you to enter & exit the building as directed, we believe that some of the most important parts of attending church happen before and after services as you connect with others, but please be considerate and continue your conversations outside, where proper distancing can occur.
Other important things to note:
Floor Traffic Guides:
As you enter the building you will notice a flow of traffic guides on the floor. We will observe these so as to create a flow of movement in and out of our building in order to keep safe distancing. Please observe these directions.
Livestream Equipment:
As you enter the sanctuary you will notice new equipment around the room in order to make the live stream happen for those who are not meeting with us in person. Please observe with caution this equipment and know they are not meant to be touched or moved.
Being Considerate:
Our gatherings are a time for us to connect to God and one another, and this is such an important part of our lives. Please, however, be mindful, touching and hugging during this season can be triggering for many of us. So please, before you shake hands or hug, simply ask if the other person is comfortable with this. It is completely normal to ask, as well as to say “Yes” or “No, thanks.”