Back to Faith | May 14
Let’s celebrate! On the other side of the pandemic, we are returning with kids and youth activities, an expanded Sunday morning schedule, Sunday School classes in the building and now...A PARTY! Thanks to the Thursday Night Men’s Group for sponsoring the “Back to Faith” party on June 5, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. We’ll have hotdogs and hamburgers ready for you -- along with chips, baked beans and ice cream for dessert. Live music will be provided by the talent in our own congregation and we’ll have inflatables for the kids. All we need is YOU to complete the party. Join us for food, fun and friends on Saturday, June 5. No cost!
So, what is on the other side of the pandemic? Hopefully some gifts we don’t want to lose. I recognize that not all of these might be gifts in your particular situation; but overall, they have been gifts because they gave our world a holy pause. We had more meals with our immediate family. We spent more time outdoors. We got to know our neighbors. We developed new hobbies and pastimes. We dug deeper to find the sustaining resources of our faith. We reassessed what is really valuable to us and decided that some of what we poured time and energy into really isn’t worth it. Hopefully, the other side of the pandemic will include an increased sense of gratitude and appreciation for our health, our relationships, and our church.
This is a picture of the 7 day rolling average of new cases in Tulsa County over the course of the pandemic. What you’ll notice is that during the last six weeks, this number has stayed relatively stable. The number of those hospitalized has also stabilized and the number of deaths continues to decline.
From the decision-making perch of your church, we understand that the risk is not zero. We also understand the risk of isolation must be considered as we move ahead. So, we will continue to offer more opportunities to gather as safely as possible and ask you to join us. Here is what you can expect as you return:
Masks will be required in the building for one more Sunday, May 16. After that, masks will be encouraged, particularly for travel to and from locations in the building and when congregating for conversation. Note: masks will be required for the foreseeable future in the kids and youth spaces because this population is still unvaccinated.
We are allowing small groups to establish their own protocols regarding masks in their shared space and whether they have refreshments or not.
We are still encouraging social distancing with blue tape on the floors to note a 6’ distance and ropes in the sanctuary closing every other pew.
We will still provide hand sanitizer throughout the building and encourage its frequent use.
We will be opening the water fountains again, except in the kids area, as soon as we can safely do so.
We will have two worship services each week, beginning May 23. At 9:00 am, we’ll share in a liturgical order, led by hymns and traditional music. At 11:00 am, we’ll share in praise and worship, led by our praise band in a contemporary style of music. We are working on ways to bring back the offering in each service. The hymnals are already out in the pews.
All the Sunday School classes that wanted to return and meet in the building have now been assigned a classroom space during the 10:00 hour. On June 6, we’ll bring back kids and youth Sunday School at the 10:00 hour.
Next Sunday, May 23, we’ll be live streaming both worship services and will continue to offer this on our three channels: our website, YouTube and Facebook Live.
Faith, thank you for your patience. I know it has been hard for us to live through this season together, but you have shown up for your church and for each other. I’m proud to be your pastor and look forward to what awaits us. We are calling this transition -- next expressions. As much as we might long to go back to what we once knew and is comforting to us, the pandemic has made that impossible. I hope you will join me in excitement for the next expression of what God will do among us.
A friendly reminder as I close...don’t forget to send your cards to Neisa Lock. You can send them to the church, 7431 E. 91st St. Tulsa, OK 74133, Attn: Neisa. We’ll celebrate Nesia’s extraordinary service to our congregation over the last 22 years at her “card party,” on May 18. Make sure you get your cards to the church! To honor a need for caution and Neisa’s request, the card party will be hosted by and attended by staff only. We’ll send out lots of pictures on our Facebook page, so be sure to look for that next week.
I’m looking forward to the last sermon on the Lord’s Prayer. I’ll see you Sunday morning.
