As we prepare for the Grace Snellville 2020 fall season, we find ourselves in an ever-changing dynamic from week to week. With the advisory insights of our Leadership Staff, COVID-19 Health and Safety team, and our Elder Board, we have sought to create a plan that takes into consideration our mission as a worshiping and discipling community, public safety, and the realities of our resources. In the FAQ, you will find direction to how we will worship and utilize our facilities in the months ahead.This includes our Main Campus, our Treehouse and Learning Cottages, the D-House, the 1123 House, and Grace Village in Clarkston.
When will we have indoor worship services at Grace Snellville?
Currently we are worshiping online in Watch Parties and on our front lawn at Grace Snellville each Sunday at 9 am, weather permitting. As we continue to track with the public school system, we plan to maintain this rhythm of Sunday worship online and outside through Sunday, October 18th. As we get closer to this date, we will monitor the COVID-19 situation and make appropriate health and safety decisions for the remainder of our fall season.
What’s happening to our auditorium that will prevent us from worshipping inside?
There are several reasons for not allowing worship in our auditorium:
What happens when it rains?
We will make the decision as early as possible to cancel our services outside and communicate through our social media and email channels to let everyone know. Watch parties and on-line services will still be available so that we continue to have worship services each Sunday regardless of weather.
What’s happening with the Grace Learning Center (GLC)?
We believe Gwinnett County teaching virtually for the fall presents a wonderful opportunity for us to be a great community partner for our educational institutions–serving our administrators, teachers, parents, and students. So we will be opening up the Grace Learning Center to intilize our facilities daily to serve our community while at the same time observing all of the safety and health guidelines. This is a missional opportunity to equip each other to follow Jesus well into the Neighborhoods and Next Generation.
How will Grace Adult Ministry operate in the fall?
Grace Adult Ministry will offer Grace Groups consisting of classes, communities and care groups beginning September 7th. These will be offered either online or in person at different locations on campus or in neighborhood homes.
What will be happening with our Student Ministries?
Our student ministries have been working throughout the summer to offer our students safe environments to gather for the fall.
True North will start having services outside at the D-House on Sunday mornings at 9am beginning August 9th. True Ninth will begin teaching and discipling on Wednesday nights at the D-House from 6pm-7:30pm. beginning September 9th. If we must meet inside due to inclement weather, the students and facilitators will be required to wear masks, and to wash and sanitize their hands.
LUG AM will start having services outside on the back patio behind the Middle School Room on Sunday mornings at 9am beginning August 9th. LUG LIVE will begin teaching and discipling on Wednesday nights on the back patio behind the Middle School Room from 6pm-7:30pm beginning September 9th. If they must meet in the Middle School Room due to inclement weather, the students and facilitators will be required to wear masks, and to wash and sanitize their hands.
Gracekidz has been meeting inside on Sunday mornings since we started having services outside. They are following all of the appropriate safety and health guidelines recommended by the CDC, Gwinnett County Health Department, the State of Georgia, Our COVID-19 Health and Safety Team as well as our Elder Board.
Kidzlife on will meet on Wednesday nights inside our building from 6pm-7:30pm beginning September 9th, with all the safety and health restrictions in place. Children will remain with their huddle groups the entire time as well.
How often are we cleaning and sanitizing our facilities indoors?
All of our facilities are cleaned daily and sometimes multiple times due to the number of children or small events we have inside. We have stocked all the appropriate supplies for sanitizing and cleaning our facilities. We have additional masks, sanitizer, cleaning supplies in all our facilities. When we start having our fall Season activities, we are looking to ramp up our facilities staff to ensure that our spaces are cleaned regularly and consistently.
What’s happening in our Main Auditorium?
We have made a significant financial investment to upgrade and enhance our production equipment in our auditorium which includes a new stage, sound booth, new projectors, electrical reconfigurations, and new screens. As the enhancements are being made, we will have to creatively navigate our small gatherings into other spaces across our campus facility over the next 3-4 months.
What are our current COVID-19 Guidelines for groups to meet at our facilities?
Please click the link below for the most current guidelines.
What are our procedures if someone tests positive for COVID-19?
If someone tests positive for COVID-19, their group leader or administrator should be notified immediately.
Others in the group will be notified that someone in their group has tested positive or been exposed.
