HOUSTON — About seven months after worship services across the country were halted by the coronavirus pandemic, the leadership at Lakewood Church says its in-person services will resume with reduced capacity beginning in October.
Pastors Joel and Victoria Osteen made the announcement in a video statement on the church's Facebook page on Monday morning:
The church announced services will resume Sunday, Oct. 18.
The church also sent an email to its members, indicating online sign-ups would be required and also informing worshipers of the safety and health protocols that will be in place:
"As usual, all of our weekend experiences will be online for all to view. In addition, we are creating an in-person service starting October 18th, at 10am. If you are comfortable and want to worship with us in person we’d love to have you!
As a safety precaution, we plan to reopen at 25% capacity and require that all attendees wear masks. Those members who wish to attend a service must reserve their seat online prior to the service.
Additionally, we’ve undertaken measures inside the church to insure a more sanitary environment for church attendees, such as:
Bathroom and Plumbing Upgrades: The installation of touchless faucets, touchless soap dispensers and touchless flush valves. All restrooms walls, doors, floors and fixtures will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized regularly.
Escalator Safety Upgrades: All Escalators have been fitted with a combination of Schindler Safe Ultra UVC Sterilization and CleanRail Antimicrobial Escalator Handrails. This will be effective in killing bacteria and viruses, and will provide the attendees with peace of mind when holding on to the escalator handrail.
Interior Building Air Purification: The main Air Handlers that supply the Sanctuary are being upgraded along with Bi-Polar ionization technology designed to assist in purifying the air supply.
Sanitizing High-Traffic Public Areas: Increased frequency and scope of all cleaning services including enhanced sanitization of high-traffic areas such as lobbies, hallways, elevators, bathrooms, counters, rails, doorknobs, and other frequently contacted surfaces in the church."