Announcing our Christmas Eve Plans at THE HILL.

We want to make sure you are aware of the 2020 arrangements for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Services. Many things will be adjusted this year in our attempt to protect everyone’s safety.

To provide social distancing, half of the chairs were removed from the sanctuary when we reopened in June. To make adequate room for Christmas Eve guests, we are planning multiple services:  3:30, 5:00, & 6:30PM, all on December 24th. The “Eve” will be different, but Christ’s Birth will still be celebrated!

Upon your arrival, we intend to have ushers available to help locate your seats. Coat racks are closed to avoid congestion. You will receive your pre-packaged communion cups at the door as you enter. Please take those & your coats to your seats. Guests will remain at the seats for the entire service. We will not be touching or passing candles this year, but we will enjoy the glow from the candelabras. The white lights on the 20+ trees in the sanctuary will also shine brightly in the darkness.

Following the service, guests will be dismissed by rows. To avoid congestion, we will ask you to proceed directly to your vehicles without lingering in the lobby. If you are attending the second or third services, please remain in your vehicles until 20 minutes before the service starts. After everyone departs the sanctuary, the seating will have to be reconfigured before we can usher guests in.  

Starting at our November 29th services, we will have “sign-up” sheets where you will need to reserve seats for the service of your choice. Reserved seating will be reconfigured, for social distance standards, to match your household needs. We have approximately 100 chairs in the sanctuary & 9 tables in the fellowship hall for each service. Seats will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.  We will also begin taking reservation on only the church phone (217-229-3074) Wednesday, November 25th at 9am. (no emails, texts, or calls to staff phones please) Please leave message on answering machine, seats will be reserved in order of calls. 

Thanks for your patience & flexibility as we walk through this process. As you know, the situation remains very unstable.      Whatever happens, God will get the Glory!