A 10-day quarantine will be required, and a person testing positive or exposed must be symptom-free for
48 hours before returning. If a person tests negative for COVID-19, then they may return after being
symptom free for 24 hours.
Related Info:
Grace Snellville COVID 19 Guidelines
Due to the current COVID-19 situation and with our utmost priority being the health and safety of our congregation and community, please find below the guidelines that we ask you to honor as it pertains to occupying the Grace Snellville facilities.
In forming these guidelines, the elders have taken into consideration the latest recommendations from the CDC and Gwinnett County Health Department. Additionally, we have taken into consideration the recommendations from the COVID-19 Advisory Team, consisting of medical professionals from Grace Snellville who have looked at the specific needs of our church. We continue to pay close attention to the situation and the recommendations of these groups. We will continue to update these guidelines as needed. Our ultimate goal is to follow Jesus well both in the way we steward community gatherings and the potential health risks associated with those gatherings.
The facilities referred to in this document include our Snellville main campus, the Treehouse and Learning Cottages, the D-House, the 1123 House, and Grace Village in Clarkston.
By agreeing to meet at the Grace Snellville and Clarkston facilities, you are agreeing to keep the guidelines below. Our expectation is that the group leader or key contact person reserving the space will carry the responsibility to communicate and enforce these guidelines while on campus.
Grace Snellville Guidelines:
Face Coverings:
Food and Drinks:
The risk of COVID-19 spreading at events and gatherings increases as follows:
Lowest risk: Virtual-only activities, events, and gatherings.
More risk: Smaller outdoor and in-person gatherings in which individuals from different households remain spaced at least 6 feet apart, wear cloth face coverings, do not share objects, and come from the same local area (e.g., community, town, city, or county).
Higher risk: Medium-sized in-person gatherings that are adapted to allow individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and with attendees coming from outside the local area.
Highest risk: Large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area.
Emergency assistance available to seniors:
Emergency assistance for seniors is available for those who are over 60. If you or someone you know is over 60 and facing hunger, health, or mobility issues, please call 678.377.4150 to speak with Gwinnett County Senior Services staff.
References:
State of Georgia Executive Orders
CDC Faith-based Community Guidelines
For additional clarification or information, please contact the Grace Snellville Executive Pastor, Carlos Green: .
Sincerely,
Grace Snellville Elder Board
Update – May 18, 2020
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has moved the Presidential Preference Primary and the state and local primary to June 9, 2020.
Advance Voting for the June 9 Presidential Preference Primary, General Primary, and Nonpartisan Election will take place from May 18 to June 5 at the Gwinnett Voter Registrations and Elections Beauty P. Baldwin Building and the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds. Click here for more information about advance voting in Gwinnett County.
Helpful links from Gwinnett County regarding Advance and Absentee voting:
Advance voting wait times:
https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/departments/elections/waittimes
Official drop boxes available for absentee/advance by mail ballots:
https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/home/stories/viewstory/-/story/OfficialDropBoxesforBallots_051520
Absentee Voting by Mail information:
https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/departments/elections/absenteevoting-civilians/absenteevotingmail
Update – April 23, 2020: Governor Kemp’s most recent “Reviving a Healthy Georgia” Executive Order
This Executive Order impacts restaurants, education and children, including child care facilities, drivers’ license services, healthcare, industry, commerce, organizations and non-profits, etc. as well as general provisions related to Social Distancing, Gatherings, the wearing of masks and more. It also addresses Shelter in Place for those at a higher risk of severe illness.
Download the Executive Order (pdf)
Update – April 21, 2020: Health Department Opens Larger COVID-19 Drive-through
Testing Site for One Day in Gwinnett County
On Wednesday, April 22, Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale County Health Departments will open a large drive-through COVID-19 test site at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth. Due to increased testing capacity, appointments are now being scheduled for anyone who thinks they may be ill with COVID-19. While the Health Department requires a scheduled appointment to test individuals, referral from a doctor is not necessary. This testing site is currently set to operate for one day; however, the Health Department offers testing at other locations, including at their district office in Lawrenceville, Monday through Saturday. Appointments are required for the Infinite Energy Center testing event and the other sites providing daily tests by calling 770-513-5631.
Download the full press release from Gwinnett County (pdf)
Update – April 3, 2020: Governor Kemp 2020 Shelter in Place Executive Order
Governor Kemp issued a statewide Executive Order that is effective, Friday, April 3, 2020 at 6:00 pm. This Executive Order supersedes and suspends any previous Gwinnett County declarations of emergency including the 16 cities’ declarations of emergency within Gwinnett County.
