There are six phases of re-opening Westminster’s building and conducting off-site activities primarily based on two indicators:
- The number of confirmed, new COVID-19 cases in Minnesota per week.
- Minnesota hospital bed occupancy and Intensive Care Unit occupancy for COVID-19 cases.
Phase I (began March 13, 2020, when public health emergency declared):
Building closed; clergy, staff, and volunteers allowed into the building only to broadcast worship and educational programming as well as maintain the facilities; Westminster staff working remotely; no other gatherings allowed at Westminster or off-site.
Phase II (began May 23, 2020, when CDC revised guidelines regarding worship communities):
Continue all applicable parts of Phase I; additional allowances include receptionist on-site part time; weddings and memorial services with 10 people or fewer indoors to meet on-site and off-site; groups of 10 people or fewer to meet outdoors on-site and off-site (multiple groups can meet at the same location and time if distanced by at least 25 feet); and St. David’s Harman Center returns on-site following its own protocols.
Phase III (began April 4, 2021):
Continue all applicable parts of Phases I and II; additional allowances include clergy, staff, and volunteers to return to work in the building; groups of 25 people or fewer to meet indoors on-site and off-site; and groups of 50 people or fewer to meet outdoors on-site and off-site.
Phase IV (began June 1, 2021):
Continue all applicable parts of Phases I through III; additional allowances include groups up to 75 people, or 25% space capacity, indoors on-site and off-site; and groups of people up to 250 in the sanctuary.
Phase V (to begin when confirmed, new cases are one per 100,000 people or less per week for at least four weeks):
Continue all applicable parts of Phases I through IV; additional allowances include groups up to 50% space capacity, indoors on-site and off-site.
Phase VI (to begin with the availability of an effective treatment or vaccine):
Return to full use of the building, property, and off-site locations.
Read the complete Re-opening the Building Plan (last updated May 2021) (pdf).