Let’s help each other by adhering to these very important guidelines. This is our opportunity to be responsible and to help keep our families, neighbors, communities, cities and county safe, whole and healthy.
Governor Kemp 2020 Shelter in Place Executive Order (pdf)
Shelter in Place Information (pdf)
Update – March 31, 2020: Gwinnett Emergency Order Hotline – 770.822.7399
A COVID-19 Gwinnett Emergency Order Hotline call center has been established to take residents’ questions and to report violations related to COVID-19 local emergency orders. The call center number is 770.822.7399 and will be open Monday through Friday, 8:00am–7:00pm. After business hours, we are encouraging reporting through email addresses that were previously established (; ).
Update - March 27, 2020: Gwinnett County and all 16 Gwinnett Cities Issue Stay at Home Orders
(Lawrenceville, Ga., March 27, 2020) – Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash and the mayors of the cities in Gwinnett have issued stay at home orders for their respective jurisdictions as a means to protect the health, safety and welfare of Gwinnett County residents. This move is being made in a coordinated fashion in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to preserve the community’s capacity to provide essential governmental and healthcare services. Download the Gwinnett County Government New Release below to read the complete report.
Download the Gwinnett County Government News Release (pdf)
Download the Local Emergency Order No. 1-4 (pdf)
Update - March 13, 2020: Download the Gwinnett County Community Mitigation Strategy (pdf)
Minimal to Moderate Recommendations:
What is coronavirus? Coronavirus is a new respiratory virus that originated in China. The virus is contagious and potentially fatal. It is suspected that it is transmitted through coughing and sneezing by infected individuals. According to the Centers for Disease Control, coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that are common among animals. And in rare cases can be transmitted from animals to humans. At the present time, there is no vaccine, cure or specific treatment.
How is coronavirus spread? Health authorities have not confirmed how coronavirus is transmitted but suspect it is spread from person-to-person. There is also evidence that the viruses can spread from human contact with animals. When it comes to human-to-human transmission of the viruses, often it happens when someone comes into contact with an infected person's secretions, such as a cough, sneeze or handshake could cause exposure. The virus can also be transmitted by touching something an infected person has touched and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes. The incubation period, or the time interval from infection to onset of symptoms, is from two to 14 days. During this period, an individual can be infected and spreading the disease, although they may not be experiencing the signs and symptoms of the virus.
How many people survive coronavirus? Currently, coronavirus has a fatality rate of less than 3 percent. As such, the majority of those affected so far have survived the disease.
What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus? The viruses can make people sick, usually with mild to moderate upper respiratory tract illness, similar to a common cold. Coronavirus symptoms include a runny nose, cough, sore throat, possibly a headache and maybe a fever, which can last for a couple of days.
For those with a weakened immune system, the elderly and the very young, there's a chance the virus could cause a lower, and much more serious, respiratory tract illness like pneumonia or bronchitis.
How can I protect myself? Because there is currently no vaccine to prevent infection, the best way to protect yourself is to avoid exposure. The CDC recommends the following additional steps:
What happens if I suspect I or someone I know has coronavirus?
If you exhibit symptoms of coronavirus within two weeks of traveling from China, you should contact a health care professional and mention your recent travel. If you have had close contact with someone exhibiting coronavirus symptoms who has recently traveled from China, you should call ahead to a health care professional and mention your close contact and the person's recent travel. Your health care professional will work with your state's public health department and CDC to determine if you need to be tested for coronavirus.We will continue to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), CDC's website and will update you as changes occur. We are also monitoring our mission trips to determine the appropriate action to take based on the most current recommendations and information from the CDC.
In the meantime, please protect yourself by following the above recommendations. For your convenience, you will find hand sanitizers in various locations throughout the church. Also, you should purchase individual hand sanitizers and disinfectants.
What precautions are being taken at Grace Snellville?
Questions or concerns? If you’d like to share your thoughts, concerns, questions, or ideas with us as we navigate our response to this situation, we’d love to hear from you. Your input and feedback are truly important to us. Please contact one of the Elders or the Executive Pastor, with any questions or comments.
While we cannot control the virus, spread, or the impact it has on our church, we’re doing everything we can to make this campus as safe and clean as possible. We appreciate your cooperation and commitment to help us do just that. We must also remember that God has not called us to live in fear, but in faith. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit of God does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” My prayer is that God will fill us all with these three gifts, no matter what comes our way.
Grace Snellville Crisis Management, Elder Board and Leadership Team
Update – March 31, 2020: Gwinnett Emergency Order Hotline – 770.822.7399
A COVID-19 Gwinnett Emergency Order Hotline call center has been established to take residents’ questions and to report violations related to COVID-19 local emergency orders. The call center number is 770.822.7399 and will be open Monday through Friday, 8:00am–7:00pm. After business hours, we are encouraging reporting through email addresses that were previously established (; ).
Update – March 27, 2020: Gwinnett County and all 16 Gwinnett Cities Issue Stay at Home Orders
(Lawrenceville, Ga., March 27, 2020) – Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash and the mayors of the cities in Gwinnett have issued stay at home orders for their respective jurisdictions as a means to protect the health, safety and welfare of Gwinnett County residents. This move is being made in a coordinated fashion in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to preserve the community’s capacity to provide essential governmental and healthcare services. Download the Gwinnett County Government New Release below to read the complete report.
Minimal to Moderate Recommendations:
What is coronavirus? Coronavirus is a new respiratory virus that originated in China. The virus is contagious and potentially fatal. It is suspected that it is transmitted through coughing and sneezing by infected individuals. According to the Centers for Disease Control, coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that are common among animals. And in rare cases can be transmitted from animals to humans. At the present time, there is no vaccine, cure or specific treatment.
How is coronavirus spread? Health authorities have not confirmed how coronavirus is transmitted but suspect it is spread from person-to-person. There is also evidence that the viruses can spread from human contact with animals. When it comes to human-to-human transmission of the viruses, often it happens when someone comes into contact with an infected person’s secretions, such as a cough, sneeze or handshake could cause exposure. The virus can also be transmitted by touching something an infected person has touched and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes. The incubation period, or the time interval from infection to onset of symptoms, is from two to 14 days. During this period, an individual can be infected and spreading the disease, although they may not be experiencing the signs and symptoms of the virus.
How many people survive coronavirus? Currently, coronavirus has a fatality rate of less than 3 percent. As such, the majority of those affected so far have survived the disease.
What are the signs and symptoms of coronavirus? The viruses can make people sick, usually with mild to moderate upper respiratory tract illness, similar to a common cold. Coronavirus symptoms include a runny nose, cough, sore throat, possibly a headache and maybe a fever, which can last for a couple of days.
For those with a weakened immune system, the elderly and the very young, there’s a chance the virus could cause a lower, and much more serious, respiratory tract illness like pneumonia or bronchitis.
How can I protect myself? Because there is currently no vaccine to prevent infection, the best way to protect yourself is to avoid exposure. The CDC recommends the following additional steps:
What happens if I suspect I or someone I know has coronavirus?
If you exhibit symptoms of coronavirus within two weeks of traveling from China, you should contact a health care professional and mention your recent travel. If you have had close contact with someone exhibiting coronavirus symptoms who has recently traveled from China, you should call ahead to a health care professional and mention your close contact and the person’s recent travel. Your health care professional will work with your state’s public health department and CDC to determine if you need to be tested for coronavirus.We will continue to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), CDC’s website and will update you as changes occur. We are also monitoring our mission trips to determine the appropriate action to take based on the most current recommendations and information from the CDC.
In the meantime, please protect yourself by following the above recommendations. For your convenience, you will find hand sanitizers in various locations throughout the church. Also, you should purchase individual hand sanitizers and disinfectants.
What precautions are being taken at Grace Snellville?
Questions or concerns? If you’d like to share your thoughts, concerns, questions, or ideas with us as we navigate our response to this situation, we’d love to hear from you. Your input and feedback are truly important to us. Please contact one of the Elders or the Executive Pastor, with any questions or comments.
While we cannot control the virus, spread, or the impact it has on our church, we’re doing everything we can to make this campus as safe and clean as possible. We appreciate your cooperation and commitment to help us do just that. We must also remember that God has not called us to live in fear, but in faith. As the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit of God does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” My prayer is that God will fill us all with these three gifts, no matter what comes our way.
Grace Snellville Crisis Management, Elder Board and Leadership Team